Zec 13:1-6 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Zech 13:1-6: 13:1-6 The second message (13:1-6 ) of the second oracle (chs 12–14 ) focuses on cleansing from sin. 13:1 A fountain is a spring of pure, flowing water for cleansing and purification (see 14:8 ; John 4:14 ; Rev 22:1-2 ). • God’s cleansing of Israel will include leaders (represented by the dynasty of David ) and all the people of Judah and Israel (signified by the people of Jerusalem , the spiritual center of the nation). • to cleanse them: This cleansing, symbolized in the ritual washings of Old Testament worship (see Exod 30:17-21 ), was provided in the new covenant as promised by Jeremiah (Jer 31:34 ) and Ezekiel (Ezek 36:25 ; see Heb 10:1-22 ). • all their sins and impurity: The Hebrews would experience a complete moral and spiritual cleansing because of their sorrow over their sin (Zech 12:10-14 ).

Summary for Zech 13:1-6: 13:1-6 ^a The second message (13:1-6 ^b) of the second oracle (chs 12–14 ^c) focuses on cleansing from sin. 13:1 ^d A fountain is a spring of pure, flowing water for cleansing and purification (see 14:8 ^e; John 4:14 ^f; Rev 22:1-2 ^g).

• God’s cleansing of Israel will include leaders (represented by the dynasty of David) and all the people of Judah and Israel (signified by the people of Jerusalem, the spiritual center of the nation).

• to cleanse them: This cleansing, symbolized in the ritual washings of Old Testament worship (see Exod 30:17-21 ^h), was provided in the new covenant as promised by Jeremiah (Jer 31:34 ⁱ) and Ezekiel (Ezek 36:25 ^j; see Heb 10:1-22 ^k).

• all their sins and impurity: The Hebrews would experience a complete moral and spiritual cleansing because of their sorrow over their sin (Zech 12:10-14 ^l).
13:2 ^m By cleansing Israel, God would erase their former penchant for idol worship, giving them a new heart and enabling them to worship God alone (Jer 31:33 ⁿ; 32:38-40 ^o; Ezek 36:25-28 ^p).

• In the biblical world, one’s name embodied one’s existence. When the names of the idols are forgotten, they cease to exist.

• The false prophets misrepresented God by fabricating divine revelations or by speaking in the name of other gods (Deut 13:5-11 ^q; 18:17-22 ^r). They led Israel astray by encouraging idol worship (Jer 23:13 ^s, 25 ^t) and would continue to do so (see Neh 6:12-14 ^u; Mark 13:22 ^v; 2 Pet 2:1 ^w; 1 Jn 4:1-3 ^x) until that day, the day of the Lord.
13:3 ^y You must die: According to God’s law, a false prophet must be executed (Deut 13:5 ^z, 10 ^aa; 18:20 ^ab). The Israelites had tolerated false prophets and killed the Lord’s true prophets. In the future, the situation would be reversed.
Summary for Zech 13:4-6: 13:4-6 ^ac 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 ^ad 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 ^ae; 2 Kgs 17:13 ^af), since divine revelation often came to them in dreams or night visions (e.g., Zech 1:7–6:15 ^ag).

• prophet’s clothes: A coarse cloak of camel or goat hair distinctively garbed the Old Testament Hebrew prophets (see 2 Kgs 1:8 ^ah; Matt 3:4 ^ai).
13:5 ^aj I’m a farmer: This might be a parody of Amos 7:14 ^ak.
13:6 ^al 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 ^am). False prophets would make excuses for themselves, such as, I was wounded at my friends’ house!