Zechariah 13:1-3

1. In that day When the mourning described in Zechariah 12:10-14, will be held.

Shall be a fountain opened Zechariah 12:10, ascribes the penitential mourning to the influence of a divinely sent spirit, which creates repentance for sin and leads the people to make penitential supplication; but Jehovah will provide also the means of purification. The figure is adopted in part from the “water of expiation” (Numbers 8:7), and in part from the “water of impurity” (Numbers 19:9; compare Ezekiel 36:25; Psalms 51:9). The water is only the symbol, the power that will remove the sin is divine.

To the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem See on Zechariah 12:10. High and low will be benefited by the provision.

Sin… uncleanness It is doubtful that the prophet means to distinguish here between inward sin and outward uncleanness which results from the former. The two terms are practically identical in meaning. Every kind of sin and uncleanness will be washed away. 2.

The names of the idols See on Hosea 2:17. Idolatry will be blotted out so completely that even the names of the idols will be forgotten.

The prophets Since they are to be removed, the author evidently thinks that in the new era they will prove a hindrance. Since the prophet played a very prominent part throughout the entire religious history of Israel, many hesitate to believe that this passage means to announce a complete cessation of all prophetic activity, and they see here only a condemnation of the so-called false prophets (see on Micah 3:7); for this view they find support in the fact that the prophets are mentioned here in close connection with idols and with the unclean spirit. But this fact by no means proves the point; at the most it proves that all prophecy deserves to be abolished like idols. The entire context makes it exceedingly probable that the prophet means to announce the removal of the entire prophetic order. This announcement might be made for one or the other of two reasons, either the entire prophetic order was expected to become so corrupt that it would need to be cut off, or the people as a whole were expected to reach such a perfect knowledge of Jehovah that the prophetic order would be no longer needed. That the author has in mind the prophetic order, and not individuals who might possess a prophetic experience, is clear from Zechariah 13:4-5. There is no reason to suppose that as long as prophecy existed the entire prophetic order became corrupt or was expected to become corrupt; at any rate, the utterances of the author of this section prove that in his days there were still men with sublime spiritual visions. On the other hand, Joel 2:28-30 (compare Jeremiah 31:34), expresses the expectation that in the Messianic age all flesh would have prophetic experiences, so that there would be no need of a distinct prophetic order. This hope of Joel, far from contradicting the teaching of this passage, interprets it. When all the people are blessed with prophetic visions there will be no need of a prophetic order, hence it will be removed.

Unclean spirit Literally, the spirit of uncleanness; that is, the spirit, or invisible inner power, which leads to unclean actions (see on Joel 2:28; compare 1 Kings 22:22).

With Zechariah 13:3 may be compared Deuteronomy 18:20, where the death sentence is pronounced upon the prophet who claims to speak in the name of Jehovah when in reality he utters his own words.

Father… mother In that age the obligations to Jehovah will be more sacred than those arising from the most intimate blood relationship.

Speakest lies… prophesieth If in that age anyone claims special prophetic gifts, that claim itself proves him to be a liar and impostor, and so worthy of death.

Thrust him through Bring to a violent death (compare Zechariah 12:10).