The Meaning of Zechariah 10:3 Explained

Zechariah 10:3

KJV: Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds, and I punished the goats: for the LORD of hosts hath visited his flock the house of Judah, and hath made them as his goodly horse in the battle.

YLT: Against the shepherds did Mine anger burn, And against the he-goats I lay a charge, For inspected hath Jehovah of Hosts His flock, the house of Judah, And set them as His beauteous horse in battle.

Darby: Mine anger is kindled against the shepherds, and I will punish the he-goats; for Jehovah of hosts visiteth his flock, the house of Judah, and maketh them as his majestic horse in the battle.

ASV: Mine anger is kindled against the shepherds, and I will punish the he-goats; for Jehovah of hosts hath visited his flock, the house of Judah, and will make them as his goodly horse in the battle.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Mine anger  was kindled  against the shepherds,  and I punished  the goats:  for the LORD  of hosts  hath visited  his flock  the house  of Judah,  and hath made  them as his goodly  horse  in the battle. 

What does Zechariah 10:3 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The Lord was angry with these false shepherds (rulers, i.e, kings, princes, nobles, prophets, and priests) and the other leaders who led His sheep astray like rams (cf. 1 Samuel 28:3-7; 1 Kings 16:31; 1 Kings 22:6-12; 2 Kings 1:2; 2 Kings 16:15; 2 Kings 21:6). The shepherds and rams may also include the foreign rulers under which the Jews had to live. [1] The Lord would visit His flock, namely, the flock of Judah (the Israelites), and He would make His people like the horse He rode in battle to defeat His enemies. In other words, He would empower the Israelites. The weak sheep would become as strong as horses. The battle of Armageddon is probably in view (cf. Zechariah 12:1-9; Zechariah 14:1-8).

Context Summary

Zechariah 10:1-12 - A Lowly Deliverer Brings Peace
Jesus must be King first, then Savior. He is lowly; His steed is not the richly caparisoned warhorse, but the humble ass; He needs no weapon to overthrow His foes, because as Priest He speaks peace. The peasantry had taken shelter in the rock hewn mountain cisterns; but they might cherish hope, because they had been redeemed by the blood of the covenant, and God would see to it that that redemption was made effective. Before the advent of the King, the prison-doors would open, and at His word the imprisoned should go forth. How great are His goodness and beauty!
In Zechariah 10:1-12 we have a reference to the successful stand made by Judas Maccabaeus and his brethren against Antiochus. They were to tread them down as the mire of the streets; Joseph and Judah would be reunited and after their far-spread sowing over the world, the scattered tribes would ultimately return as bees to the call of the bee-farmer. [source]

Chapter Summary: Zechariah 10

1  God is to be sought unto, and not idols
3  As he visited his flock for sin, so he will save and restore them

What do the individual words in Zechariah 10:3 mean?

Against the shepherds is kindled My anger and the goatherds I will punish for will visit Yahweh of hosts - His flock the house of Judah and will make them as horse His royal in the battle
עַל־ הָֽרֹעִים֙ חָרָ֣ה אַפִּ֔י וְעַל־ הָעַתּוּדִ֖ים אֶפְק֑וֹד כִּֽי־ פָקַד֩ יְהוָ֨ה צְבָא֤וֹת אֶת־ עֶדְרוֹ֙ בֵּ֣ית יְהוּדָ֔ה וְשָׂ֣ם אוֹתָ֔ם כְּס֥וּס הוֹד֖וֹ בַּמִּלְחָמָֽה

עַל־  Against 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
הָֽרֹעִים֙  the  shepherds 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: רָעָה 
Sense: to pasture, tend, graze, feed.
חָרָ֣ה  is  kindled 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָרָה  
Sense: to be hot, furious, burn, become angry, be kindled.
אַפִּ֔י  My  anger 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: אַף 
Sense: nostril, nose, face.
הָעַתּוּדִ֖ים  the  goatherds 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: עַתּוּד  
Sense: ram, he-goat, chief one.
אֶפְק֑וֹד  I  will  punish 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: פָּקַד 
Sense: to attend to, muster, number, reckon, visit, punish, appoint, look after, care for.
פָקַד֩  will  visit 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: פָּקַד 
Sense: to attend to, muster, number, reckon, visit, punish, appoint, look after, care for.
יְהוָ֨ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
צְבָא֤וֹת  of  hosts 
Parse: Noun, common plural
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
עֶדְרוֹ֙  His  flock 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עֵדֶר  
Sense: flock, herd.
בֵּ֣ית  the  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
יְהוּדָ֔ה  of  Judah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.
וְשָׂ֣ם  and  will  make 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שׂוּמָה 
Sense: to put, place, set, appoint, make.
כְּס֥וּס  as  horse 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: סוּס 
Sense: swallow, swift.
הוֹד֖וֹ  His  royal 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: הֹוד  
Sense: splendour, majesty, vigour.
בַּמִּלְחָמָֽה  in  the  battle 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִלְחָמָה  
Sense: battle, war.