Zechariah 11:7 · Bible study
Zechariah 11:7 Commentary: The Shepherd's Two Staffs
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
What do the two staffs named Favor and Union mean in Zechariah 11:7? Discover their biblical symbolism as blessings of grace and covenant unity.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The prophet acts as God’s shepherd, using two staffs named Favor and Union to care for the flock marked for slaughter, especially the humble remnant.
- Key words: Favor (no‛am, “pleasantness/grace”), Union (chobelīm, “bands/bonds”), poor/afflicted (‛aniyyei, “humble/needy”).
- Main debate: The identity of the three shepherds cut off in verse 8, historical rulers, priestly factions, or symbolic types.
- Theological theme: God’s covenant blessings of grace and unity are offered through the true shepherd but can be withdrawn when the shepherd is rejected.
- Best use: Teaching on God’s patient care, the cost of rejecting His provision, and the importance of unity among His people.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
So I pastured the flock marked for slaughter, especially the afflicted of the flock. Then I took for myself two staffs, calling one Favor and the other Union, and I pastured the flock.
WEB World English Bible 2000
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.
KJV King James Version 1769
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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
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.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
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.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
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.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And I will feed the flock of slaughter for this, O ye poor of the flock. And I took unto me two rods, one I called Beauty, and the other I called a Cord, and I fed the flock.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Apacenté pues las ovejas de la matanza, es á saber, los pobres del rebaño. Y me tomé dos cayados; al uno puse por nombre Suavidad, y al otro Ataduras; y apacenté las ovejas.
Então eu apascentei as ovelhas da matança, as pobres do rebanho. E tomei para mim duas varas; a uma chamei Agrado e à outra chamei União; e apascentei as ovelhas.
Alors je me mis à paître les brebis destinées à la boucherie, assurément les plus misérables du troupeau. Je pris deux houlettes: j’ appelai l’ une Grâce, et j’ appelai l’ autre Union. Et je fis paître les brebis.
Und ich hütete die Schlachtschafe, ja, die elenden unter den Schafen, und nahm zu mir zwei Stäbe: einen hieß ich Huld, den andern hieß ich Eintracht; und hütete die Schafe.
Dies heb ik deze slachtschapen geweid, dewijl zij ellendige schapen zijn; en ik heb mij genomen twee stokken, den een heb ik genoemd LIEFELIJKHEID, en den anderen heb ik genoemd SAMENBINDERS; en ik heb die schapen geweid.
Allora io mi misi a pascere le pecore destinate al macello, e perciò le più misere del gregge; e mi presi due verghe; chiamai l’una Favore e l’altra Vincoli, e mi misi a pascere il gregge.
Bom pasł owce zgotowane na rzeź, was, mówię, o nędzne owce! i wziąwszy sobie dwie laski, jednęm nazwał Uciechą, a drugąm nazwał Związujących, a pasłem one owce.
И буду пасти овец, обреченных на заклание, овец поистине бедных. И возьму Себе два жезла, и назову один - благоволением, другой - узами, и ими буду пасти овец.
於是，我牧養 這將宰的 群羊，就是 群中最困苦的 羊。我拿著 兩 根杖，一 根我稱為「榮美」，一 根我稱為「聯索」。這樣，我牧養了 群羊。
So I took care of the flock of death, for those who made profit out of the flock; and I took for myself two rods, naming one Beautiful, and the other Bands; and I took care of the flock.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Zechariah 11:7
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree on the basic symbolism of the two staffs. The first, called “Favor” (Hebrew no‛am, “pleasantness” or “grace”), represents God’s gracious presence, the beauty of holiness, and the covenant privileges, the temple, the land, the promises. The Cambridge Bible notes this aim was “to ensure the comeliness” of the flock. Gill connects it to God’s kindness and gentleness. The second staff, called “Union” (Hebrew chobelīm, “bands” or “cords”), stands for the bond of brotherhood between Judah and Israel, the unity of God’s people under one shepherd. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown explain that Messiah would have joined Judah and Israel in common faith. The “poor of the flock” are the faithful remnant who receive this care. The shepherd feeds the flock with these staffs, he leads, protects, and nourishes through these gifts. When the flock rejects him, the staffs are broken (Zechariah 11:10-14), signifying the removal of God’s favor and the collapse of national unity. This pattern, offer of grace, rejection, judgment, shapes the entire chapter.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Historical-covenantal: The staffs represent the Mosaic covenant (favor) and the unity of the divided kingdom (union). Breaking them announces judgment on the nation.
