Zechariah 12:4

4 in die illa dicit Dominus percutiam omnem equum in stuporem et ascensorem eius in amentiam et super domum Iuda aperiam oculos meos et omnem equum populorum percutiam in caecitate

Zechariah 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.

Zechariah 12:4 In-Context

2 ecce ego ponam Hierusalem superliminare crapulae omnibus populis in circuitu sed et Iuda erit in obsidione contra Hierusalem

3 et erit in die illa ponam Hierusalem lapidem oneris cunctis populis omnes qui levabunt eam concisione lacerabuntur et colligentur adversum eam omnia regna terrae

4 in die illa dicit Dominus percutiam omnem equum in stuporem et ascensorem eius in amentiam et super domum Iuda aperiam oculos meos et omnem equum populorum percutiam in caecitate

5 et dicent duces Iuda in corde suo confortentur mihi habitatores Hierusalem in Domino exercituum Deo eorum

6 in die illo ponam duces Iuda sicut caminum ignis in lignis et sicut facem ignis in faeno et devorabunt ad dextram et ad sinistram omnes populos in circuitu et habitabitur Hierusalem rursum in loco suo in Hierusalem