10 Despite the NT use of this text to speak of the scattering of the disciples following Jesus’ crucifixion (Matt 26:31; Mark 14:27), the immediate context of Zechariah suggests that unfaithful shepherds (kings) will be punished by the Lord precisely so their flocks (disobedient Israel) can be scattered (cf. Zech 11:6, 8, 9, 16). It is likely that Jesus drew on this passage merely to make the point that whenever shepherds are incapacitated, sheep will scatter. Thus he was not identifying himself with the shepherd in this text (the shepherd in the Zechariah text is a character who is portrayed negatively).

In other versions

“Awake, O sword, against my shepherd,

against the man who stands next to me,”

declares the Lord of hosts.

“Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered;

I will turn my hand against the little ones.

“Awake, sword, against my shepherd,

against the man who is close to me!”

declares the Lord Almighty.

“Strike the shepherd,

and the sheep will be scattered,

and I will turn my hand against the little ones.

Sword, awake against my shepherd,

against the man who is my associate—

this is the declaration of the Lord of Armies.

Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered;

I will turn my hand against the little ones.

“Awake, O sword, against my shepherd,

the man who is my partner,”

says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

“Strike down the shepherd,

and the sheep will be scattered,

and I will turn against the lambs.

“O sword, awake against my shepherd,

against the man who is my associate,”

declares Yahweh of hosts.

“Strike the shepherd,

so that the sheep may be scattered,

and I will turn my hand against the small ones.

Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow,

Saith the Lord of hosts:

Smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered:

And I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.

Public Domain