Zechariah 12

1 This 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:

The oracle of the word of Yahweh, on Israel, —Declareth Yahweh—Stretching out the heavens, and founding the earth, and fashioning 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.

Lo! I am making Jerusalem a bowl of reeling to all the peoples, round about, —Moreover also, on Judah, shall it be in the siege against Jerusalem;

3 On 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.

And it shall come to pass, in that day, that I will make Jerusalem a lifting-stone, to all the peoples, all who seek to lift her, shall, cut themselves in pieces, —though all the nations of the earth, gather themselves together against her.

4 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, Declareth Yahweh, I will smite every horse with terror, and his rider with madness, —and, over the house of Judah, will I keep opening mine eyes, and, every horse of the peoples, will I smite with blindness.

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

Then will the chiefs of Judah say in their hearts, —A strength unto me, [would be] the inhabitants of Jerusalem, in Yahweh of hosts, their God.

6 On 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.

In that day, will I make the chiefs of Judah like a pan of fire among sticks, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf, so shall they devour, on the right hand and on the left, all the peoples round about; so shall Jerusalem yet, be inhabited, in her own place, as Jerusalem.

7 The 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.

But Yahweh will save the tents of Judah first, —lest the honour of the house of David, and the honour of the inhabitant of Jerusalem, should be magnified over Judah.

8 On 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.

In that day, will Yahweh, throw a covering, around the inhabitant of Jerusalem, so shall the tottering among them, in that day, become like David, —and the house of David—like God, like the messenger of Yahweh, before them.

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

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

10 Then 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.

But I will pour out upon the house of David and upon the inhabitant of Jerusalem, the spirit of favour, and of supplications, and they will look unto me, whom they have pierced, —and will wail over him, as one waileth over an only son, and will make bitter outcry over him, as one maketh bitter outcry over a firstborn.

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

In that day, will the wailing, be great, in Jerusalem, as the wailing of Hadadrimmon, in the valley of Megiddon;

12 The 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,

So shall the land, wail, family by 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;

13 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 Shimei, apart, —and their wives apart:

14 and all the remaining clans and their wives.

All the families that remain, family by family, apart, —and their wives, apart.