Then I cut in two my second staff called Union, breaking the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.
Parallel translations
- WEB Then I cut apart my other staff, even Union, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.
- KJV Then I cut asunder mine other staff, even Bands, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.
- NKJV Then I cut in two my other staff, Bonds, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.
- NASB Then I cut in pieces my second staff Union, to break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.
- NLT Then I took my other staff, Union, and cut it in two, showing that the bond of unity between Judah and Israel was broken.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The Shepherd breaks the second staff, 'Union,' shattering the brotherhood between Judah and Israel. It matters because rejecting the Shepherd brings not only lost favor but lost unity and fragmentation.
Overview
With Favor already broken, the snapping of Union dissolves the bond holding the covenant people together. The loss of God's grace is followed by internal disintegration and division. This double breaking shows the comprehensive cost of spurning the Shepherd; true and lasting unity among God's people is restored only in Christ, who breaks down dividing walls (Eph. 2:14).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Isa 9:21Manasseh devours Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh; together they turn against Judah. Despite all this, His anger is not turned away; His hand is still upraised.
- Jas 3:16For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every evil practice.
- Matt 24:10At that time many will fall away and will betray and hate one another,
- Isa 11:13Then the jealousy of Ephraim will depart, and the adversaries of Judah will be cut off. Ephraim will no longer envy Judah, nor will Judah harass Ephraim.
- Jas 3:14But if you harbor bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast in it or deny the truth.
- Ezek 37:16–20“And you, son of man, take a single stick and write on it: ‘Belonging to Judah and to the Israelites associated with him.’ Then take another stick and write on it: ‘Belonging to Joseph—the stick of Ephraim—and to all the house of Israel associated with him.’
- Zech 11:7So 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.
- Acts 23:7–10As soon as he had said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.
- Gal 5:15But if you keep on biting and devouring one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another.
- Zech 11:9Then I said, “I will no longer shepherd you. Let the dying die, and the perishing perish; and let those who remain devour one another’s flesh.”
- Jas 4:1–3What causes conflicts and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from the passions at war within you?
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Branch who is both priest and king, the shepherd struck and the flock scattered, the king coming humble on a donkey, the one they pierced, the fountain opened for sin — Zechariah is dense with Christ.
How Zechariah 11:14 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.