Zechariah 11

This difficult chapter uses the symbolic destruction of forests and shepherds to depict God's rejection of Israel's corrupt leaders. Zechariah takes two staffs, "Favor" and "Union," to shepherd the people. He grows weary of the rebellious flock, breaks the staff "Favor," symbolizing the breaking of the covenant. He asks for his wages and is paid thirty pieces of silver (the price of a slave), which he is commanded to throw back to the potter in the temple—a direct prophecy of Judas's betrayal.