Zechariah 13

The theme of Jerusalem versus the nations connects the four messages in Zechariah's second oracle. The nations gather against Jerusalem at both the start (Zechariah 12:1–9) and the end (14:1–15) of the oracle. The repeated phrase on that day points to the future day of the Lord.

This oracle shows both judgment and blessing for Jerusalem. The main focus is the cleansing of the people of Israel (Zechariah 13:1), ending with God's universal kingdom (14:16–21). These future visions encouraged the Judeans of Zechariah's time to stay faithful despite feeling unimportant and helpless.

• A fountain is a source of pure, flowing water used for cleansing and purification (see Zechariah 14:8; John 4:14; Revelation 22:1–2).

• God will cleanse Israel, including its leaders (represented by the family line of kings descended from David) and all the people of Judah and Israel (represented by the people of Jerusalem, the nation's spiritual center).

• to cleanse them: This cleansing, symbolized by the ceremonial washings in Old Testament worship (see Exodus 30:17–21), was provided in the new covenant as promised by Jeremiah (Jeremiah 31:34) and Ezekiel (Ezekiel 36:25; see Hebrews 10:1–22).

• sin and impurity: The Hebrews would experience complete moral and spiritual cleansing because of their sorrow over their sin (Zechariah 12:10–14).

The second message (Zechariah 13:126) of the second oracle (Zechariah 12–14) focuses on cleansing from sin.

• By cleansing Israel, God would remove their past habit of idol worship, giving them a new heart to worship only God (Jeremiah 31:33; 32:38–40; Ezekiel 36:25–28).

• In biblical times, a person's name represented their existence. When people forget the names of idols, the idols no longer exist.

• False prophets misrepresented God by creating fake divine messages or speaking in the name of other gods (Deuteronomy 13:5–11; 18:17–22). They led Israel away from God by promoting idol worship (Jeremiah 23:13, 25) and would continue to do so (see Nehemiah 6:12–14; Mark 13:22; 2 Peter 2:1; 1 John 4:1–3) until the day of the Lord.

You shall not remain alive: According to God's law, a false prophet must be executed (Deuteronomy 13:5, 10; 18:20). The Israelites had tolerated false prophets and killed the Lord's true prophets. In the future, this situation would change.

• ashamed of his vision: In the Old Testament, people often called a prophet a visionary "seer" (see 1 Samuel 9:9–19; 2 Kings 17:13) because they received divine messages in dreams or night visions (for example, Zechariah 1:7–6:15).

• hairy cloak: Old Testament Hebrew prophets wore a rough cloak made of camel or goat hair (see 2 Kings 1:8; Matthew 3:4).

God will completely cleanse his people from their sin and impurity. This cleansing will create such fear that false prophets will hide who they really are. They will deny their identity and lie about what they do, especially if their actions resemble those of prophets from idolatrous cults (groups that worship false gods).

I work the land: This statement may be a deliberate echo of Amos 7:14. In that passage, Amos says he is not a prophet by profession but a farmer whom the Lord called to speak his message.

wounds on your chest?: These wounds may be cuts or bruises. Some ecstatic prophets (prophets who worked themselves into a religious frenzy), especially in Canaanite worship, injured themselves during ceremonies (see 1 Kings 18:28).

When questioned, false prophets would try to explain the wounds away. They might claim, “I was wounded at my friends’ house,” to hide their former practices.

• The sword is described as a warrior called to awaken for battle, emphasizing its role as God's servant and a tool of death (see Isaiah 31:8; 34:6; 66:16).

• My shepherd represents the Messiah, the future leader of Israel (see Ezekiel 34:23; 37:24).

• My partner shows the shepherd's equality with God (see Matthew 26:31; Mark 14:27).

This message talks about a future day when God’s chosen leader of Israel will be harmed, causing the people of Israel to scatter. Some of the nation will face divine judgment, while others will experience spiritual renewal. This will fulfill Zechariah’s vision of God being with his people again (see Zechariah 1:16; 2:5, 10–11; 8:3, 23). The gospel writers connect parts of this passage (Zechariah 13:7) to the scattering of the disciples of Jesus when he was arrested, tried, and executed by the Romans (see Matthew 26:31, 56).

two-thirds … a third: The divine judgment would be catastrophic. However, God would save a small group and forgive their sin (see Isaiah 65:9; Jeremiah 50:20; Ezekiel 5:2–12; Revelation 9:15–18).

• Fire is a metaphor for God's judgment (see Isaiah 66:15; Jeremiah 4:4; Ezekiel 36:5; Amos 5:6). God's fire can destroy the wicked or, as in this context, test and purify the righteous.

• Refine them … like gold: God acts as a divine metallurgist, using fire to remove impurities from metal (Isaiah 1:25; Malachi 3:2–3).

• They are my people … The LORD is our God: These declarations of loyalty by God and Israel restore their broken covenant relationship (Zechariah 11:10, 14; see Exodus 19:5; Jeremiah 30:22; 31:33; Hosea 2:23).