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 a spring will be opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for their sin and impurity.
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].
On that day—this is the declaration of Yahweh of hosts—I will cut off the names of the idols from the land and they will no longer be remembered. I will remove the prophets and the spirit of impurity from 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].
If any man continues to prophesy, his father and mother who bore him will tell him, 'You will not live, for you speak lies in the name of Yahweh!' Then the father and mother who bore him will pierce him 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.
On that day each prophet will be ashamed of his vision when he is about to prophesy. These prophets will no longer wear a hairy cloak, in order to deceive the people.
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!’
For each will say, 'I am not a prophet! I am a man who works the soil, for the land became my work while I was still a young man!'
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.’”
But someone will say to him, 'What are these wounds between your arms?' and he will answer, 'I was wounded with those in my friends' house.'”
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].”
“Sword! Rouse yourself against my shepherd, the man who stands close to me— this is the declaration of Yahweh of hosts. Strike the shepherd, and the flock will scatter! For I will turn my hand against the lowly 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.
Then it will come about that throughout all the land—this is Yahweh's declaration— that two-thirds of it will be cut off! Those people will perish; only one-third will remain there.
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.’”
I will bring that third through the fire and refine them as silver is refined; I will test them as gold is tested. They will call on my name, and I will answer them and say, 'This is my people!' and they will say, 'Yahweh is my God!'”
