Zechariah 12:5-14

5 "Then the clans of Judah will say in their hearts, 'A strong support for us are the inhabitants of Jerusalem through the LORD of hosts, their God.'

6 "In that day I will make the clans of Judah like a ¹firepot among pieces of wood and a flaming torch among sheaves, so they will consume on the right hand and on the left all the surrounding peoples, while the ²inhabitants of Jerusalem again dwell on their own sites in Jerusalem.

7 "The LORD also will ³save the tents of Judah first, so that the glory of the house of ⁴David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem will not be magnified above Judah.

8 "In that day the LORD will ⁵defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the one who ⁶is feeble among them in that day will be like David, and the house of David will be like ⁷God, like the ⁸angel of the LORD before them.

9 "And in that day I will ⁹set about to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.

10 "I will ¹⁰pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have ¹¹pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one ¹²mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn.

11 "In that day there will be great ¹³mourning in Jerusalem, like the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the plain of Megiddo.

12 "The land will mourn, every family by itself; the family of the house of David by itself and their wives by themselves; the family of the house of Nathan by itself and their wives by themselves;

13 the family of the house of Levi by itself and their wives by themselves; the family of the Shimeites by itself and their wives by themselves;

14 all the families that remain, every family by itself and their wives by themselves.

Zechariah 12:5-14 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ZECHARIAH 12

This chapter contains a prophecy of the defence, protection, and salvation of the church of God; and of the effusion of the Spirit; and of the conversion of the Jews in the latter day. It begins with a title and preface, describing the power of God, from the creation of the heavens and earth, and soul of man, Zec 12:1 then follows the subject matter of the prophecy, in a way of judgment upon the enemies of the people of God, and in a way of salvation to them. The judgments on their enemies are signified by various metaphors; by Jerusalem's being a cup of trembling, a burdensome stone, and a hearth, and torch of fire to them, Zec 12:2,3,6. The effects of which are to them astonishment, madness, blindness, and utter destruction; and to the people of God confidence in him, salvation from him, and strength and protection by him, Zec 12:4,5,7,8 and, at the same time that God will destroy all the enemies of his people, he will pour out his Spirit upon his chosen ones among the Jews. The consequence of which will be, their faith in Christ, signified by looking to him whom they have pierced; and their repentance towards God, expressed by mourning; and this illustrated by mourning for an only and firstborn son, Zec 12:9,10 and which is further illustrated by the mourning for Josiah in the valley of Megiddon; and by an enumeration of the several families in Jerusalem, that should separately mourn on this account, Zec 12:11-14.

Cross References

• 1. Isaiah 10:17, 18; Obadiah 18; Zechariah 11:1
• 2. Zechariah 2:4; Zechariah 8:3-5
• 3. Jeremiah 30:18
• 4. Amos 9:11
• 5. Joel 3:16; Zechariah 9:14, 15
• 6. Leviticus 26:8; Joshua 23:10; Micah 7:8
• 7. Psalms 8:5; Psalms 82:6
• 8. Exodus 14:19; Exodus 33:2
• 9. Zechariah 14:2, 3
• 10. Isaiah 44:3; Ezekiel 39:29; Joel 2:28, 29
• 11. John 19:37; Revelation 1:7
• 12. Jeremiah 6:26; Amos 8:10
• 13. Matthew 24:30; Revelation 1:7

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "My strength is"
• [b]. Or "stumbles"
• [c]. Lit "seek to"
• [d]. Or "a spirit"
• [e]. I.e. broad valley
• [f]. Heb "Megiddon"