God’s Word Translation
Zechariah 12:1
1This is the prophetic revelation, the Lord’s word about Israel. The Lord—who spread out the heavens, laid the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit in a person—says,
Zechariah 12:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)The 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.
- New International Version (NIV)A prophecy: The word of the Lord concerning Israel. The Lord, who stretches out the heavens, who lays the foundation of the earth, and who forms the human spirit within a person, declares:
- English Standard Version (ESV)The oracle of the word of the Lord concerning Israel: Thus declares the Lord, who stretched out the heavens and founded the earth and formed the spirit of man within him:
- New King James Version (NKJV)The burden of the word of the Lord against Israel. Thus says the Lord, who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him:
Context of Zechariah 12:1
This is the prophetic revelation, the Lord’s word about Israel. The Lord—who spread out the heavens, laid the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit in a person—says, 2“I’m going to make Jerusalem like a cup ⌞of wine⌟ that makes all the surrounding people stagger. They will attack Judah along with Jerusalem. 3On that day I will make Jerusalem a stone too heavy for all the nations to lift. All who try to lift it will be severely injured. All the nations in the world will gather ⌞to fight⌟ against Jerusalem.”
Read all of Zechariah 12Zechariah 12:1 word by word
מַשָּׂ֥א דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל נְאֻם־יְהוָ֗ה נֹטֶ֤ה שָׁמַ֙יִם֙ וְיֹסֵ֣ד אָ֔רֶץ וְיֹצֵ֥ר רֽוּחַ־אָדָ֖ם בְּקִרְבּֽוֹ׃ פRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- The burdenמַשָּׂאmaώώâ' · oracleH4853
- of the wordדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- for Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- saithנְאֻםne'ûm · utteranceH5002
- which stretchethנָטָהnâţâh · to stretchH5186
- forth the heavensשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064
- and layeth the foundationיָסַדyâsad · to foundH3245
- of the earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- and formethיָצַרyâtsar · to form: formedH3335
- the spiritרוּחַrûach · spiritH7307
- of manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
- withinקֶ֫רֶבqereb · entrails: amongH7130
Cross-references for Zechariah 12:1
- Zechariah 9:1This is the divine revelation. The Lord’s word is against the land of Hadrach and will rest on Damascus
- Lamentations 2:14Your prophets saw misleading visions about you. They painted a good picture of you. They didn’t expose your guilt in order to make things better again. They gave you false prophecies that misled you.
- Malachi 1:1This is a divine revelation. The Lord spoke his word to Israel through Malachi.
- Isaiah 51:22The Lord your God defends his people. This is what your master says: I’m taking from your hand the cup that makes people stagger, the bowl, the cup of my fury. You will never drink from it again.
- Jeremiah 30:10“Don’t be afraid, my servant Jacob,” declares the Lord. “Don’t be terrified, Israel. I’m going to rescue you from a faraway place. I’m going to rescue your descendants from where they are captives. The descendants of Jacob will again have peace and security, and no one will frighten them.
- Jeremiah 50:34Their defender is strong. His name is the Lord of Armies. He will certainly take up their cause in order to bring rest to the land of Israel and unrest to the people who live in Babylon.
- Ezekiel 36:5In my fiery anger I have spoken against the rest of the nations and against all of Edom. The Edomites have taken possession of my land with wholehearted joy and with complete scorn. They forced out the people and took their land.’
- Joel 3:19Egypt will become a wasteland. Edom will become a barren desert. This is because the nations were cruel to Judah. They murdered innocent people in their land.
- Obadiah 1:16As you, Israel, drank on my holy mountain, so all nations will drink in turn. They will drink and guzzle down everything in it. They will be like those who have never existed.
- Job 26:7“He stretches out his heavens over empty space. He hangs the earth on nothing whatsoever.
- Psalms 102:25Long ago you laid the foundation of the earth. Even the heavens are the works of your hands.
- Psalms 104:2You cover yourself with light as though it were a robe. You stretch out the heavens as though they were curtains.
- Psalms 136:5to the one who made the heavens by his understanding— because his mercy endures forever.
- Isaiah 40:12Who has measured the water of the sea with the palm of his hand or measured the sky with the length of his hand? Who has held the dust of the earth in a bushel basket or weighed the mountains on a scale and the hills on a balance?
- Isaiah 42:5The Lord God created the heavens and stretched them out. He shaped the earth and all that comes from it. He gave life to the people who are on it and breath to those who walk on it. This is what the Lord God says:
- Isaiah 44:24The Lord reclaimed you. He formed you in the womb. This is what the Lord says: I, the Lord, made everything. I stretched out the heavens by myself. I spread out the earth all alone.
Commentaries on Zechariah 12:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1The burden of the word of the Lord - This is a new prophecy. It is directed both to Israel and Judah, though Israel alone is mentioned in this verse. Which stretcheth forth the heavens - See on Isaiah 42:5; (note). Formeth the spirit of man within him - Then it is not the same substance with his body. It is a Spirit within Him.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1The burden of the word of the Lord for - Rather, “upon (see at Nahum 1:1, p. 129) Israel.” If this prophecy is a continuation of the last, notwithstanding its fresh title, then “Israel” must be the Christian Church, formed of the true Israel which believed, and the Gentiles who were grafted into them. So Cyril; “Having spoken sufficiently of the Good Shepherd Christ, and of the foolish, most cruel shepherd who butchered the sheep, that is, antichrist, he…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Punishment of the enemies of Judah. (1-8) Repentance and sorrow of the Jews. (9-14) Verses 1-8 Here is a Divine prediction, which will be a heavy burden to all the enemies of the church. But it is for Israel; for their comfort and benefit. It is promised that God will make foolish the counsels, and weaken the courage of the enemies of the church. The exact meaning is not clear; but God often begins by calling the poor and despised; and in that day even…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-14The theme of Jerusalem versus the nations connects the four messages in Zechariah's second oracle. The nations gather against Jerusalem at both the start (Zechariah 12:1–9) and the end (14:1–15) of the oracle. The repeated phrase on that day points to the future day of the Lord. This oracle shows both judgment and blessing for Jerusalem. The main focus is the cleansing of the people of Israel (Zechariah 13:1), ending with God's universal kingdom…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-141. burden--"weighty prophecy"; fraught with destruction to Israel's foes; the expression may also refer to the distresses of Israel implied as about to precede the deliverance. for Israel--concerning Israel [Maurer]. stretcheth forth--present; now, not merely "hath stretched forth," as if God only created and then left the universe to itself (Joh 5:17). To remove all doubts of unbelief as to the possibility of Israel's deliverance, God prefaces the…Read the comment
Topics related to Zechariah 12:1
In the dictionaries
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
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