Zechariah 12

Zechariah · Chapter 12

Zechariah 12:13

1The 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.2Behold, 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.3And 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.4In 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.5And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the LORD of hosts their God.6In 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.7The 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.8In 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.9And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.10And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.11In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.12And the land shall mourn, every 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;13The family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart;14All the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
13The family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart;the clan of the house of Levi and their wives, the clan of Shimei and their wives,the family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of the Shimeites apart, and their wives apart;

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

This verse is part of a list of the families who will mourn when God pours out "the spirit of grace and of supplications" and they look upon the one "whom they have pierced." After the royal house of David and the house of Nathan, the house of Levi and the Levite family of Shimei are named. Each family, and the wives of each, mourn apart. Zechariah 12:10Zechariah 12:12Zechariah 12:13Zechariah 12:14

SpeakingThe LORD speaks through the prophet Zechariah, son of Berechiah. This is part of "the burden of the word of the LORD for Israel." Zechariah 12:1Zechariah overview

ToThe message was given to the people of Judah who had come back from exile in Babylon. Zechariah overview

Also involvedThe mourners named are the house of Levi and the family of the Shimeites. The Shimeites descend from Shimei, a son of Gershon of the tribe of Levi. This is not the Shimei of Saul's house who cursed David. Strong's H3878Strong's H80971 Chronicles 23:71 Chronicles 23:10Exodus 6:162 Samuel 16:5

The verse says the tribe of Levi, from which the priests Aaron and his sons came, and one of its clans, the Shimeites, will mourn each by themselves, with their wives mourning separately too. Together with the houses of David and Nathan in verse 12, it shows the mourning reaching the leading houses of the nation and then "all the families that remain." Zechariah 12:12Zechariah 12:13Zechariah 12:14Strong's H0905HStrong's H8097Exodus 6:16Exodus 6:26Numbers 3:4

The mourning centers on Jerusalem and spreads through "the land." It is compared to "the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon." Zechariah 12:11Zechariah 12:12Zechariah overview

JUDAHMediterranean SeaJerusalemTyreSidonDamascusHamath 1GazaAshdodMegiddo

The eventsThe mourning happens "in that day," a future day when God defends Jerusalem and pours out his spirit. The text gives no date. John 19:37 quotes verse 10 about the one "whom they have pierced." Zechariah 12:8Zechariah 12:10Zechariah 12:11Zechariah overview

WrittenTraditional: Zechariah wrote the whole book, with dated messages from about 520 to 518 BC. Scholarly: most agree chapters 1-8 come from Zechariah then, but chapters 9-14 carry no dates, and many assign them to a later writer or writers. Zechariah overview

HereNaming royal and priestly families one by one shows that no house is left out of this grief. Each family, and each family's wives, mourn on their own. No family mourns on behalf of another. Zechariah 12:12Zechariah 12:13Zechariah 12:14Strong's H0905H

In the whole of ScriptureThis mourning follows God's gift of "the spirit of grace and of supplications." It falls within the book's second burden (12:1-14:21), about Jerusalem's cleansing and the day of the LORD, which looks to the day when "the LORD shall be king over all the earth." Zechariah 12:10Zechariah overview

For readersSorrow over the pierced one is personal. It reaches even the most honored families, and each family comes to it for itself. Zechariah 12:10Zechariah 12:13Zechariah 12:14

  • Shimei (the Shimeites)שִׁמְעִי
    Hebrew · shim.i · H8097

    The Hebrew means "the Shimeite[s]," the descendants of Shimei, son of Gershon, a Levite. That marks this family as a branch of the tribe of Levi just named. It is not the Shimei of Saul's house in 2 Samuel 16:5. Strong's H80971 Chronicles 23:71 Chronicles 23:102 Samuel 16:5

  • apartבַּד
    Hebrew · bad · H0905H

    The word means alone, by itself, in separation. It is repeated for each family and for their wives. That shows each group mourning on its own. Strong's H0905HZechariah 12:12Zechariah 12:14

  • familyמִשְׁפָּחָה
    Hebrew · mish.pa.chah · H4940

    The word means clan or family, and can reach to tribe or people. So the mourning is described by whole clans of the nation, not just single households. Strong's H4940Zechariah 12:14

Takeaway

Zechariah 12:13 names the house of Levi and its Shimeite clan among those who will each mourn apart for the one "whom they have pierced." The mourning that God's spirit of grace brings reaches every family, including those of the highest rank. Zechariah 12:10Zechariah 12:13Strong's H8097

Drafted by AI from the Scripture and data shown under “Show sources,” then checked automatically and by a second AI pass. Updated 2026-10-28.

