Zec 13:4-6 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Zech 13:4-6: 13:4-6 God’s total cleansing of his people from their impurities will strike such fear among the people that false prophets will deny or conceal their identity, even lying about the nature and purpose of their activities that might be associated with the prophets of idolatrous cults. 13:4 ashamed to claim the prophetic gift (literally ashamed of his vision ): The Old Testament prophet was sometimes identified as a visionary “seer” (see 1 Sam 9:9-19 ; 2 Kgs 17:13 ), since divine revelation often came to them in dreams or night visions (e.g., Zech 1:7–6:15 ). • prophet’s clothes: A coarse cloak of camel or goat hair distinctively garbed the Old Testament Hebrew prophets (see 2 Kgs 1:8 ; Matt 3:4 ).

a13:4-6►

b13:4►

c1 Sam 9:9-19►

d2 Kgs 17:13►

eZech 1:7–6:15►

f2 Kgs 1:8►

gMatt 3:4►

h13:5►

iAmos 7:14►

j13:6►

k1 Kgs 18:28►

‏ Zechariah 13:4-6

Summary for Zech 13:4-6: 13:4-6 ^a God’s total cleansing of his people from their impurities will strike such fear among the people that false prophets will deny or conceal their identity, even lying about the nature and purpose of their activities that might be associated with the prophets of idolatrous cults. 13:4 ^b ashamed to claim the prophetic gift (literally ashamed of his vision): The Old Testament prophet was sometimes identified as a visionary “seer” (see 1 Sam 9:9-19 ^c; 2 Kgs 17:13 ^d), since divine revelation often came to them in dreams or night visions (e.g., Zech 1:7–6:15 ^e).

• prophet’s clothes: A coarse cloak of camel or goat hair distinctively garbed the Old Testament Hebrew prophets (see 2 Kgs 1:8 ^f; Matt 3:4 ^g).
13:5 ^h I’m a farmer: This might be a parody of Amos 7:14 ⁱ.
13:6 ^j wounds on your chest?: These wounds might be cuts or bruises that ecstatic prophets, especially in Canaanite religious circles, sometimes gave themselves (see 1 Kgs 18:28 ^k). False prophets would make excuses for themselves, such as, I was wounded at my friends’ house!