Joe: Alright, so we got Zechariah 11. What's the skinny here?

Bible Expert: Well, this chapter starts off with a vision of two shepherds who are responsible for the flock of God's people. They both have their own staffs, one is named Favor and one is named Union.

Joe: Wait, so God has two shepherds?

Bible Expert: Yes, that is correct. The shepherds represent two distinct types of leadership, one with favor and mercy, and one with justice and unity.

Joe: Interesting. What happens next?

Bible Expert: Well, God then orders the shepherds to feed the flock of the people, but the people reject them and the shepherds leave. God then commands the people to take their wages and cast them away, but the people refuse.

Joe: Jamie, can you Google this for me real quick?

Jamie: Sure Joe, I'm looking it up now.

Joe: Okay, so go on.

Bible Expert: So the people still refuse, so God then orders the shepherds to break their staffs. The staff of Favor is broken first, which symbolizes the end of mercy and favor. The staff of Union is then broken, which symbolizes the end of justice and unity.

Joe: Whoa, that's intense. What happens after that?

Bible Expert: Well, God then tells the people that they will be scattered among the nations because they have not kept his covenant. He also says that he will no longer be their shepherd and that they will be scattered and left to their own devices.

Joe: So basically God is punishing them for not following his commands?

Bible Expert: Yes, that is correct. The chapter ends with a prophecy of the eventual restoration of God's people, when they will be gathered from all the nations and dwell in the land of Israel.

Joe: Alright, so the moral of the story is to follow God's commands or else you'll be punished?

Bible Expert: That is one way to look at it, yes.