Zechariah 11:13
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The phrase "a goodly price" is deeply ironic, highlighting the utter contempt with which the people valued their divine Shepherd. The command to cast the money to "the potter" points not just to the ultimate destination of this blood money, but also to the broken, worthless vessels they had become.
Then the LORD said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the lordly price at which I was priced by them. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the LORD, to the potter.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Zechariah is acting out a prophecy where he, as the "good shepherd," is rejected and treated with contempt by his flock, symbolizing Israel. After his staff of "Beauty" is broken, representing the broken covenant with God, he takes up his second staff, "Bands," symbolizing the fractured unity of Israel, only to have it broken as well by the people's rebellion and his own departure. This verse depicts the final, scornful payment given to the shepherd for his work, highlighting its utter worthlessness.
Thirty pieces of silver. A seemingly small sum, yet it carries the weight of betrayal and divine judgment. What does this price truly represent?
God, speaking through Zechariah, directs the prophet to 'Throw it to the potter.' This isn't just about discarding money; it's a profound statement of contempt.
The money is thrown to the potter, but not just anywhere. It's 'in the house of the LORD.' What does this sacred location signify for such a transaction?
The act of throwing the thirty pieces of silver 'to the potter in the house of the LORD' is layered with meaning. It connects a seemingly ignoble transaction to the very heart of Israel's worship.
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Understand the original words
yatsar · Hebrew Noun
A person who molds clay, functioning in the Old Testament both as a common artisan and as a powerful metaphor for God’s sovereignty in shaping humanity and nations according to His will.
This prophecy by Zechariah, delivered during the post-exilic period of Temple rebuilding, eerily foreshadows the betrayal of the Messiah by Judas for thirty pieces of silver, a sum deemed utterly contemptible for someone of such divine worth.
c. 587 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
Nebuchadnezzar's Babylonian army destroys Jerusalem and its Temple, marking a devastating blow to Jewish national and religious life and leading to widespread exile.
c. 520 BC
Temple Reconstruction Begins
Following the return from Babylonian exile, prophets like Haggai and Zechariah encourage the Jewish people to rebuild the Second Temple, a symbol of their restored covenant relationship with God.
c. 400s BC— this verse
Zechariah's Prophecies
Zechariah delivers his prophetic oracles, including the passage about the shepherd and the flock, which speaks metaphorically about leadership, betrayal, and God's ultimate plan.
c. 330 BC
Hellenistic Influence Spreads
Alexander the Great's conquests bring Greek language, culture, and political structures throughout the region, gradually influencing Jewish society and religious practices.
c. 175-164 BC
Antiochus IV Epiphanes' Oppression
The Seleucid ruler Antiochus IV attempts to eradicate Jewish religion, leading to the Maccabean Revolt and a period of intense religious and political struggle for Jewish autonomy.
c. AD 30-33
Crucifixion of Jesus
Jesus, identified by many Christians as the promised Messiah and the Good Shepherd foretold by prophets, is betrayed by Judas for thirty pieces of silver and crucified.
c. AD 33
Judas' Remorse and Death
Judas Iscariot, filled with remorse, returns the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, who then use the money to buy the potter's field as a burial place.
This passage directly describes Judas's betrayal of Jesus for thirty pieces of silver and the subsequent purchase of the potter's field with that money, fulfilling Zechariah's prophecy.
Jeremiah 18:1-6This passage from Jeremiah also involves a potter and clay, symbolizing God's sovereign power over His people and His ability to judge or reshape them, echoing the theme of God's dealings with a people who reject Him.
Psalm 2:1-3This Psalm speaks of rulers taking counsel together against the Lord and His Anointed, mirroring the unified rejection and low valuation of the Messiah described in Zechariah 11.
Exodus 21:32This verse shows that thirty shekels was the established price for a slave, highlighting the profound insult and devaluation of the Shepherd (Christ) when He was priced at such a sum.
cambridgeZechariah 11:13: "And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD."
13 . Cast it ] “as a thing vile and rejected, as torn flesh was to be cast to dogs ( Exodus 22:31 ), or a corpse was cast unburied ( Isaiah 14:19 ), or the dead body of Absalom was cast into the pit ( 2 Samuel 18:17 ), or the dust of the idol-altars into the brook Kidron by Josiah ( 2 Kin…
barnesZechariah 11:13: "And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD."
And the Lord said unto me, Cast it - As a thing vile and rejected, as torn flesh was to be cast to dogs Exodus 22:31 , or a corpse was cast unburied Isaiah 14:19 ; Isaiah 34:3 ; Jeremiah 14:16 ; Jeremiah 22:19 ; Jeremiah 26:23 ; Jeremiah 36:30 , or the dead body of Absalom was cast into t…
The phrase "a goodly price" is deeply ironic, highlighting the utter contempt with which the people valued their divine Shepherd. The command to cast the money to "the potter" points not just to the ultimate destination of this blood money, but also to the broken, worthless vessels they had become.
Zechariah is acting out a prophecy where he, as the "good shepherd," is rejected and treated with contempt by his flock, symbolizing Israel. After his staff of "Beauty" is broken, representing the broken covenant with God, he takes up his second staff, "Bands," symbolizing the fractured unity of Israel, only to have it broken as well by the people's rebellion and his own departure. This verse depicts the final, scornful payment given to the shepherd for his work, highlighting its utter worthlessness.
Zechariah is acting out a prophecy where he, as the "good shepherd," is rejected and treated with contempt by his flock, symbolizing Israel. After his staff of "Beauty" is broken, representing the broken covenant with God, he takes up his second staff, "Bands," symbolizing the fractured unity of Israel, only to have it broken as well by the people's rebellion and his own departure. This verse depicts the final, scornful payment given to the shepherd for his work, highlighting its utter worthlessness.
"Then the LORD said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the lordly price at which I was priced by them. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the LORD, to the potter." — The phrase "a goodly price" is deeply ironic, highlighting the utter contempt with which the people valued their divine Shepherd. The command to cast the money to "the potter" points not just to the…
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Last reviewed October 2026
