Zechariah 13
1 At that time [it will be as though] [MET] there will be a fountain from which water flows continually to cleanse the descendants [MTY] of [King] David and [all] the [other] people in Jerusalem from the guilt of the sins that they have committed, [especially] from becoming unacceptable to me [by worshiping idols].
In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness.
2 The Commander of the armies of angels says, “At that time, I will prevent [people from even mentioning] the names of the idols in their country, and no one will remember them any more. I will also expel from the land all the people who falsely claim that they are prophets [DOU].
And it shall come to pass in that day, says Jehovah of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered. And I will also cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land.
3 If someone continues to prophesy [falsely], his parents must say to him, ‘You have told lies saying that Yahweh [MTY] gave those messages to you, so you must be executed.’ [So] if someone prophesies [like that], his own father and mother must stab him [and kill him].
And it shall come to pass that, when any shall yet prophesy, then his father and his mother who begot him shall say to him, Thou shall not live, for thou speak lies in the name of Jehovah. And his father and his mother who begot him shall thrust him through when he prophesies.
4 At that time, the false prophets will be ashamed [that they claimed to have received messages from me in] their visions and prophesies [that they told to people]. They will no [longer] deceive people by wearing the clothes [that prophets usually wear], clothes made of [animals’] hair.
And it shall come to pass in that day, that the prophets shall be ashamed each one of his vision, when he prophesies, nor shall they wear a hairy mantle to deceive.
5 [So] each of them will say, ‘I am not [really] a prophet; I am a farmer, and I have been a farmer on my land ever since I was a boy!’
But he shall say, I am no prophet. I am a tiller of the ground, for I have been made a bondman from my youth.
6 But someone, [seeing the wounds on one of those prophet’s bodies, will suspect that he injured himself during rituals to worship idols, and he] will ask ‘Why are those wounds on your body?’ And he [will lie, saying] ‘I was injured [when I was] at my friend’s house.’”
And a man shall say to him, What are these wounds between thine arms? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.
7 The Commander of the armies of angels says, “[My] sword [APO] must strike [the one who is like] [MET] my shepherd, the man who is (my companion/very (close/dear) to me). When the shepherd is killed, [those who are like] [MET] his sheep will scatter. [And those who are like] [MET] my little sheep will [also] be attacked [IDM].”
Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man who is my companion, says Jehovah of hosts. Smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered. And I will turn my hand upon the little ones.
8 Yahweh [also] says, “Two-thirds [of the people in Judah] will die [DOU]. [Only] one-third [of the people in Judah] will remain alive.
And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, says Jehovah, two parts therein shall be cut off and die, but the third shall be left in it.
9 And I will test the ones that remain alive [by causing them to experience great difficulties, to find out if they will continue to worship me]. I will purify them like [MET] a man purifies gold or silver by putting it into a [very hot] fire. [Then] my people will call to me [MTY] [for help], and I will answer them. I will say [to them], ‘You are my people,’ and they will say, ‘Yahweh is our God.’”
And I will bring the third part into the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried. They shall call on my name, and I will hear them. I will say, It is my people, and they shall say, Jehovah is my God.
