Zechariah 12:1

1 An oracle. The word of the LORD concerning Yisra'el. The LORD, who stretches out the heavens, and lays the foundation of the eretz, and forms the spirit of man within him says:

Zechariah 12:1 Meaning and Commentary

Zechariah 12:1

The burden of the word of the Lord for Israel
And against their enemies; for the good of the church of God, for its joy, comfort, and salvation; or, "concerning Israel" F24; what shall befall them in the latter day, as the destruction of antichrist, prophesied of in the preceding chapter ( Zechariah 11:1-17 ) ; and what is hereafter said may be believed that it shall be accomplished. The Lord is described in the greatness of his power, speaking as follows: saith the Lord, which stretcheth forth the heavens:
as a curtain, ( Psalms 104:2 ) the expanse or firmament of heaven, which is stretched out as a canopy over all the earth around: and layeth the foundation of the earth;
firm and sure, though upon the seas and floods, yea, upon nothing, ( Psalms 24:2 ) ( Job 26:7 ) : and formeth the spirit of man within him;
the soul of man, with all its powers and faculties, gifts and endowments; which is of his immediate creation, and which he continues daily to form, and infuse into the bodies of men, and holds in life there; hence he is called the Father of spirits, ( Hebrews 12:9 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F24 (le) "de", Piscator, Drusius; "super Israele", Cocceius, Burkius.

Zechariah 12:1 In-Context

1 An oracle. The word of the LORD concerning Yisra'el. The LORD, who stretches out the heavens, and lays the foundation of the eretz, and forms the spirit of man within him says:
2 "Behold, I will make Yerushalayim a cup of reeling to all the surrounding peoples, and on Yehudah also will it be in the siege against Yerushalayim.
3 It will happen in that day, that I will make Yerushalayim a burdensome stone for all the peoples. All who burden themselves with it will be severely wounded, and all the nations of the eretz will be gathered together against it.
4 In that day," says the LORD, "I will strike every horse with terror, and his rider with madness; and I will open my eyes on the house of Yehudah, and will strike every horse of the peoples with blindness.
5 The chieftains of Yehudah will say in their heart, 'The inhabitants of Yerushalayim are my strength in the LORD of Hosts their God.'
The Hebrew Names Version is in the public domain.