Zechariah 12
Modern English Version
The Deliverance of Judah
12 The oracle of the word of the Lord against Israel.
Thus says the Lord, the One who stretches out the heavens and establishes the earth and forms the spirit of man within him: 2 I am going to make Jerusalem a cup of reeling before all the surrounding nations. And when there is a siege against Judah, it is also against Jerusalem. 3 And it will be on that day that I will set Jerusalem as a weighty stone to all the peoples. All who carry it will surely gash themselves, and all the nations of the land will be gathered against it. 4 On that day I will strike every horse with confusion and its rider with madness, but for the house of Judah I will keep My eyes open although I will strike with blindness every horse of the peoples. 5 Then the clans of Judah will say in their hearts, “There is strength for us with those residing in Jerusalem by the Lord of Hosts, their God.”
6 On that day I will set Judah like a fiery pot among wood and as a flaming torch among cut grain. And they will devour to the right and left all the surrounding peoples, while Jerusalem will still reside in her place, the place of Jerusalem.
7 The Lord will deliver the tents of Judah as before, so that the glory of the house of David and the glory of those dwelling in Jerusalem will not eclipse Judah. 8 On that day the Lord will defend those residing in Jerusalem; and even the one who stumbles among them will be as David on that day. And the house of David will be like God, like the angel of the Lord going out before them. 9 On that day I will seek to destroy all the nations who come out against Jerusalem.
Mourning for Him Whom They Have Pierced
10 And I will pour out on the house of David and over those dwelling in Jerusalem a spirit of favor and supplication so that they look to Me, whom they have pierced through. And they will mourn over him as one mourns for an only child and weep bitterly over him as a firstborn. 11 On that day the mourning in Jerusalem will be as great as that of Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. 12 The land will mourn with each family by itself: the family of the house of David by themselves, and their wives by themselves; the family of the house of Nathan by themselves, and their wives by themselves; 13 the family of the house of Levi by themselves, and their wives by themselves; the family of Shimei by themselves, and their wives also by themselves; 14 and all the families that remain, each by itself and their wives by themselves.
Zechariah 12
English Standard Version
The Lord Will Give Salvation
12 (A)The oracle of the word of the Lord concerning Israel: Thus declares the Lord, (B)who stretched out the heavens and (C)founded the earth and (D)formed the spirit of man within him: 2 “Behold, I am about to make Jerusalem (E)a cup of staggering to (F)all the surrounding peoples. The siege of Jerusalem (G)will also be against Judah. 3 (H)On that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples. (I)All who lift it will surely hurt themselves. And (J)all the nations of the earth will gather against it. 4 (K)On that day, declares the Lord, (L)I will strike every horse (M)with panic, and its rider (N)with madness. But for the sake of the house of Judah I will keep my eyes open, when I strike every horse of the peoples (O)with 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 (P)“On that day I will make the clans of Judah (Q)like a blazing pot in the midst of wood, like a flaming torch among sheaves. And (R)they shall devour to the right and to the left all the surrounding peoples, while (S)Jerusalem 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 (T)On that day (U)the Lord will protect the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that (V)the feeblest among them on that day shall be like David, and the house of David shall be like God, (W)like the angel of the Lord, going before them. 9 (X)And on that day (Y)I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.
Him Whom They Have Pierced
10 “And (Z)I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and (AA)pleas for mercy, so that, (AB)when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, (AC)they shall mourn for him, (AD)as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn. 11 (AE)On that day (AF)the mourning in Jerusalem will be as great (AG)as the mourning for Hadad-rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. 12 The land shall mourn, (AH)each family[a] by itself: the family of the house of David by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of the house of (AI)Nathan by itself, and their wives by themselves; 13 the family of the house of Levi by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of (AJ)the Shimeites by itself, and their wives by themselves; 14 and all the families that are left, each by itself, and their wives by themselves.
Footnotes
- Zechariah 12:12 Or clan; throughout verses 12–14
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