The world around the text

Behind this verse

The mourning at Megiddo
King Josiah was killed in battle in the valley of Megiddo, and all Judah and Jerusalem mourned him; Jeremiah wrote laments for him. Zechariah compares the coming mourning to "the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon." Zechariah 12:112 Chronicles 35:22-25

About 520-518 BC. King of Persia: Darius I (522-486 BC). Where Zechariah prophesied. A small, poor community was rebuilding the temple among the ruins of the city Babylon had burned.

Who ruled
  • King of PersiaDarius I522-486 BC

    Zechariah dates his messages by the years of Darius. Darius confirmed Cyrus's decree and ordered the temple work to go on at royal expense. Zechariah 1:1Zechariah 7:1Ezra 6:1-12Haggai 1:1Behistun Inscription

  • Governor of JudahZerubbabelc. 520 BC

    A descendant of David who led the rebuilding. "The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it." Zechariah 4:6-10Haggai 1:1Ezra 3:8

  • High priestJoshua the high priestc. 520 BC

    Called Jeshua in Ezra. He stands in Zechariah's vision clothed in filthy garments, which are taken away, and later receives crowns as a sign. Zechariah 3:1-10Zechariah 6:11Haggai 1:1Ezra 3:2

  • Persian governor "on this side the river"Tattenaic. 520 BC

    The governor of the province west of the Euphrates. He asked who had allowed the building, wrote to Darius, and was told to let the work go on. Ezra 5:3-6Ezra 6:6-13

What was happening, 539 BC to 332 BC
  1. 539 BC
    WarBabylon falls to Cyrus

    Cyrus king of Persia took Babylon, ending the empire that had destroyed Jerusalem. Daniel 5:30-31Nabonidus Chronicle (ABC 7)Cyrus Cylinder

  2. 538 BC
    God's peopleThe first return

    Cyrus let the exiles go home to build the LORD's house. About fifty thousand returned with Zerubbabel and Jeshua. Ezra 1:1-4Ezra 2:1-2Ezra 2:64-65

  3. c. 536 BC
    God's peopleThe foundation is laid, then the work stops

    The returned exiles laid the temple's foundation with shouting and weeping. Opposition from their neighbors stopped the work until the second year of Darius. Ezra 3:10-13Ezra 4:4-5Ezra 4:24

  4. 525 BC
    WarPersia conquers Egypt

    Cyrus's son Cambyses invaded and took Egypt, bringing the whole region from the Nile to the Indus under one king. Herodotus, Histories 3.1-16

  5. 522-521 BC
    WarDarius crushes the revolts

    When Darius took the throne, provinces across the empire rebelled, Babylon twice. By 520 he had put them all down. Compare the riders' report in Zechariah's first vision: "all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest." Behistun InscriptionHerodotus, Histories 3.150-159Zechariah 1:11

  6. 520 BC
    God's peopleHaggai and Zechariah stir the people to build

    In Darius's second year the two prophets urged the people to take up the temple work again, and Zerubbabel and Jeshua began to build. Ezra 5:1-2Haggai 1:1-15Zechariah 1:1

  7. c. 520-519 BC
    RulersDarius confirms Cyrus's decree

    Tattenai questioned the building. A search found Cyrus's decree at Achmetha, and Darius ordered the work to continue and be paid for from royal taxes. Ezra 5:3-6:12

  8. 515 BC
    BuildingThe second temple is finished

    The temple was finished on the third day of Adar in Darius's sixth year and dedicated with joy. Ezra 6:14-18Zechariah 4:9

  9. 490-479 BC
    WarPersia's wars with Greece

    Persia invaded Greece twice and was turned back at Marathon (490), Salamis (480) and Plataea (479). Greece, which Zechariah names in 9:13, was becoming Persia's great rival. Herodotus, Histories 6.102-117Herodotus, Histories 8.40-96Herodotus, Histories 9.1-89Zechariah 9:13

