Zec 10:1-3 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Zech 10:1-11:3: 10:1–11:3 God will strengthen his people by his power and restore them because of his compassion (10:6 , 12 ). With its references to shepherds (10:2-3 ; 11:3 ), the passage prepares for the following allegory of the good and evil shepherds (11:4-17 ). Summary for Zech 10:1-3: 10:1-3 This is a rebuke of false shepherds , human leaders who do not have their people’s good at heart. 10:1 Rain was a sign of divine blessing (see Joel 2:23 )— the Lord was the source of the rain, but Israel’s leaders had led the people to trust in false gods instead.

Summary for Zech 10:1-11:3: 10:1–11:3 ^a God will strengthen his people by his power and restore them because of his compassion (10:6 ^b, 12 ^c). With its references to shepherds (10:2-3 ^d; 11:3 ^e), the passage prepares for the following allegory of the good and evil shepherds (11:4-17 ^f).
Summary for Zech 10:1-3: 10:1-3 ^g This is a rebuke of false shepherds, human leaders who do not have their people’s good at heart. 10:1 ^h Rain was a sign of divine blessing (see Joel 2:23 ⁱ)—the Lord was the source of the rain, but Israel’s leaders had led the people to trust in false gods instead.
10:2 ^j Household gods might refer to ancestor statues used in rituals of necromancy (conjuring up the spirits of the dead); consultation with the dead was a widespread practice in the ancient world, but God’s law made it taboo for the Hebrews (see Lev 20:27 ^k; Deut 18:10-11 ^l).
10:3 ^m My anger burns: Israel is often the object of this divine wrath, incited by disobedience to covenant stipulations or by lapses into idolatry (see Exod 22:22-24 ⁿ; Deut 6:14-15 ^o; Josh 7:1 ^p; Judg 2:20 ^q; Heb 10:31 ^r).

• these leaders (or these male goats): This is a figure of speech for princes, since male goats typically lead goat herds.