God’s Word Translation
Zechariah 12:8
8On that day the Lord will defend those who live in Jerusalem so that even those who stumble will be like David, and David’s family will be like God, like the Messenger of the Lord ahead of them.
Zechariah 12:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)In 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.
- New International Version (NIV)On that day the Lord will shield those who live in Jerusalem, so that the feeblest among them will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of the Lord going before them.
- English Standard Version (ESV)On that day the Lord will protect the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the feeblest among them on that day shall be like David, and the house of David shall be like God, like the angel of the Lord, going before them.
- New King James Version (NKJV)In that day the Lord will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; the one who is feeble among them in that day shall be like David, and the house of David shall be like God, like the Angel of the Lord before them.
Context of Zechariah 12:8
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. 7“The Lord will save Judah’s tents first so that the honor of David’s family and the honor of those who live in Jerusalem will not be greater than the honor of Judah. On that day the Lord will defend those who live in Jerusalem so that even those who stumble will be like David, and David’s family will be like God, like the Messenger of the Lord ahead of them. 9“On that day I will seek to destroy all the nations who attack Jerusalem. 10“I will pour out the Spirit of blessing and mercy on David’s family and on those who live in Jerusalem. They will look at me, whom they have stabbed. Then they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only son, and they will cry bitterly for him as one cries for a firstborn son.
Read all of Zechariah 12Zechariah 12:8 word by word
בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא יָגֵ֤ן יְהוָה֙ בְּעַד֙ יוֹשֵׁ֣ב יְרוּשָׁלִַ֔ם וְהָיָ֞ה הַנִּכְשָׁ֥ל בָּהֶ֛ם בַּיּ֥וֹם הַה֖וּא כְּדָוִ֑יד וּבֵ֤ית דָּוִיד֙ כֵּֽאלֹהִ֔ים כְּמַלְאַ֥ךְ יְהוָ֖ה לִפְנֵיהֶֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- In that dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- shall the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- defendגָּנַןgânan · to defendH1598
- the inhabitantsיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
- of Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵםyerûshâlaim yerûshâlayim · JerusalemH3389
- and he that is feebleכָּשַׁלkâshal · to stumbleH3782
- shall be as Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
- and the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
- as Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- as the angelמַלְאָךְmal'âk · messenger: angelH4397
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
Cross-references for Zechariah 12:8
- Zechariah 2:5I will be a wall of fire around it, declares the Lord. I will be the glory within it.’
- 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.
- Joel 3:16The Lord will roar from Zion, and his voice will thunder from Jerusalem. The sky and the earth will shake. The Lord will be a refuge for his people. He will be a stronghold for the people of Israel.
- Isaiah 30:26Then the light of the moon will be like the light of the sun. The light of the sun will be seven times as strong, like the light of seven days. When that day comes, the Lord will bandage his people’s injuries and heal the wounds he inflicted.
- Jeremiah 30:19The people who live there will sing songs of praise, and the sound of laughter will be heard from there. I’ll make them numerous, and their number won’t decrease. I’ll bring them honor, and they won’t be considered unimportant.
- Ezekiel 34:23Then I will place one shepherd over them, my servant David, and he will take care of them. He will take care of them and be their shepherd.
- Joel 3:10Hammer your plowblades into swords and your pruning shears into spears. Weaklings should say that they are warriors.
- Micah 5:8The few people left from Jacob will be among the nations, among many people. They will be like a lion among animals in the forest, like a young lion among flocks of sheep. When a lion hunts, it tramples ⌞its victims⌟ and tears ⌞them⌟ to pieces, and there is no one to rescue them.
- Micah 7:16Nations will see this and be ashamed in spite of all their strength. They will put their hands over their mouths. Their ears will become deaf.
- Hebrews 11:34put out raging fires, and escaped death. They found strength when they were weak. They were powerful in battle and defeated other armies.
- Isaiah 49:7The Lord is the defender of Israel, its Holy One. This is what the Lord says to the despised one, to the one scorned by the nation, to the slave of rulers: Kings will see ⌞you⌟ and stand. Princes will see ⌞you⌟ and bow. The Lord is faithful. The Holy One of Israel has chosen you.
- Isaiah 53:3He was despised and rejected by people. He was a man of sorrows, familiar with suffering. He was despised like one from whom people turn their faces, and we didn’t consider him to be worth anything.
- Jeremiah 27:10They are prophesying lies to you. They will cause you to be taken far from your lands. I’ll scatter you, and you will die.
- Micah 7:8Don’t laugh at me, my enemies. Although I’ve fallen, I will get up. Although I sit in the dark, the Lord is my light.
- Psalms 2:6“I have installed my own king on Zion, my holy mountain.”
- Psalms 45:6Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter in your kingdom is a scepter for justice.
Commentaries on Zechariah 12:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8He that is feeble among them - shall be as David - Here is a marked difference between Judaism and Christianity. So clear, full, and efficient shall be the salvation of believers under the Gospel that the feeblest among them shall be as strong, as full of courage, and as successful as David when he went against Goliath. The least in the kingdom of heaven was greater than John the Baptist. And the house of David - as the angel of the Lord - The family the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8In that day the Lord shall defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble, rather, he theft stumbleth among them, shall be as David - The result of the care and the defense of God is here wholly spiritual, “the strengthening of such as do stand, and the raising up of such as fall.” It is not simply one feeble, but one “stumbling” and ready to fall, who becomes as David, the great instance of one who fell, yet was raised. Daniel says of a like…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8Here, the angel of the LORD is identified with God himself. He is shown as a divine warrior who rescues and protects his people (see Zechariah 1:11; 3:1; Exodus 14:19; 15:3; Isaiah 59:15–20; 63:1–6). God will give power to the weak.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. Jerusalem, however, also shall be specially strengthened against the foe. feeble ... shall be as David--to the Jew, the highest type of strength and glory on earth (2Sa 17:8; 18:3; Joe 3:10). angel of the Lord before them--the divine angel that went "before them" through the desert, the highest type of strength and glory in heaven (Ex 23:20; 32:34). "The house of David" is the "prince," and his family sprung from David (Eze 45:7, 9). David's house was…Read the comment
Topics related to Zechariah 12:8
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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