Then I broke my second staff Union: For broke see the notes on verse 10. It is good for the flow of thought in the section if translators can use the same verb here as was used in verse 10. For staff and Union, see the notes on verse 7. The staff should have the same name here as in verse 7. In some languages it may be helpful to expand to “… my second staff, the one called Union.”

Annulling the brotherhood between Judah and Israel: For annulling see the notes on verse 10. Again it is desirable to use the same verb that was used in verse 10. The Hebrew word translated brotherhood occurs only here in the Old Testament, but its meaning is not in doubt. It refers to the common origin of all the tribes as descendants of Jacob. New Revised Standard Version renders it as “family ties.” The terms Judah and Israel were commonly used before the exile for the southern and northern kingdoms respectively (see 1.19; 8.13). Since these kingdoms no longer existed after the exile the names cannot carry a literal meaning here. They are best understood together as standing symbolically for the Jewish nation as a whole. In speaking of the brotherhood being annulled, the prophet is probably speaking of divisions within the community of those who had returned to Judah, but it is fruitless to try to identify particular historical groups. This verse contrasts sharply with the action of Ezekiel in joining two sticks to symbolize the unity of the nation (Ezek 37.15-22). Contemporary English Version has a model that will be helpful to some translators: “and canceled the ties between Judah and Israel.”

Quoted with permission from Clark, David J. & Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Zechariah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2002. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .