Jerusalem’s Enemies to Be Destroyed

12 A prophecy:(A) The word of the Lord concerning Israel.

The Lord, who stretches out the heavens,(B) who lays the foundation of the earth,(C) and who forms the human spirit within a person,(D) declares: “I am going to make Jerusalem a cup(E) that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling.(F) Judah(G) will be besieged as well as Jerusalem. On that day, when all the nations(H) of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock(I) for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure(J) themselves. On that day I will strike every horse with panic and its rider with madness,” declares the Lord. “I will keep a watchful eye over Judah, but I will blind all the horses of the nations.(K) Then the clans of Judah will say in their hearts, ‘The people of Jerusalem are strong,(L) because the Lord Almighty is their God.’

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

“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.(P) On that day the Lord will shield(Q) those who live in Jerusalem, so that the feeblest(R) among them will be like David, and the house of David will be like God,(S) like the angel of the Lord going before(T) them. On that day I will set out to destroy all the nations(U) that attack Jerusalem.(V)

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12 The burden of the word of the Lord for Israel, saith the Lord, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him.

Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem.

And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.

In that day, saith the Lord, I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness: and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the people with blindness.

And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the Lord of hosts their God.

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

The Lord also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem do not magnify themselves against Judah.

In that day shall the Lord defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the Lord before them.

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

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The Coming Deliverance of Judah

12 The [a]burden of the word of the Lord against Israel. Thus says the Lord, (A)who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and (B)forms the spirit of man within him: “Behold, I will make Jerusalem (C)a cup of [b]drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem. (D)And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem (E)a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it. In that day,” says the Lord, (F)“I will strike every horse with confusion, and its rider with madness; I will open My eyes on the house of Judah, and will strike every horse of the peoples with blindness. And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, ‘The inhabitants of Jerusalem are my strength in the Lord of hosts, their God.’ In that day I will make the governors of Judah (G)like a firepan in the woodpile, and like a fiery torch in the sheaves; they shall devour all the surrounding peoples on the right hand and on the left, but Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place—Jerusalem.

“The Lord will save the tents of Judah first, so that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem shall not become greater than that of Judah. In that day the Lord will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; the one who is feeble among them in that day shall be like David, and the house of David shall be like God, like the Angel of the Lord before them. It shall be in that day that I will seek to (H)destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.

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Footnotes

  1. Zechariah 12:1 oracle, prophecy
  2. Zechariah 12:2 Lit. reeling

I will gather all the nations(A) to Jerusalem to fight against it;(B) the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped.(C) Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city.(D) Then the Lord will go out and fight(E) against those nations, as he fights on a day of battle.(F) On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives,(G) east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split(H) in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south.

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For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.

Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.

And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.

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For (A)I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem;
The city shall be taken,
The houses [a]rifled,
And the women ravished.
Half of the city shall go into captivity,
But the remnant of the people shall not be cut off from the city.

Then the Lord will go forth
And fight against those nations,
As He fights in the day of battle.
And in that day His feet will stand (B)on the Mount of Olives,
Which faces Jerusalem on the east.
And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two,
From east to west,
(C)Making a very large valley;
Half of the mountain shall move toward the north
And half of it toward the south.

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Footnotes

  1. Zechariah 14:2 Or plundered

10 The whole land, from Geba(A) to Rimmon,(B) south of Jerusalem, will become like the Arabah. But Jerusalem will be raised up(C) high from the Benjamin Gate(D) to the site of the First Gate, to the Corner Gate,(E) and from the Tower of Hananel(F) to the royal winepresses, and will remain in its place.(G) 11 It will be inhabited;(H) never again will it be destroyed. Jerusalem will be secure.(I)

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10 All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up, and inhabited in her place, from Benjamin's gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananeel unto the king's winepresses.

11 And men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited.

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10 All the land shall be turned into a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem. [a]Jerusalem shall be raised up and (A)inhabited in her place from Benjamin’s Gate to the place of the First Gate and the Corner Gate, (B)and from the Tower of Hananel to the king’s winepresses.

11 The people shall dwell in it;
And (C)no longer shall there be utter destruction,
(D)But Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited.

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Footnotes

  1. Zechariah 14:10 Lit. She