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’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.” The Lord declares, “On that day I will strike every horse with panic and every rider with madness. I will watch over the people of Judah, but I will strike all the horses of the nations blind. 5Then the leaders of Judah will think to themselves, ‘The people who live in Jerusalem are strong because of the Lord of Armies, their God.’ 6“On that day I will make the leaders of Judah like a fire on a pile of wood and like a burning torch among freshly cut straw. They will burn up all the surrounding nations to the right and to the left. But the people of Jerusalem will remain safe in Jerusalem.

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 12:3On 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.”
• Isaiah 24:21On that day the Lord will punish heaven’s armies in heaven and earth’s kings on earth.
• Zechariah 10:5Together they will be like warriors who trample the enemy in the mud on the streets. They will fight because the Lord is with them. They will put to shame those who ride on horses.
• Zechariah 14:15A similar plague will also affect horses, mules, camels, donkeys, and all other animals in those camps.
• Deuteronomy 28:28The Lord will strike you with madness, blindness, and panic.
• 2 Kings 6:14So the king sent horses and chariots and a large fighting unit there. They came at night and surrounded the city.
• Psalms 76:5Brave people were robbed. They died. None of the warriors were able to lift a hand.
• Ezekiel 38:4I will turn you around and put hooks in your jaws. I will lead you out with all your military forces, with horses and riders. Your soldiers will be fully armed. They will carry large and small shields and be able to use swords.
• Ezekiel 39:20At my table you will be filled with horses and riders, warriors, and soldiers of every kind, declares the Almighty Lord.’
• Zechariah 9:8I will camp in front of my house as a guard against those who come and go. No oppressors will pass through them, because I have seen it with my own eyes.
• 1 Kings 8:29Night and day may your eyes be on this temple, the place about which you said, ‘My name will be there.’ Listen to me as I pray toward this place.
• 2 Chronicles 6:20Day and night may your eyes be on this temple, the place about which you said your name will be there. Listen to me as I pray toward this place.
• 2 Chronicles 7:15My eyes will be open, and my ears will pay attention to those prayers at this place.
• Nehemiah 1:6Open your eyes, and pay close attention with your ears to what I, your servant, am praying. I am praying to you day and night about your servants the Israelites. I confess the sins that we Israelites have committed against you as well as the sins that my father’s family and I have committed.
• Isaiah 37:17Turn your ear toward me, Lord, and listen. Open your eyes, Lord, and see. Listen to the entire message that Sennacherib sent to defy the living God.
• Jeremiah 24:6I will watch over them for their own good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up and not tear them down. I will plant them and not uproot them.

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