Zechariah 11:14

Then I cut in two my second staff called Union, breaking the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — The prophet acts as the Lord’s agent, performing a symbolic gesture immediately after casting thirty pieces of silver to the potter. This moment concludes a sequence of divine commands illustrating the termination of a shepherd’s oversight.

The words — The verb אֶגְדַּע ('egda') translates literally as "I cut in two," applied to the staff named הַחֹבְלִים (haḥoblîm), meaning "the cord" or "Union." These terms describe the physical severance of a binding agreement.

The thread — The severed alliance mirrors the mutual hostility between Judah and Israel recorded in Isaiah 9:21 and the promised removal of Ephraim’s jealousy in Isaiah 11:13. The pattern of fractured community also aligns with the disorder produced by selfish ambition in James 3:16.

Why it lands — The text states that God actively breaks the political and spiritual bond between Judah and Israel as a direct consequence of covenant failure. The reader must account for divine initiative in ending unity and recognize that fractured relationships signal withdrawn protection rather than accidental drift.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וָֽאֶגְדַּע֙va./'eg.Da'and/ I cut up אֶת־'et-<obj.>מַקְלִ֣יmak.L/istaff/ my הַשֵּׁנִ֔יha./she.Ni<the>/ second אֵ֖ת'et<obj.>הַחֹֽבְלִ֑יםha./choe.Lim<the>/ Union לְהָפֵר֙le./ha.Ferto/ break אֶת־'et-<obj.>הָֽאַחֲוָ֔הha./'a.cha.Vahthe/ brotherhood בֵּ֥יןbeinbetween יְהוּדָ֖הye.hu.DahJudah וּבֵ֥יןu./Veinand/ between יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ סYis.ra.'ElIsrael

King James Version

Then I cut asunder mine other staff, even Bands, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.

Cross-references

Isaiah 9:21 Manasseh devours Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh; together they turn against Judah. Despite all this, His anger is not turned away; His hand is still upraised.
James 3:16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every evil practice.
Isaiah 11:13 Then 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.
Ezekiel 37:16 “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.’
Zechariah 11:7 So 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.
Zechariah 11:9 Then 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.”
Matthew 24:10 At that time many will fall away and will betray and hate one another,
Acts 23:7 As soon as he had said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.
Galatians 5:15 But if you keep on biting and devouring one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another.
James 3:14 But if you harbor bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast in it or deny the truth.