41 STRIKING SHEPHERD THE daction of Zechariah, “my shepherd”, also called “the man of my association ”, may be a negative figure, in the same vein as the “ worthless shepherd” of Zech 11,15-17 5, or he may be a positive, even messianic figure, for instance in line with the “pierced one” of Zech 12,10-14 6. “The sheep” that “will be scattered” must be the people of Judah, who will partly perish and partly be saved, as the following verses (8-9) announce. “The little ones” may be the small ones of the flock, or the shepherd lads; their role is also un- clear. In any case, verse 7 speaks of a divinely ordained crisis that concerns a leadership that will be struck and a people that will be scattered. A pre-Christian quotation of the Hebrew text of Zech 13,7 is found in CD, ms. B 19,7-9. Apart from orthographical differences and the substitution of la, “God”, for twabx hwhy, “the Lord of hosts ”, the quotation is identical with the MT. The text is interpre- ted here as referring to God visiting the land to repay the evil ones who despise the Law (19,5-7). The interpretation also speaks of “ the poor of the sheep” (see Zech 11,11) as “those who guard him/ it ” (God’s precept?) and who will “be rescued at the time of the visitation ” (19,9-10). It is not quite clear whether these “poor of the sheep” should be identified with “the little ones” mentioned at the end of the quotation. Other things are unclear as well: the shepherd mentioned in the quotation may be a negative figure (a wicked leader) or a positive figure (the Teacher of Righteousness or a messianic figure) 7. What is clear, is that the verse from Zecha- riah is considered to concern the time of the end. So, e.g., R. MASON, “The Use of Earlier Biblical Material in Zechariah 5 9–14. A Study in Inner Biblical Exegesis” (diss. University of London 1973) 168-188 ; P.L. REDDITT, “Israel’s Shepherds: Hope and Pessimism in Zechariah 9–14 ”, CBQ 51 (1989) 631-642. So, e.g., D.J. MOO, The Old Testament in the Gospel Passion Narratives 6 (Sheffield 1983) 173-174; S.L. COOK, “The Metamorphosis of a Shepherd: The Tradition History of Zechariah 11:17 + 13:7-9”, CBQ 55 (1993) 453-466, esp. 460-463 ; see further the survey of interpretations in R.E. WATTS, “ Mark ”, Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament (eds. G.K. BEALE – D.A. CARSON) (Grand Rapids, MI – Nottingham 2007) 111- 249, esp. 232. See J. DE WAARD, A Comparative Study of the Old Testament Text in 7 the Dead Sea Scrolls and in the New Testament (STDJ 4; Leiden 1965) 40-41.