Zechariah 12:1-11

1 The burden of the word of the Lord on Israel. And the Lord said, stretching forth heaven, and founding the earth, and making the spirit of a man in him, (The charge, or the heavy burden, of the word of the Lord for Israel. And the Lord said, stretching forth the heavens, and founding the earth, and making, or forming, the spirit of a man within him,)

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.)

7 And the Lord shall save the tabernacles of Judah, as in the beginning, that the house of David glory not greatly, and the glory of men dwelling in Jerusalem be not against Judah. (And the Lord shall save the tents, or the armies, of Judah first, so that the glory of the house of David, and the glory of those who live in Jerusalem, be not greater than that of Judah.)

8 In that day the Lord shall defend the dwellers of Jerusalem; and he that shall offend of them, shall be in that day as David, and the house of David shall be as of God, as the angel of the Lord in the sight of him. (On that day the Lord shall defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he of them who shall stumble on that day, shall be as strong as David, and the house of David shall be like God, yea, like the angel of the Lord going before them.)

9 And it shall be, in that day I shall seek to all-break all folks that come against Jerusalem. (And it shall be, on that day, I shall seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.)

10 And I shall pour out on the house of David, and on the dwellers of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace, and of prayers; and they shall behold to me, whom they pricked. And they shall bewail him with wailing, as on the one begotten son; and they shall make sorrow on him, as sorrow is wont to be made in the death of the first begotten son. (And I shall pour out upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace, and the spirit of prayer; and they shall look upon me, whom they have pierced. And they shall bewail me with wailing, as if over their only child; and they shall make sorrow upon him, as sorrow is wont to be made upon the death of the first-born son.)

11 In that day great wailing shall be in Jerusalem, as the wailing of Hadadrimmon in the field of Megiddon. (On that day great wailing shall be in Jerusalem, like the wailing of Hadadrimmon on the Plain of Megiddo.)

Zechariah 12:1-11 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.