16. SMITE the SHEPHERD-
Verse from Old Testament:-
Awake, 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. Zechariah 13:7 (52:4)

Predictions:-
This verse seems to foretell punishment and/or death, at the will of the Lord of hosts. The objects of this justice will be the "shepherd", also referred to as "the man that is my fellow", and "the little ones". No explanation is given regarding why these people should deserve this treatment, nor what the purpose of the scattering of the sheep should be (52:5)

One who pondered this verse would wonder who are the shepherd and the little ones, and why they would receive this action from the hand of God (52:6)

Fulfillment:-
And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives. Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. Matthew 26:30-31 (52:7)

Commentary:-
Before the coming of Christ, one could hardly have imagined that the shepherd would be the Messiah Himself. In fact, it seems that the premise that this verse referred to the coming Messiah and His followers would have been most strenuously objected to, or at the least, ridiculed. For, was the Messiah to herd sheep? Was He to be punished by God? (52:8)

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