Zechariah 12:2-12

2 Behold, I place Jerusalem as a cup of poison unto all the peoples round about and also unto those of Judah who shall be in the siege against Jerusalem.

3 And it shall be that in that day I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone unto all peoples; all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, and all the Gentiles of the earth shall gather themselves together against her.

4 In that day, said the LORD, I will smite every horse with astonishment and his rider with madness; but I will open my eyes upon the house of Judah and will smite every horse of the peoples with blindness.

5 And the captains of Judah shall say in their heart, My strength is the inhabitants of Jerusalem in the LORD of the hosts, their God.

6 In that day I will make the captains of Judah like a hearth of fire among the wood and like a torch of fire among the sheaves; and they shall devour all the peoples round about, on the right hand and on the left; and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem.

7 And the LORD shall keep the tents of Judah as in the beginning, so that the glory of the house of David and of the inhabitants of Jerusalem shall not cause those of Judah to magnify themselves.

8 In that day the LORD shall defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is weak among them in that time shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the LORD before them.

9 And it shall come to pass in that day that I will seek to destroy all the Gentiles that come against Jerusalem.

10 And I will pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and of prayer, and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn over him as one mourns for his only son, afflicting themselves over him as one afflicts himself over his firstborn.

11 In that day there shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.

12 And the land shall mourn, each family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart;

Zechariah 12:2-12 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.