Shepherds, Sticks, and Social Destabilization: A Fresh Look at Zechariah 11:4-17

Abstract

(ProQuest: ... denotes non-USASCII text omitted.) (ProQuest: ... denotes Greek characters omitted (or Cyrillic characters omitted.)) 11:4 This is what Yhwh my God said, Shepherd flock set aside for slaughter. 5 Those who are buying them are killing them and do not feel guilty. Those who are selling them are saying, 'Blessed be Yhwh' and T am rich.' those who are shepherding them do not have compassion on them. 6 For will not have compassion upon those dwelling in land, declares Yhwh. And behold, will be delivering each person into hand of their shepherd and into hand of their king. they will utterly desolate land but will not deliver [the people] from their hands. 7 So shepherded flock set aside for slaughter on behalf of merchants of flock. took for myself two staves. one named Favor and other Ties. So shepherded flock. 8 got rid of three shepherds in one month. But my spirit grew impatient with them and their spirits lost patience with me. 9 So said, I will not shepherd you. Let those who are to die, die. Let those who are to be destroyed, be destroyed. let those who remain eat flesh of their neighbor. 10 took my staff Favor and broke it to break covenant made with peoples. 11 it was broken in that day. merchants of flock, who watched over them, knew that it was word of Yhwh. 12 said to them, it seems right in your eyes, pay me my wages. If not, let them be nothing. So they measured out my wages, 30 silver pieces. 13 Then Yhwh said to me, Throw unto molder there princely sum with which you were paid. So took 30 silver pieces and threw them into house of Yhwh unto molder. 14 broke my second staff, Ties, to break family bond between Judah and Israel. 15 Then Yhwh said to me, Once again take instruments of a worthless shepherd. 16 For, behold, am placing a shepherd in land: those being destroyed he will not care for; young he will not seek; ones being broken he will not heal; those being set apart he will not feed; and fatty flesh he will eat and their hooves rip off. 17 Woe to worthless shepherd forsaking flock! A sword upon his arm and upon his right eye. May his arm be completely withered and his right eye completely dimmed. At turn of twentieth century, no less a scholar than S. R. Driver described Zech 11:4-17 as, the most enigmatic [prophecy] in Old Testament.1 As twentieth century drew to a close, Edgar Conrad echoed sentiments of Driver in his own comments on this passage, The grim development of events suggests a peculiar logic now impenetrable.2 Despite developments during twentieth century in critical theory used to investigate biblical text, Conrad found himself in a position similar to Driver, a position with which undoubtedly many readers would concur. While acknowledging that numerous difficulties attend interpretation of Zech 11:4-17, propose to discuss several key issues in order to gain a better understanding of purpose of this prophetic narrative, both historically and in book of Zechariah. First, propose to uncover identity of shepherds condemned in this text, a proposal that differs from many of various approaches in recent scholarship. think that this identification of shepherds in social context of Yehud in Persian period proves paramount to second phase of my discussion: uncovering social situation within Yehud that precipitated prophetic drama recorded in Zech 11:4-17. Third, understanding underlying social conflict provides a vista from which to observe carefully crafted words of this narrative, which are used to convey condemnation of social ills envisioned here. As we observe narrative's portrayal of words and actions, we discover that at key junctures text is in dialogue with prophetic message, especially of Isaiah 40-55, undermining any false sense of security that readers might have based on various restoration promises in earlier prophetic tradition. …