  10. 445 BC
    BuildingNehemiah rebuilds Jerusalem's walls

    Under the Persian king Artaxerxes, Nehemiah came from Shushan and rebuilt the walls in fifty-two days. Nehemiah 2:1-8Nehemiah 6:15

  11. 332 BC
    WarAlexander takes Tyre and Gaza

    Alexander the Great besieged island Tyre for seven months and then Gaza for two, on his way to Egypt. Zechariah 9 speaks of Tyre's "strong hold" and of Gaza, Ashkelon, Ekron and Ashdod. Arrian, Anabasis of Alexander 2.15-27Zechariah 9:3-7

The full picture: places, culture and daily life. Scripture first, then ancient records (the Behistun Inscription, the Cyrus Cylinder, the Babylonian Chronicles) and ancient writers (Herodotus, Arrian, Josephus). Drafted by Claude and not yet reviewed by a person.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
[the] clan ofמִשְׁפַּ֤חַתmish-PA-chatH4940
family

מִשְׁפָּחָה (mish.pa.chah) 1) clan, family 1a) clan 1a1) family 1a2) tribe 1a3) people, nation 1b) guild 1c) species, kind 1d) aristocrats

[the] house ofבֵּית־beit-H1004MNo entry
Leviלֵוִי֙le-VIH3878
Levi

לֵוִי (le.vi) A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.29.34; son of: Israel (H3478) and Leah (H3812); brother of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Judah (H3063), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074) and Dinah (H1783); half-brother of: Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144); father of: Gershon (H1648), Kohath (H6955), Merari (H4847) and Jochebed (H3115) § Levi = "joined to" the 3rd son of Jacob by Leah and progenitor of tribe of Levites

to aloneלְבָ֔דle-VADH0905H
alone: pole

בַּד (bad) : pole 1) alone, by itself, besides, a part, separation, being alone 1a) separation, alone, by itself 1a1) only (adv) 1a2) apart from, besides (prep) 1b) part 1c) parts (eg limbs, shoots), bars

and wives theirוּנְשֵׁיהֶ֖םu-ne-shei-HEMH0802H
woman

אִשָּׁה (ish.shah) : woman 1) woman, wife, female 1a) woman (opposite of man) 1b) wife (woman married to a man) 1c) female (of animals) 1d) each, every (pronoun)

to aloneלְבָ֑דle-VADH0905H
alone: pole

בַּד (bad) : pole 1) alone, by itself, besides, a part, separation, being alone 1a) separation, alone, by itself 1a1) only (adv) 1a2) apart from, besides (prep) 1b) part 1c) parts (eg limbs, shoots), bars

[the] clan ofמִשְׁפַּ֤חַתmish-PA-chatH4940
family

מִשְׁפָּחָה (mish.pa.chah) 1) clan, family 1a) clan 1a1) family 1a2) tribe 1a3) people, nation 1b) guild 1c) species, kind 1d) aristocrats

the Shimeite[s]הַשִּׁמְעִי֙ha-shim-'IH8097
Shimeite

שִׁמְעִי (shim.i) Someone descended from Shimei who was A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Exo.6.17; son of: Gershon (H1648); brother of: Libni (H3845G); father of: Jahath (H3189I), Zizah (H2126), Jeush (H3266J) and Beriah (H1283J) Group of shim.i (שִׁמְעִי "Shimei" H8096) § Shimites, of Shimei "renowned" descendants of Shimei or Shimi

to aloneלְבָ֔דle-VADH0905H
alone: pole

בַּד (bad) : pole 1) alone, by itself, besides, a part, separation, being alone 1a) separation, alone, by itself 1a1) only (adv) 1a2) apart from, besides (prep) 1b) part 1c) parts (eg limbs, shoots), bars

and wives theirוּנְשֵׁיהֶ֖םu-ne-shei-HEMH0802H
woman

אִשָּׁה (ish.shah) : woman 1) woman, wife, female 1a) woman (opposite of man) 1b) wife (woman married to a man) 1c) female (of animals) 1d) each, every (pronoun)

to aloneלְבָֽד׃le-VADH0905H
alone: pole

בַּד (bad) : pole 1) alone, by itself, besides, a part, separation, being alone 1a) separation, alone, by itself 1a1) only (adv) 1a2) apart from, besides (prep) 1b) part 1c) parts (eg limbs, shoots), bars

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.