Zechariah 11:7 Meaning: Two Staffs, One Shepherd
So I fed the flock to be slaughtered, especially the oppressed of the flock. I took for myself two staffs. The one I called “Favor” and the other I called “Union”, and I fed the flock.
And I will feed the flock of slaughter, even you, O poor of the flock. And I took unto me two staves; the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Bands; and I fed the flock.
So I fed the flock of slaughter, verily the poor of the flock. And I took unto me two staves; the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Bands; and I fed the flock.
And I feed the flock of slaughter, even you, ye afflicted of the flock; and I take to me two staves, the one I have called Pleasantness, and the other I have called Bands, and I feed the flock.
So I fed the flock of slaughter, truly the poor of the flock. And I took unto me two staves; the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Bands; and I fed the flock.
Meaning in one sentence
In Zechariah 11:7, the Shepherd takes two staffs named Favor and Union. Learn what these symbols mean for God’s care and his broken covenant.
Context
This verse comes in the middle of a strange prophetic drama. The Lord told Zechariah to act as a shepherd for a flock marked for slaughter. The people had suffered under bad leaders, rulers who exploited them and did not care. So God raised up a shepherd, but even he would be rejected. The prophet took two staffs, each with a name that spoke of a gift from God. These were not just walking sticks. They represented the blessings the Shepherd was offering. The whole scene points forward to the Messiah, the true Shepherd, who came to feed God’s flock with grace and peace, only to be cast aside.
Key Words
Two Hebrew words give this verse its weight. The staff called “Favor” translates noam, a word full of warmth. It means pleasantness, beauty, delight. It describes the loveliness of God’s presence and the joy of His covenant, everything that makes life with Him good. The second staff, “Union,” comes from chovelim, a word about binding and tying together. It is the cord that keeps a flock from scattering, the bond that holds a people in peace. And the phrase “the afflicted of the flock” uses ani, which means poor, humble, or bowed down. These are the sheep who know their need, the ones the Shepherd especially tends to. The three words together tell a story: God gives His beauty and His binding love to those who are humble enough to receive them.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions read this verse as pointing to the Messiah. Matthew Henry saw in the staffs “the beauty of grace and glory” and “the bands of love and peace.” The Cambridge Bible notes that the two staffs show the Shepherd’s double aim: to ensure the flock’s comeliness and its unity. Keil and Delitzsch explain that Favor represents God’s grace and Union the covenant bond between God and His people. Gill emphasizes the special care Christ has for “the poor of the flock,” the humble believers. All these readings agree: the Shepherd comes with two clear gifts, and when He is rejected, both are tragically withdrawn. The verse prepares us for the breaking of the staffs in the verses that follow.
A common misunderstanding
A common mistake is to think the names of the staffs are just poetic descriptions of shepherd’s tools. In fact, they represent specific blessings from God, His favor toward His people and the unity He creates among them. The rest of the chapter shows these staffs being broken, signaling the withdrawal of those blessings when the true Shepherd is rejected. The names carry the whole message.
Living This Out
This week, ask yourself which staff you need most. Have you grown so used to God’s kindness that you no longer notice it? Has distance or resentment crept into a relationship you once treasured? The Shepherd tends the flock with both favor and unity. Take a few minutes to thank God for one ordinary blessing you have taken for granted. Then, if there is someone you are out of step with, take one small step toward peace. The humble sheep recognize the Shepherd’s gifts before they are gone.
Main takeaway: God offers His people the dual blessings of favor and unity through the true Shepherd, and the humble receive them.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
A shepherd uses two special sticks to care for his sheep. One stick is for Love and one is for Together. God loves us and wants us to stay together. That is how He takes care of us.
For ages 9, 12
In this verse, the prophet pretends to be a shepherd to act out a message from God. He carries two staffs. One is called Favor, which means God’s kindness and the good things He gives. The other is called Union, which means bringing people together. Later in the story, the people reject God, and the staffs are broken. It shows how much we lose when we turn away from God’s care. Walking with God means enjoying His beauty and staying close to each other.
Questions People Ask
What does 'the flock of slaughter' mean in Zechariah 11?
It refers to the people of Israel, who were headed for judgment because of their corrupt leaders and their own rebellion. Even so, God sent a Shepherd to tend them, showing mercy right up to the end. The phrase highlights both the tragedy of the people’s fate and the compassion of the Shepherd who feeds them anyway.
Why did the Shepherd take two staffs instead of one?
Two staffs allowed the Shepherd to symbolize two distinct blessings. One staff represented Favor, God’s grace and the beauty of His presence. The other represented Union, the bond that keeps the flock together, both with God and with each other. Like a real shepherd who uses a rod and staff for different purposes (Psalm 23), this Shepherd used two tools to care for the flock.
Who are 'the poor of the flock' in this verse?
They are the humble, afflicted followers who recognized their need for God. In verse 11, it is these poor sheep who understand that the prophet’s actions are the Lord’s word. They stand in contrast to the proud leaders who rejected the Shepherd. This shows that God has a special care for the lowly and receptive.
Is Zechariah 11:7 about Jesus?
Many Christians see this passage as a prophecy about Jesus Christ, the good Shepherd. The two staffs picture the blessings He came to give: God’s favor and the unity of His people. Later in the chapter, the Shepherd is valued at thirty pieces of silver (v.12), which Matthew connects to Judas betraying Jesus (Matthew 27:9-10). While the prophet Zechariah acted the part first, the full meaning points to Christ.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study