Zechariah 12:4

Zechariah 12:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)On that day, declares the Lord, I will strike every horse with panic, and its rider 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 with blindness.
• New King James Version (NKJV)In that day,” says the Lord, “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.

Context of Zechariah 12:4

2‘I will frighten the enemies that live round Jerusalem. I will frighten them so much that they will run. They will run as fast as they can from Jerusalem and from Judah. 3There will be a time when all the countries of the earth will be ready to attack Jerusalem. Then I will make Jerusalem like a heavy rock that nobody can move. All those who try to lift it will hurt themselves very badly. On that day,’ says the Lord, ‘I will make every horse very afraid. I will make all the men that ride them crazy. I want to help Judah's people. And so, I will not let the horses of the enemy see any longer. 5Then the leaders of Judah will say to themselves, “The Lord Almighty, their God, makes the people in Jerusalem strong. And they will help us.” 6On that day, I will make the leaders of Judah like fire in a forest. I will make them like fire among wheat that the farmer has cut. They will kill all the people from round Jerusalem, but the people in Jerusalem will be safe.

Zechariah 12:4 word by word

בַּיּ֨וֹם הַה֜וּא נְאֻם־יְהוָ֗ה אַכֶּ֤ה כָל־סוּס֙ בַּתִּמָּה֔וֹן וְרֹכְב֖וֹ בַּשִּׁגָּע֑וֹן וְעַל־בֵּ֤ית יְהוּדָה֙ אֶפְקַ֣ח אֶת־עֵינַ֔י וְכֹל֙ ס֣וּס הָֽעַמִּ֔ים אַכֶּ֖ה בַּֽעִוָּרֽוֹן׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• In that dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• saithנְאֻםne'ûm · utteranceH5002
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• I will smiteנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
• every horseסוּסsûs sûs · horseH5483
• with astonishmentתִּמָּהוֹןtimmâhôn · bewildermentH8541
• and his riderרָכַבrâkab · to rideH7392
• with madnessשִׁגָּעוֹןshiggâ‛ôn · madnessH7697
• and I will openפָּקַחpâqach · to openH6491
• mine eyesעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eyeH5869
• upon the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
• of Judahיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudahH3063
• of the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• with blindnessעִוָּרוֹן‛ivvârôn ‛avvereth · blindnessH5788

Cross-references for Zechariah 12:4

• Zechariah 12:3There will be a time when all the countries of the earth will be ready to attack Jerusalem. Then I will make Jerusalem like a heavy rock that nobody can move. All those who try to lift it will hurt themselves very badly.
• Isaiah 24:21At that time, the Lord will punish the powerful beings in the skies above. He will punish the kings who rule on the earth below.
• Zechariah 10:5Together they will be like brave soldiers who march through the mud in the streets of their enemies. The Lord is with them and they will fight their enemies. They will pull down the soldiers from their horses.
• Zechariah 14:15The horses and all the other animals will be sick. And they will die as the soldiers died.
• Deuteronomy 28:28The Lord will make you crazy and blind. He will confuse your thoughts.
• 2 Kings 6:14So the king sent a big army of soldiers there, with horses and chariots. They arrived during the night and they made their camp all around the city.
• Psalms 76:5You won against brave soldiers, so that we robbed them of everything. Now they are sleeping, and they will never wake up! They are completely helpless.
• Ezekiel 38:4I will turn you around. I will put hooks into your mouth and catch you. I will take hold of you and your great army, with its horses and their riders. I will take hold of all your soldiers, who are ready to fight with their swords and their shields. I will pull them all away.
• Ezekiel 39:20I will give you horses and their riders to eat. I will give you great men and many kinds of soldiers to eat,” says the Lord God.
• Zechariah 9:8Then I will keep my house safe against my enemies. No army will ever again beat my people, because I am watching them.
• 1 Kings 8:29Watch over this temple and take care of it day and night. This is the place about which you said, “People will give honour to my name there.” Please answer my prayers when I turn towards this place to pray to you.
• 2 Chronicles 6:20Watch over this temple and take care of it day and night. This is the place about which you said, “People will give honour to my name there.” Please answer my prayers when I turn towards this place to pray to you.
• 2 Chronicles 7:15Now I will watch over this place. I will answer the prayers that people offer to me here.
• Nehemiah 1:6Please listen to my prayer. I am your servant. I am praying in the day and in the night on behalf of your servants, the Israelites. I agree that we have all done wrong things. That includes me and my family. We have not obeyed you.
• Isaiah 37:17Lord, please listen carefully to me. Lord, look carefully at this letter. Listen to Sennacherib's message. He is insulting you, the God who lives for ever.
• Jeremiah 24:6I will watch them carefully and I will take care of them. I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up and make them strong. I will not knock them down. I will help them to grow in the land, like plants with good roots. I will not pull them up.

Commentaries on Zechariah 12:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4I will smite every horse - Some apply this to the wars of the Maccabees with the Syrians; but it is more likely to be a prophecy not yet accomplished. The terms are too strong for such petty and evanescent victories as those of the Maccabees.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4In that day, saith the Lord, I will smite every horse with astonishment, stupefying - Zechariah revives the words concentrated by Moses, to express the stupefaction at their ills, which God would accumulate upon His people, if they perseveringly rebelled against Him. Each expresses the intensity of the visitation. “The horse and his rider” Exodus 15:1. The scared cavalry throws into confusion the ranks, of which it was the boast and strength. And on the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4Madness, blindness, and panic were some of the curses threatened against Israel for breaking the covenant (Deuteronomy 28:28). On the day of the Lord, these curses will instead affect Israel’s enemies (see 2 Kings 7:6–7). keep a watchful eye (literally open my eyes): God's open eyes symbolize divine help for those in great need (see Genesis 16:13–14; 21:19–21).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. I will smite ... horse--The arm of attack especially formidable to Judah, who was unprovided with cavalry. So in the overthrow of Pharaoh (Ex 15:19, 21). open mine eyes upon ... Judah--to watch over Judah's safety. Heretofore Jehovah seemed to have shut His eyes, as having no regard for her. blindness--so as to rush headlong on to their own ruin (compare Zec 14:12, 13).Read the comment

Topics related to Zechariah 12:4

• Insanity
• Israel, Prophecies Concerning

In the dictionaries

• Judah
• Judah, kingdom of Judah
• Judea, Judah
• That Day
• Bible, the
• Burden
• Ezekiel
• Hearth
• Mad; Madness
• Salvation

Commentaries on Zechariah 12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings