Old Testament · Prophecy

Zechariah 13

The Fountain Opened

On that day a fountain will be opened for the house of David — for sin and impurity. Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.

King James Version BSB KJV

1In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.

2And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered: and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land.

3And it shall come to pass, that when any shall yet prophesy, then his father and his mother that begat him shall say unto him, Thou shalt not live; for thou speakest lies in the name of the LORD: and his father and his mother that begat him shall thrust him through when he prophesieth.

4And it shall come to pass in that day, that the prophets shall be ashamed every one of his vision, when he hath prophesied; neither shall they wear a rough garment to deceive:

5But he shall say, I am no prophet, I am an husbandman; for man taught me to keep cattle from my youth.

6And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.

7Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.

8And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein.

9And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.

Understand This

Zechariah 13, explained

What Zechariah 13 is saying

A fountain will be opened for the house of David to cleanse sin and impurity. God will cut off idols and false prophets from the land—prophets will be so ashamed they will deny their calling. The oracle then turns to a mysterious shepherd: 'Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.' God will refine a remnant through fire, and they will call on His name and He will answer: 'They are My people.'

The background behind it

The 'fountain opened' motif draws on purification rituals (cf. Numbers 19) and Ezekiel's temple-river vision (Ezekiel 47). Jesus quotes the 'strike the shepherd' passage in Gethsemane (Matthew 26:31, Mark 14:27), applying it to His own arrest and the disciples' flight. The two-thirds/one-third division echoes Ezekiel 5:1-4.

Themes running underneath

The chapter presents purification through suffering—both the shepherd's striking and the remnant's refining. The eradication of false prophecy suggests that in the messianic age, authentic divine communication will need no prophetic mediation. The covenant renewal formula ('My people'/'My God') signals the ultimate restoration of the fractured relationship.

Why it still matters

The striking of the shepherd and scattering of the sheep presents suffering as integral to God's redemptive plan rather than evidence of its failure. The refining fire that reduces to a remnant challenges the assumption that faithfulness guarantees ease.

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Scripture text: King James Version — public domain.