Zechariah 12:6-14

6 “On that day I will make the clans of Judah like a firepot in a woodpile, like a flaming torch among sheaves. They will consume all the surrounding peoples right and left, but Jerusalem will remain intact in her place.

7 “The LORD will save the dwellings of Judah first, so that the honor of the house of David and of Jerusalem’s inhabitants may not be greater than that of Judah.

8 On that day the LORD will shield those who live in Jerusalem, so that the feeblest among them will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of the LORD going before them.

9 On that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem.

Mourning for the One They Pierced

10 “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit^[a] of grace and supplication. They will look on^[b] me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.

11 On that day the weeping in Jerusalem will be as great as the weeping of Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo.

12 The land will mourn, each clan by itself, with their wives by themselves: the clan of the house of David and their wives, the clan of the house of Nathan and their wives,

13 the clan of the house of Levi and their wives, the clan of Shimei and their wives,

14 and all the rest of the clans and their wives.

Zechariah 12:6-14 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. Isaiah 10:17-18; S Zechariah 11:1
• 2. Obadiah 1:18
• 3. Zechariah 14:10
• 4. Jeremiah 30:18; S Amos 9:11
• 5. S Psalms 91:4; S Joel 3:16; S Zechariah 9:15
• 6. Joel 3:10
• 7. Psalms 82:6
• 8. Micah 7:8
• 9. S Isaiah 29:7
• 10. S Zechariah 1:21; Zechariah 14:2-3
• 11. S Ezekiel 37:9
• 12. Isaiah 44:3; S Ezekiel 39:29; Joel 2:28-29
• 13. S Psalms 22:16; John 19:34,37*; Revelation 1:7
• 14. Judges 11:34
• 15. S Genesis 21:16; Jeremiah 31:19
• 16. Jeremiah 50:4
• 17. 2 Kings 23:29
• 18. Matthew 24:30; Revelation 1:7
• 19. Zechariah 7:3

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "the Spirit"
• [b]. Or "to"