Zechariah 13:7 records God’s command to the sword to "strike the shepherd." This was not the work of an enemy, but an act of divine justice. The Shepherd is described as "the man who is close to me," implying co-equality and intimacy with Yahweh—a clear reference to the Son.
Jesus explicitly applied this to Himself and His disciples: "For it is written: 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered'" (Matthew 26:31). The arrest and crucifixion were the "striking" that allowed the Old Covenant flock to be scattered in judgment, while the "little ones"—the remnant—were protected by the hand of God to become the seed of the New Creation.