Zechariah 12:1-9

The Lord Will Give Salvation

1 ¹The burden of the word of the LORD concerning Israel: Thus declares the LORD, ²who stretched out the heavens and ³founded the earth and ⁴formed the spirit of man within him:

2 "Behold, I am about to make Jerusalem ⁵a cup of staggering to ⁶all the surrounding peoples. The siege of Jerusalem ⁷will also be against Judah.

3 ⁸On that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples. ⁹All who lift it will surely hurt themselves. And ¹⁰all the nations of the earth will gather against it.

4 ¹¹On that day, declares the LORD, ¹²I will strike every horse ¹³with panic, and its rider ¹⁴with madness. But for the sake of the house of Judah I will keep my eyes open, when I strike every horse of the peoples ¹⁵with blindness.

5 Then the clans of Judah shall say to themselves, 'The inhabitants of Jerusalem have strength through the LORD of hosts, their God.'

6 ¹⁶"On that day I will make the clans of Judah ¹⁷like a blazing pot in the midst of wood, like a flaming torch among sheaves. And ¹⁸they shall devour to the right and to the left all the surrounding peoples, while ¹⁹Jerusalem shall again be inhabited in its place, in Jerusalem.

7 "And the LORD will give salvation to the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem may not surpass that of Judah.

8 ²⁰On that day ²¹the LORD will protect the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that ²²the feeblest among them on that day shall be like David, and the house of David shall be like God, ²³like the angel of the LORD, going before them.

9 ²⁴And on that day ²⁵I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.

Zechariah 12:1-9 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. See Nahum 1:1
• 2. See Isaiah 42:5
• 3. Isaiah 48:13
• 4. See Isaiah 42:5
• 5. Isa. 51:17, 22, 23
• 6. [Zechariah 14:2]
• 7. [Zechariah 14:14]
• 8. Zechariah 13:1, 2, 4; Zechariah 14:4, 6, 8; Isaiah 2:11
• 9. [Matthew 21:44; Luke 20:18]
• 10. [See ver. 2 above]
• 11. [See ver. 3 above]
• 12. [Psalms 76:6]
• 13. [Deuteronomy 28:28]
• 14. [Deuteronomy 28:28]
• 15. [Deuteronomy 28:28]
• 16. [See ver. 3 above]
• 17. [Jeremiah 5:14; Obadiah 18]
• 18. Zechariah 9:15
• 19. Zechariah 2:4; Zechariah 14:10, 11
• 20. [See ver. 3 above]
• 21. Zechariah 9:15
• 22. [Isaiah 60:22]
• 23. [1 Samuel 29:9; 2 Samuel 14:17, 20; 2 Samuel 19:27]
• 24. [See ver. 3 above]
• 25. [Zechariah 14:3]