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].

On that day shall there be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for cleansing from sin and for purification.

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 on that day, saith the Lord of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall not be remembered any more: and also the prophets and the unclean spirit will I remove 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, if any one should yet prophesy, that his father and his mother who have begotten him shall say unto him, Thou shalt not live; for falsely hast thou spoken in the name of the Lord: and his father and his mother who have begotten him shall thrust him through when he prophesieth.

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 on that day, that the prophets shall be ashamed every one because of his vision, when he prophesieth; and they shall not clothe themselves with a hairy cloak in order 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 will say, I am no prophet, a man that tilleth the ground am I; for some one hath taught me to keep cattle 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 should some one say unto him, What are these wounds between thy hands? Then will he say, Those with which I have been wounded in the house of my [vicious] 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 whom I have associated with me, saith the Lord of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered; but I will turn my hand toward the feeble 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, saith the Lord, two parts [of those] therein shall be cut off, shall perish; but the third part shall be left therein.

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 I will refine them as one refineth silver, and will probe them as gold is probed: they will call on my name, and I will answer their prayer; I will say, They arc my people; and they will say, The Lord is my God.