63. Who is so bold and adamantine of soul as
not to tremble and be abashed at the charges and reproaches
deliberately urged against the rest of the shepherds. A voice, he
says, of the howling of the shepherds, for their glory is
spoiled. A voice of the roaring of lions, Zech. xi. 3.
for this hath befallen them. Does he not all but hear the wailing
as if close at hand, and himself wail with the afflicted. A
little further is a more striking and impassioned strain. Feed,
he says, the flock of slaughter, whose possessors slay them without
repentance, and they that sell them say, “Blessed be the Lord,
for we are rich:” and their own shepherds are without
feeling for them. Therefore, I will no more pity the inhabitants
of the land, saith the Lord Almighty. Zech. xi. 5, 6. And again: Awake, O sword,
against the shepherds, and smite the shepherds, and scatter the sheep,
and I will turn My Hand upon the shepherds; Ib. xiii.
7.
and, Mine anger is kindled against the shepherds, and I will visit the
lambs: Ib. x.
3. adding to the
threat those who rule over the people. So industriously does he
apply himself to his task that he cannot easily free himself from
denunciations, and I am afraid that, did I refer to the whole series, I
should exhaust your patience. This must then suffice for
Zechariah.