Zechariah 12:4

4 In that day, saith the Lord, I shall smite each horse in[to] dread, either losing of mind, and the rider of him in[to] madness; and on the house of Judah I shall open mine eyes, and shall smite with blindness each horse of (the) peoples. (On that day, saith the Lord, I shall strike each horse with fear, that is, unto the losing of its mind, and his rider with madness; and I shall open my eyes upon the house of Judah, and I shall strike each horse of the nations with blindness.)

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 Lo! I shall set Jerusalem (as) a lintel of gluttony to all peoples in compass, but also Judah shall be in besieging against Jerusalem.

3 And it shall be, in that day I shall set Jerusalem a stone of burden to all peoples; all that shall lift it shall be drawn with cutting down, and all realms of earth shall be gathered against it. (And it shall be, on that day I shall make Jerusalem like a burdensome stone to all the nations; yea, all who shall try to lift it shall be drawn, or shall be cut, down, and all the kingdoms of the earth shall be gathered against it.)

4 In that day, saith the Lord, I shall smite each horse in[to] dread, either losing of mind, and the rider of him in[to] madness; and on the house of Judah I shall open mine eyes, and shall smite with blindness each horse of (the) peoples. (On that day, saith the Lord, I shall strike each horse with fear, that is, unto the losing of its mind, and his rider with madness; and I shall open my eyes upon the house of Judah, and I shall strike each horse of the nations with blindness.)

5 And the dukes of Judah shall say in their hearts, Be the dwellers of Jerusalem strengthened to me in the Lord of hosts, the God of them. (And the leaders of Judah shall say in their hearts, Let the inhabitants of Jerusalem find their strength in the Lord of hosts, their God.)

6 In that day I shall set the dukes of Judah as a chimney of fire in wood, and as a brand of fire in hay; and they shall devour at the right side and left side all peoples in compass. And Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in his place, in Jerusalem. (On that day I shall make the leaders of Judah like a chimney of fire in the woods, and like a firebrand in the hay; and they shall devour on the right side and on the left side all the nations around them. And Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in its place, yea, in Jerusalem.)