Keraia
Minor Prophets

Zechariah 12

The Coming Deliverance of Jerusalem

1This is the burden of the word of the LORD concerning Israel.

Thus declares the LORD, who stretches out the heavens and lays the foundation of the earth, who forms the spirit of man within him:

1The burden of the word of YHWH against Israel. Thus says YHWH, the One stretching out the heavens, and founding the earth, and forming the spirit of man within him:

2“Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples. Judah will be besieged, as well as Jerusalem.

2“Behold, I am setting Jerusalem as a cup of drunkenness for all the peoples round about. Even against Judah it will be in the siege and against Jerusalem.

3On that day, when all the nations of the earth gather against her, I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who would heave it away will be severely injured.

3And it will come to pass in that day, that I will set Jerusalem as a stone of burden for all the peoples; all loading it will be severely cut. They will gather against it—all the nations of the earth.

4On that day, declares the LORD, I will strike every horse with panic, and every rider with madness. I will keep a watchful eye on the house of Judah, but I will strike with blindness all the horses of the nations.

4On that day, a declaration of YHWH, I will strike every horse with confusion, and its rider with madness. And upon the house of Judah I will keep open My eyes, and every horse of the peoples I will strike with blindness.

5Then the leaders of Judah will say in their hearts: ‘The people of Jerusalem are my strength, for the LORD of Hosts is their God.’

5And the clans of Judah will say in their heart, ‘Strength for those dwelling in Jerusalem is in YHWH of Hosts, their God.’

6On that day I will make the clans of Judah like a firepot in a woodpile, like a flaming torch among the sheaves; they will consume all the peoples around them on the right and on the left, while the people of Jerusalem remain secure there.

6On that day I will set the clans of Judah as a basin of fire among the trees, and as a torch of fire among the sheaves; and they will devour on the right and on the left all the peoples round about, and Jerusalem will dwell again in her place, in Jerusalem.

7The LORD will save the tents of Judah first, so that the glory of the house of David and of the people of Jerusalem may not be greater than that of Judah.

7And YHWH will save the tents of Judah first, so that the glory of the house of David and the glory of those dwelling in Jerusalem will not become great beyond Judah.

8On that day the LORD will defend the people of Jerusalem, so that the weakest among them will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of the LORD going before them.

8On that day YHWH will cover over those dwelling in Jerusalem, and the one stumbling among them will be on that day like David, and the house of David like God, like the angel of YHWH, before their faces!

9So on that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.

9And it will come to pass on that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations who are coming against Jerusalem.

Mourning the One They Pierced

10Then I will pour out on the house of David and on the people of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and prayer, and they will look on Me, the One they have pierced. They will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for Him as one grieves for a firstborn son.

10And I will pour out on the house of David and on those dwelling in Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication, and they will look on Me, whom they have pierced. And they will mourn for Him, like the mourning over the only one, and grieving over Him like the grieving over a firstborn.

11On that day the wailing in Jerusalem will be as great as the wailing of Hadad-rimmon in the plain of Megiddo.

11On that day the mourning in Jerusalem will be great, like the mourning of Hadad-rimmon in the plain of Megiddo.

12The land will mourn, each clan on its own: the clan of the house of David and their wives, the clan of the house of Nathan and their wives,

12And the land will mourn, clans by clans, each by itself; the clan of the house of David by itself, and their wives by themselves; the clan of the house of Nathan by itself, and their wives by themselves;

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

13the clan of the house of Levi by itself, and their wives by themselves; the clan of Shimei by itself, and their wives by themselves;

14and all the remaining clans and their wives.

14all the clans remaining, clans by clans, each by itself, and their wives by themselves.