Zechariah 11:5
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
What's easily missed here is the chilling blasphemy of those who profit from suffering. They don't just ignore the pain they cause; they twist religious language, thanking God for their wealth gained through cruelty, revealing a heart utterly devoid of compassion and understanding of true devotion.
Those who buy them slaughter them and go unpunished, and those who sell them say, ‘Blessed be the LORD, I have become rich,’ and their own shepherds have no pity on them.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The prophet Zechariah is instructed to act as a shepherd to a flock that is destined for slaughter, symbolizing God's judgment on his people. This verse describes the cruel exploitation of this flock by those who claim ownership, as well as those who sell them, highlighting their complete lack of compassion and even their profane gratitude for their ill-gotten gains, all while their appointed spiritual leaders offer no comfort or protection. The impending doom is so severe that even their own shepherds will not pity them.
Imagine a flock so mistreated that its owners don't just neglect it, but actively slaughter it. What does this reveal about hearts gone cold?
The verse paints a grim picture: "Those who buy them slaughter them and go unpunished." This isn't just about ownership; it's about a perversion of responsibility.
A Twisted Chain of Command
What happens when people thank God for ill-gotten gains, twisting piety into a mask for greed?
The verse continues with a shocking declaration: "and those who sell them say, ‘Blessed be the LORD, I have become rich.’" This captures the hypocrisy and spiritual blindness of the exploiters.
Ask a follow-up
The Blasphemy of Greed
When the very ones appointed to protect and nurture the flock abandon them, where is hope to be found?
The final clause of the verse delivers a devastating blow: "and their own shepherds have no pity on them." This points to a profound betrayal by those who should have been most caring.
The Failure of Leadership
This verse encapsulates a total collapse of moral and spiritual leadership, leaving the flock exposed to every kind of harm.
Understand the original words
ashem · Hebrew Adjective/Adverb
The state of being innocent or free from liability for a wrong. Here it refers to the corrupt impunity of those who exploit the weak without fear of divine or human justice.
barak · Hebrew Verb
Literally 'to bless,' it is a declaration of divine favor or a wish for God's goodness. In this context, it highlights the hypocrisy of the wicked who use religious language to justify their selfish gain.
chamal · Hebrew Verb
A compassionate response to the suffering or misery of others. It represents a godly quality, the lack of which indicates a profound moral failure in leadership.
Zechariah's prophecy describes a brutal exploitation and abandonment of God's people, reflecting the historical experiences of devastating exiles and conquests, particularly the catastrophic destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, where captives were indeed sold and leaders showed a callous disregard.
Late 8th Century BC
Assyrian Captivity of Northern Tribes
The Northern Kingdom of Israel was conquered by the Assyrian Empire, and many of its people were deported and scattered, a foreshadowing of later exiles.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar's forces captured Jerusalem, taking some of the royal family and elite citizens captive to Babylon. This began the Babylonian exile.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
The Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and its Temple, deporting the majority of the remaining population. This was a devastating blow to Judah's national and religious identity.
c. 520 BC— this verse
Zechariah's Ministry Begins
Zechariah prophesied during the period of return and rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile.
c. 70 AD
Roman Destruction of Jerusalem
The Roman Empire besieged and destroyed Jerusalem, including the Second Temple, and a vast number of Jews were killed or sold into slavery.
This passage echoes the theme of lost sheep being devoured by adversaries who claim innocence, directly paralleling Zechariah's description of those who prey on the flock without guilt or pity.
Ezekiel 34:4This verse highlights the failure of shepherds to care for their flock, specifically mentioning they do not 'strengthen the weak, heal the sick, bind up the broken, bring back the scattered, or seek the lost,' which resonates with Zechariah's depiction of uncaring shepherds.
Matthew 27:3-5This New Testament account shows the tragic end of Judas, who betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver and then felt remorse and tried to return the money, providing a specific fulfillment and example of the 'sellers' and the price mentioned implicitly in Zechariah.
John 10:11-13Jesus contrasts the Good Shepherd, who lays down his life for the sheep, with a hired hand who cares nothing for the sheep when danger comes, aligning with Zechariah's critique of shepherds who lack compassion and abandon their flock.
Luke 12:16-19The parable of the rich fool, who hoards possessions and trusts in his wealth, illustrates the greedy mindset of those who 'sell' the flock for gain and bless the Lord for their riches, mirroring the exploitative spirit described in Zechariah.
cambridgeZechariah 11:5: "Whose possessors slay them, and hold themselves not guilty: and they that sell them say, Blessed be the LORD; for I am rich: and their own shepherds pity them not."
5 . possessors ] Rather, buyers. The flock of which the prophet was commanded to take charge had been bought and slain without compunction, and sold for gain, with a complacent “bless the Lord” at the good price they fetched.
barnesZechariah 11:5: "Whose possessors slay them, and hold themselves not guilty: and they that sell them say, Blessed be the LORD; for I am rich: and their own shepherds pity them not."
Whose possessors - (buyers) slay them and hold themselves not guilty, rather, are not guilty either in their own eyes, or in the sight of God, since He gave them up and would no more avenge them. They contract no guilt. Aforetime God said; "Israel was holiness to the Lord, the first-fruits of His increase; all that…
What's easily missed here is the chilling blasphemy of those who profit from suffering. They don't just ignore the pain they cause; they twist religious language, thanking God for their wealth gained through cruelty, revealing a heart utterly devoid of compassion and understanding of true devotion.
The prophet Zechariah is instructed to act as a shepherd to a flock that is destined for slaughter, symbolizing God's judgment on his people. This verse describes the cruel exploitation of this flock by those who claim ownership, as well as those who sell them, highlighting their complete lack of compassion and even their profane gratitude for their ill-gotten gains, all while their appointed spiritual leaders offer no comfort or protection. The impending doom is so severe that even their own shepherds will not pity them.
The prophet Zechariah is instructed to act as a shepherd to a flock that is destined for slaughter, symbolizing God's judgment on his people. This verse describes the cruel exploitation of this flock by those who claim ownership, as well as those who sell them, highlighting their complete lack of compassion and even their profane gratitude for their ill-gotten gains, all while their appointed spiritual leaders offer no comfort or protection. The impending doom is so severe that even their own shepherds will not pity them.
"Those who buy them slaughter them and go unpunished, and those who sell them say, ‘Blessed be the LORD, I have become rich,’ and their own shepherds have no pity on them." — What's easily missed here is the chilling blasphemy of those who profit from suffering. They don't just ignore the pain they cause; they twist religious language, thanking God for their wealth gained…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026