- Messianic-prophetic: The staffs prefigure the blessings Christ offers—grace and unity in the new covenant—removed when He is rejected by the leaders of Israel.
What is clear: The two staffs symbolize divine blessings that the shepherd uses to care for the flock; their breaking signifies the withdrawal of those blessings in judgment.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Identity of the three shepherds (v. 8) | They represent leaders of Israel, kings, priests, or prophets, who are removed by God in judgment. | Some identify them as specific historical figures (e.g., the last Hasmonean rulers), others as symbolic types of oppressive leadership. Christians often see them as the high-priestly families or the three offices (king, priest, prophet). |
| Meaning of 'poor of the flock' | These are the humble, faithful remnant within the larger flock who listen to the shepherd. | Some commentators (e.g., Gill) see them as spiritually poor in spirit; others (Keil & Delitzsch) insist they are simply the lowly and weak among the nation, not synonymous with the whole flock. |
| Timing of the prophecy's fulfillment | The passage predicts a coming rejection of God’s shepherd and consequent judgment. | Jewish interpreters often place it in the post-exilic or Roman period; Christian interpreters see it as directly fulfilled in Christ’s rejection and the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70. |
| Symbolism of the two staffs | They represent divine blessings, grace/favor and unity/brotherhood, bestowed through the shepherd. | Some link Favor specifically to the temple cult (beauty of holiness), others to the covenant promises. Union is variously seen as the bond between Judah and Israel, or the internal peace of the community. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Zechariah prophesied in the post-exilic period (around 520, 518 BC), when a small remnant had returned from Babylon to rebuild the temple and restore community life. The metaphor of shepherding was deeply familiar: leaders, kings, priests, prophets, were called to shepherd God’s people. The “flock of slaughter” refers to the nation of Israel under divine judgment for persistent unfaithfulness, vulnerable to foreign powers and internal decay. Within that doomed flock, the “poor of the flock” (Hebrew ‛aniyyei hatson) are the humble, faithful remnant who trust in God (compare Isaiah 61:1; Zephaniah 3:12).
Shepherd staffs were practical tools: a rod for counting (Leviticus 27:32), guiding, and protecting (Psalm 23:4). The two staffs suggest two distinct blessings. The name “Favor” (no‛am) recalls “the beauty of the Lord” (Psalm 27:4) and God’s gracious favor (Psalm 90:17). “Union” (chobelīm) is a rare term, likely pointing to the binding cord of brotherhood; it appears only here and in Zechariah 11:14. The prophet’s drama was a living sign: God was offering His grace and the bond of peace through the true shepherd. When the people rejected that shepherd, the nation would lose both blessings, the temple would be destroyed and the unity of the people shattered, events that came to pass in the Roman devastation of AD 70.
Textual Notes
The Hebrew text uses the vav consecutive va’er‛eh (“So I fed”), a past tense consistent with prophetic vision. The LXX and Vulgate translate it as a future (“I will feed”), which the KJV and Douay follow. The weight of the Hebrew manuscripts and the surrounding past-tense verbs (he took, he called) support the past-tense reading. No significant variants affect the interpretation of the staffs’ meaning.
Reception History
Christian interpreters from the early church saw this verse as a prophecy of Christ’s shepherding and rejection. Matthew Henry (1710) explicitly calls the prophet a type of Christ. The staffs have been understood as the gospel (Favor) and the unity of believers (Union). Jewish tradition, represented by the Targum and later commentators like Jarchi and Kimchi, often interpreted the staffs as reflecting the division of the kingdom after Solomon or the different ways God treated Israel based on their obedience. The diversity of readings shows how the passage has been applied both to the historical covenant community and to the coming Messiah.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Shepherd’s Compassion: God feeds even a flock doomed to slaughter, especially the afflicted remnant.
- The Shepherd’s Gifts: The staffs of Favor and Union represent God’s grace and the bond of peace.
- The Shepherd’s Rejection: The flock’s refusal leads to the breaking of the staffs and the loss of God’s blessings.
Five-point outline
- God calls shepherds to lead His people with care and commitment.
- The flock includes both the judged and the humble faithful who listen.
