Zechariah 12

Zechariah · Chapter 12

Zechariah 12:4

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
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.On 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.In that day, saith Jehovah, I will smite every horse with terror, and his rider with madness; and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the peoples with blindness.

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

Zechariah 12 pictures the nations gathered in a siege against Jerusalem and Judah, and God making the city a cup of trembling and a burdensome stone to them. In this verse God says he will throw the enemy's cavalry into confusion, striking horses with bewilderment and blindness and riders with madness. At the same time he will open his eyes upon Judah to watch over and defend it. Zechariah 12:2Zechariah 12:3Zechariah 12:4Zechariah 12:8

SpeakingThe LORD speaks, as the verse says ("saith the LORD"), through the prophet Zechariah. Zechariah 12:1Zechariah 12:4Zechariah overview

ToThe message is a burden of the word of the LORD for Israel. It was first given to the people of Judah who had returned from exile in Babylon. Zechariah 12:1Zechariah overview

Also involvedThe horses and riders of the peoples who come against Jerusalem are struck. The house of Judah is the one God watches over. Zechariah 12:4Zechariah 12:9

God promises to disable the attacking armies by striking their horses and riders with confusion, madness and blindness. He also promises to open his eyes upon Judah. The verse makes God, not Judah's strength, the one who breaks the siege, as the next verses also say. Zechariah 12:4Zechariah 12:5Zechariah 12:8Zechariah 12:9

The scene is Jerusalem and the land of Judah under siege by the surrounding peoples. Zechariah 12:2Zechariah overview

JUDAHMediterranean SeaJerusalemTyreSidonDamascusHamath 1GazaAshdodMegiddo

The eventsThe verse places this "in that day," a future time of siege against Jerusalem, from the prophet's point of view. The text does not give a date. Zechariah 12:3Zechariah 12:4Strong's H3117G

WrittenTraditional: Zechariah wrote the whole book, with his dated messages running from about 520 to 518 BC. Scholarly: many scholars assign the undated chapters 9-14, which include this verse, to a later writer or writers, while others hold that Zechariah wrote them. Zechariah overview

HereThe verse assures God's people that he himself will defeat the forces gathered against Jerusalem. The governors of Judah will then say, "The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the LORD of hosts their God." Zechariah 12:4Zechariah 12:5Zechariah 12:9

In the whole of ScriptureDeuteronomy 28:28 names the same three blows, "The LORD shall smite thee with madness, and blindness, and astonishment of heart." Here God turns them on the nations that come against Jerusalem. Ezekiel also speaks of God bringing out an army of horses and horsemen (Ezekiel 38:4) and of a table filled with horses, chariots and men of war (Ezekiel 39:20). Deuteronomy 28:28Zechariah 12:4Zechariah 12:9Ezekiel 38:4Ezekiel 39:20

For readersGod's open eyes over his people echo Solomon's prayer that God's eyes would be open toward his house night and day (1 Kings 8:29). The passage teaches that rescue comes from the LORD's watchful care, not from horses or human might. This fits the book's theme: "not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit." 1 Kings 8:29Zechariah 12:4Zechariah 12:5Zechariah overview

  • astonishmentתִּמָּהוֹן
    Hebrew · tim.ma.hon · H8541

    The word means astonishment, bewilderment or stupefaction. The horses are thrown into a stunned confusion and cannot carry the attack. Deuteronomy 28:28 names "astonishment of heart" among the LORD's blows. Strong's H8541Deuteronomy 28:28Zechariah 12:4

  • madnessשִׁגָּעוֹן
    Hebrew · shig.ga.on · H7697

    The word means madness. The riders lose their senses, so the army cannot fight. Madness is also the first of the blows named in Deuteronomy 28:28. Strong's H7697Deuteronomy 28:28Zechariah 12:4

  • openפָּקַח
    Hebrew · pa.qach · H6491

    This verb is used for opening the eyes. God opens his own eyes on Judah at the very moment he blinds the enemy's horses. The contrast shows his watchful care, as in the prayer that his eyes be open toward his house (1 Kings 8:29). Strong's H64911 Kings 8:29Zechariah 12:4

  • horseסוּס
    Hebrew · sus · H5483M

    The word means horse, including chariot horses. That points to the military power of the besieging peoples. Ezekiel 38:4 likewise pictures an army of horses and horsemen. Strong's H5483MEzekiel 38:4Zechariah 12:4

Takeaway

When the nations gather against Jerusalem, the LORD himself confuses and blinds their forces while he keeps his eyes open over his people. Their rescue rests on his strength, not on theirs. Zechariah 12:4Zechariah 12:5Zechariah 12:8

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

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
on the dayבַּיּ֨וֹםbai-YOMH3117G
day

יוֹם (yom) : day/when/time/period 1) day, time, year 1a) day (as opposed to night) 1b) day (24 hour period) 1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1 1b2) as a division of time 1b2a) a working day, a day's journey 1c) days, lifetime (pl.) 1d) time, period (general) 1e) year 1f) temporal references 1f1) today 1f2) yesterday 1f3) tomorrow

the thatהַה֜וּאha-HU'H1931
he/she/it

הוּא (hu) pron 3p s 1) he, she, it 1a) himself (with emphasis) 1b) resuming subj with emphasis 1c) (with minimum emphasis following predicate) 1d) (anticipating subj) 1e) (emphasising predicate) 1f) that, it (neuter) demons pron 2) that (with article)

