Zechariah 13

In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.

1On that day a spring of water will be opened up. It will be for David's family and for everyone living in Jerusalem. It will wash their sin away and make them clean.

2And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered: and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land.

2The LORD of Hosts, the God who leads heaven's armies, says this. On that day I will wipe the names of the idols out of the land. Idols are statues that people prayed to. No one will even remember them anymore. I will also take the prophets out of the land, along with the unclean spirit. Prophets were people who said they spoke messages from God.

3And it shall come to pass, that when any shall yet prophesy, then his father and his mother that begat him shall say unto him, Thou shalt not live; for thou speakest lies in the name of the LORD: and his father and his mother that begat him shall thrust him through when he prophesieth.

3If anyone still speaks as a prophet, his own father and mother will stop him. They will say, "You must not stay alive. You told lies and said they came from the LORD." When he speaks, his own father and mother will stab him.

4And it shall come to pass in that day, that the prophets shall be ashamed every one of his vision, when he hath prophesied; neither shall they wear a rough garment to deceive:

4On that day every prophet will be ashamed of the visions he told. A vision was a picture God gave to show what would happen. He will not put on the hairy coat that prophets wore to fool people.

NoteThe rough coat was made of animal hair. Prophets often wore one, so people could tell what they were.

5But he shall say, I am no prophet, I am an husbandman; for man taught me to keep cattle from my youth.

5He will say, "I am not a prophet. I am a farmer. Someone taught me to work the land when I was young."

6And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.

6Someone will ask him, "Then what are these cuts on your body?" He will answer, "I got these wounds in the house of my friends."

NoteThe KJV says the wounds are "in thine hands." The Hebrew words mean "between your arms," which is the chest.

7Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.

7The LORD of Hosts says, "Wake up, sword! Go against my shepherd. Go against the man who stands close beside me. Strike the shepherd down, and the sheep will run everywhere. And I will turn my hand against the little ones."

Note"My fellow" in the KJV does not mean just any man. It means someone who stands close beside God, like a partner.

8And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein.

8The LORD says this will happen all through the land. Two out of every three people will be cut off and die. Only one out of three will be left.

9And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.

9I will bring that last third through the fire. I will make them pure, the way silver is melted clean. I will test them the way gold is tested. They will call my name, and I will answer them. I will say, "These are my people." And they will say, "The LORD is my God."