Zechariah 13:1-2

The Refinement of Judah

13:1 “In that day there will be a fountain opened up for the dynasty ¹  of David and the people of Jerusalem ²  to cleanse them from sin and impurity. ³  13:2 And also on that day,” says the Lord who rules over all, “I will remove ⁴  the names of the idols from the land and they will never again be remembered. Moreover, I will remove the prophets and the unclean spirit from the land.

Zechariah 13:4

13:4 “Therefore, on that day each prophet will be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies and will no longer wear the hairy garment ⁵  of a prophet to deceive the people. ⁶ 

[13:1]  ¹ tn Heb “house” (so NIV, NRSV), referring to dynastic descendants.

[13:1]  ² map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[13:1]  ³ tn Heb “for sin and for impurity.” The purpose implied here has been stated explicitly in the translation for clarity.

[13:2]  ⁴ tn Heb “cut off” (so NRSV); NAB “destroy”; NIV “banish.”

[13:4]  ⁵ tn The “hairy garment of a prophet” (אַדֶּרֶת שֵׁעָר, ’adderet she’ar) was the rough clothing of Elijah (1 Kgs 19:13), Elisha (1 Kgs 19:19; 2 Kgs 2:14), and even John the Baptist (Matt 3:4). Yet, אַדֶּרֶת alone suggests something of beauty and honor (Josh 7:21). The prophet’s attire may have been simple the image it conveyed was one of great dignity.

[13:4]  ⁶ tn The words “the people” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation from context (cf. NCV, TEV, NLT).