[the] utterance ofנְאֻם־ne-'um-H5002
utterance

נְאֻם (ne.um) 1) (Qal) utterance, declaration (of prophet) 1a) utterance, declaration, revelation (of prophet in ecstatic state) 1b) utterance, declaration (elsewhere always preceding divine name)

Yahwehיְהוָ֗הYAH-wehH3068G
Lord

אֲדֹנָי (a.do.nai) Lord - a title, spoken in place of Yahweh in Jewish display of reverence Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

I will strikeאַכֶּ֤ה'a-KEHH5221
to smite

נָכָה (na.khah) 1) to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill 1a)(Niphal) to be stricken or smitten 1b) (Pual) to be stricken or smitten 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to smite, strike, beat, scourge, clap, applaud, give a thrust 1c2) to smite, kill, slay (man or beast) 1c3) to smite, attack, attack and destroy, conquer, subjugate, ravage 1c4) to smite, chastise, send judgment upon, punish, destroy 1d) (Hophal) to be smitten 1d1) to receive a blow 1d2) to be wounded 1d3) to be beaten 1d4) to be (fatally) smitten, be killed, be slain 1d5) to be attacked and captured 1d6) to be smitten (with disease) …

everyכָל־khol-H3605
all

כֹּל (kol) 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

horseסוּס֙susH5483M
horse

סוּס (sus) 1) horse 1a) chariot horses

with the bewildermentבַּתִּמָּה֔וֹןba-ti-ma-HONH8541
bewilderment

תִּמָּהוֹן (tim.ma.hon) astonishment, bewilderment, stupefaction

and rider itsוְרֹכְב֖וֹve-ro-khe-VOH7392
to ride

רָכַב (ra.khav) 1) to mount and ride, ride 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to mount, mount and sit or ride 1a2) to ride, be riding 1a3) rider (subst) 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to cause to ride, cause to (mount and) ride 1b2) to cause to draw (plough, etc) 1b3) to cause to ride upon (fig)

with the madnessבַּשִּׁגָּע֑וֹןba-shi-ga-'onH7697
madness

שִׁגָּעוֹן (shig.ga.on) madness

and overוְעַל־ve-'al-H5921A
upon

עַל (al) prep 1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against 1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards 1b) above, beyond, over (of excess) 1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence) 1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition) 1e) over (of suspension or extension) …

[the] house ofבֵּ֤יתbeitH1004MNo entry
Judahיְהוּדָה֙ye-hu-DAHH3063G
Judah

יְהוּד (ye.hud) A man of the tribe of Judah living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.29.35; son of: Israel (H3478) and Leah (H3812); brother of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074) and Dinah (H1783); half-brother of: Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144); married to Bath-shua (H1323I) and Tamar (H8559); father of: Er (H6147), Onan (H0209), Shelah (H7956), Perez (H6557) and Zerah (H2226I) Aramaic of ye.hu.dah (יְהוּדָה "Judah" H3063) Judah-the territory of the tribe of Judah

I will openאֶפְקַ֣ח'ef-KACHH6491
to open

פָּקַח (pa.qach) 1) to open (the eyes) 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to open (the eyes) 1a2) to open (the ears) 1b) (Niphal) to be opened

eyes myעֵינַ֔י'ei-NAIH5869A
eye

עַ֫יִן (a.yin) : eye 1) eye 1a) eye 1a1) of physical eye 1a2) as showing mental qualities 1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)

and everyוְכֹל֙ve-KHOLH3605
all

כֹּל (kol) 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

the horse ofס֣וּסsusH5483M
horse

סוּס (sus) 1) horse 1a) chariot horses

the peoplesהָֽעַמִּ֔יםha-'a-MIMH5971A
people

עַם (am) : people/nation 1) nation, people 1a) people, nation 1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men

I will strikeאַכֶּ֖ה'a-KEHH5221
to smite

נָכָה (na.khah) 1) to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill 1a)(Niphal) to be stricken or smitten 1b) (Pual) to be stricken or smitten 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to smite, strike, beat, scourge, clap, applaud, give a thrust 1c2) to smite, kill, slay (man or beast) 1c3) to smite, attack, attack and destroy, conquer, subjugate, ravage 1c4) to smite, chastise, send judgment upon, punish, destroy 1d) (Hophal) to be smitten 1d1) to receive a blow 1d2) to be wounded 1d3) to be beaten 1d4) to be (fatally) smitten, be killed, be slain 1d5) to be attacked and captured 1d6) to be smitten (with disease) …

with the blindnessבַּֽעִוָּרֽוֹן׃BA-'i-va-RONH5788A
blindness

עִוָּרוֹן (iv.va.ron) blindness Also means: av.ve.ret (עַוֶּ֫רֶת "blindness" H5788B)

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