- God’s blessings are tangible gifts, staffs of favor and unity for nourishment.
- These blessings depend on covenant faithfulness, not mere possession.
- Rejection of the shepherd results in judgment and the scattering of the flock.
Illustration hooks
- A shepherd counts sheep with two different crooks: one dipped in red for tithing, another with a hook for rescue.
- A coach writes two plays on the board, one for defense, one for team cohesion, both essential for the game.
- A parent uses both a spoon to feed and a hand to hold two children together, each action meeting a different need.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why would a shepherd feed a flock that is already doomed to destruction?
- What do the two staffs mean for us today, how do we experience God’s favor and unity?
- How does this passage apply to the church’s call to care for the vulnerable and maintain unity?
Leading a Discussion
Zechariah 11:7 captures God’s committed care for His people even when they are heading for judgment. The prophet takes two staffs, Favor and Union, and feeds the flock. This illustrates how God supplies grace and community to sustain His people, and what happens when those gifts are rejected.
Discussion questions
- Observation: What does the prophet do in this verse? What names does he give the two staffs?
- Observation: Who are the “poor of the flock,” and how are they described in the surrounding chapters?
- Interpretation: Why might the shepherd need two staffs instead of one? What does each name suggest about God’s relationship with His people?
- Interpretation: How does the shepherd “feed” the flock with these staffs? What actions might that include?
- Interpretation: In light of verses 10 and 14, what does it mean when the staffs are broken later in the chapter?
- Application: Where do you see God’s “Favor” at work in your own life or community right now?
- Application: How can your group or church actively cultivate “Union” among believers? What threatens that unity?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Leviticus 27:32 | All the tithe of the herds or the flocks, whatever passes under the rod, the tenth shall be holy to Yahweh. |
| I Samuel 17:40 | He took his staff in his hand, and chose for himself five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag which he had. His sling was in his hand; and he came near to the Philistine. |
| I Samuel 17:43 | The Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” The Philistine cursed David by his gods. |
| Psalms 23:4 | Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. |
| Psalms 133:1 | A Song of Ascents. By David. See how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to live together in unity! |
| Psalms 133:3 | like the dew of Hermon, that comes down on the hills of Zion; for there Yahweh gives the blessing, even life forever more. |
| Isaiah 11:4 | but he will judge the poor with righteousness, and decide with equity for the humble of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; and with the breath of his lips he will kill the wicked. |
| Isaiah 61:1 | The Lord Yahweh’s Spirit is on me, because Yahweh has anointed me to preach good news to the humble. He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and release to those who are bound, |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that the two shepherd’s tools represent the unity of the people under God as their Shepherd. He sees their peaceful harmony as a joy to God.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that Zechariah says he fed the slaughtered flock because the Father commanded him to show people they perished by their own fault. He explains this action refers to the role of the Good Shepherd described in earlier prophetic books.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges notes that the shepherd used two staffs instead of one. This shows he aimed to keep both the group together and its appearance neat.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Geneva Bible Notes notes that the speaker names the two staffs Beauty and Bands. He also says he fed the sheep.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill identifies the two shepherds staves as symbols of the Gospel, which he calls Beauty, and the ordinances of the Gospel, which he calls Bands. The Gospel feeds and directs the flock, while the ordinances unite believers to Christ and to one another, keeping them together as a single flock.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
Jamieson Fausset Brown notes the Messiah took on shepherding work because the Father wanted him to help the poor sheep who rejected God’s grace. He used shepherd’s staffs and spoke of the people’s beauty to show he would restore their unity and protect their land.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch identify the three shepherds the prophet destroys as heathen imperial rulers, not Jewish leaders. The two staves, Favor and Bands, represent God's protective favor and the blessing of national unity. The phrase "in one month" is symbolic, pointing to a brief prophetic period.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange argues the word therefore connects the description of the ruined flock to the shepherd’s action of feeding them. He sees אחד as an absolute term meaning the very worst sheep. Christians have understood this passage to mean... both seek to be faithful to Scripture.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry sees the prophet acting as a picture of Christ who feeds the slain sheep. He says the broken staff shows Christ ended his covenant with people and gave their money to a potter.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley interprets the term "bands" not as literal restraints but as something beautiful and relational. He equates them with the beauty of grace and glory, and with the bonds of love and peace, emphasizing a gentle, attractive connection rather than a forceful one.