Zekharya 13 | “I Am Not a Prophet”

Chapter 13 opens with a prophecy of spiritual purification: a spring will flow to cleanse impurity, and as part of that process, idols and idolatry will be removed. Alongside the removal of idolatry, Zekharya lists another element that will be eliminated — “I will remove the prophets and the spirit of impurity from the land” (13:2). Part of the future purification will include the removal of the prophets. The verses vividly describe a society that reviles prophets — anyone who declares himself a prophet will be condemned, even by his own parents. Moreover, the prophets themselves will seek excuses to protect themselves, insisting that they are not prophets at all.

Why does redemption involve the removal of prophets? The commentators explain that the reference is specifically to the removal of false prophets. A central factor in the spiritual deterioration during the First Temple period was the prevalence of false prophets — those who spoke in God’s name but delivered reassuring messages that blocked any chance of true repentance, as especially seen in Sefer Yirmiyahu. Thus, Zekharya here prophesies that in the future, false prophecy will be eradicated.

Yosef ibn Kaspi takes this idea a step further. He writes: “In this vision the prophet foretells that in the days of our Messiah, there will no longer be any prophet at all — neither true nor false. This will be the reason for our eternal survival. For as long as there are true prophets, evil ones will arise who imitate them… Therefore, it is actually better for us that prophecy disappear from among us.”

According to Ibn Kaspi, false prophecy is an inevitable byproduct of true prophecy. As long as true prophecy exists — and is powerful and valuable — there will always be those who pretend to be prophets in order to exploit that power. If so, the only way to eliminate false prophets is to also eliminate true prophets. Remarkably, Ibn Kaspi even asserts that this dynamic is the very reason for the long-term survival of Am Yisrael: our continuity is made possible precisely through the disappearance of prophecy.

His insight is striking and opens the door for further reflection. We can suggest the following understanding: when prophecy is present — and along with it, impostors claiming prophecy — then every idea that arises in someone’s mind may be declared a “prophecy,” and thus pushed forcefully. Slowly, this leads to the breakdown of society. We receive a culture in which not only does everyone think they hold the truth, but they also claim that God Himself revealed it to them. But once prophecy disappears, no one can claim exclusive access to truth. The religious conversation shifts into the beit midrash. Disagreement becomes a matter for sages to debate, offering reasoned arguments and responding to their challengers, rather than simply asserting, “This is what God told me.” In the end, disputes are settled by majority rule. This is how a stable society can be built and sustained over time. It should be obvious just how relevant this idea is in our day: how do we navigate disagreement, and what happens in a society where everyone believes they alone possess absolute truth? These questions are pressing now as ever.

In any case, the appearance of this theme — the disappearance of prophecy — in Sefer Zekharya is no coincidence. We are nearing the close of the prophetic era, and Ibn Kaspi sees this chapter as a kind of preparation and explanation for what comes next.

Let us end with one more question to consider: When prophecy returns in the future — what will be the solution to the problem of false prophets?