Zecharyah 12:4

4 In Yom HaHu, saith Hashem, I will strike every sus with panic, and his rider with madness; and I will open mine eyes upon the Bais Yehudah, and will strike every sus of the people with blindness.

Zecharyah 12:4 Meaning and Commentary

Zechariah 12:4

In that day, saith the Lord, I will smite every horse with
astonishment, and his rider with madness
The meaning is, the enemies of God's people shall be astonished at the failure of their attempts, and be filled with fury and madness because they cannot accomplish their designs; and shall be at their wits' end, not knowing what course to take: perhaps reference is had to the Turkish armies, that shall be brought against Jerusalem to recover it into their possession, which generally consist of a large cavalry; see ( Revelation 9:16 Revelation 9:17 ) :

and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah;
which phrase is sometimes used, as expressive of the wrath of God against his enemies, ( Amos 9:4 Amos 9:8 ) and, if the house of Judah signifies the same as Judah, joined with the nations of the earth in the siege, ( Zechariah 12:2 ) , it must be so understood here; but rather it seems to be different, and to intend those who will inhabit other parts of Judea, and who will be truly the people of God, Jews not only literally, but spiritually; and so is to be interpreted in a good sense, of the divine love to them, care of them, and protection over them; see ( Job 14:13 ) and so the Targum paraphrases it,

``and upon those of the house of Judah, I will reveal my power to do them good:''

and will smite every horse of the people with blindness:
that is, every rider of them, either with blindness of mind or body, or both. It may be, as the former smiting, mentioned in the beginning of the verse, respects the mind, this may regard the body; so that they shall not see their way, and their hands shall not perform their enterprise.

Zecharyah 12:4 In-Context

2 Hinei, I will make Yerushalayim a cup of reeling unto kol ha’amim (all the peoples) round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Yehudah and against Yerushalayim.
3 And on Yom HaHu will I make Yerushalayim an even ma’amasah (a burdensome stone) for kol ha’amim: all that burden themselves with it [i.e., try to lift it] shall be cut in pieces, though kol Goyei Ha’Aretz be gathered together against her.
4 In Yom HaHu, saith Hashem, I will strike every sus with panic, and his rider with madness; and I will open mine eyes upon the Bais Yehudah, and will strike every sus of the people with blindness.
5 And the Aluphei Yehudah (leaders of Yehudah) shall say in their lev, The yoshvei Yerushalayim are my strength in Hashem Tzva’os Eloheihem.
6 In Yom HaHu will I make the Aluphei Yehudah like a fire pot in the woods, and like a torch of eish in the omer (sheaves); and they shall devour kol haAm round about, on the right hand and on the left; and Yerushalayim shall be inhabited again in her own site, even in Yerushalayim.
The Orthodox Jewish Bible fourth edition, OJB. Copyright 2002,2003,2008,2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International. All rights reserved.