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“Behold, I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that causes staggering to all the peoples around; and when the siege is against Jerusalem, it will also be against Judah. 3It will come about on that day that I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who lift it will injure themselves severely. And all the nations of the earth will be gathered against it. On that day,” declares the Lord, “I will strike every horse with confusion and its rider with insanity. But I will watch over the house of Judah, while I strike every horse of the peoples with blindness. 5Then the clans of Judah will say in their hearts, ‘The inhabitants of Jerusalem are a strong support for us through the Lord of armies, their God.’ 6“On that day I will make the clans of Judah like a firepot among pieces of wood and a flaming torch among sheaves, so they will consume on the right and on the left all the surrounding peoples, while the inhabitants of Jerusalem again live on their own sites 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

• On that dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• declaresנְאֻםne'ûm · utteranceH5002
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• I will strikeנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
• everyכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
• horseסוּסsûs sûs · horseH5483
• with confusionתִּמָּהוֹןtimmâhôn · bewildermentH8541
• and its riderרָכַבrâkab · to rideH7392
• with insanityשִׁגָּעוֹןshiggâ‛ôn · madnessH7697
• watchעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eyeH5869
• overעַל‛al · uponH5921
• the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
• of Judahיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudahH3063
• of the peoplesעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• with blindnessעִוָּרוֹן‛ivvârôn ‛avvereth · blindnessH5788

Cross-references for Zechariah 12:4

• Zechariah 12:3It will come about on that day that I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who lift it will injure themselves severely. And all the nations of the earth will be gathered against it.
• Isaiah 24:21So it will happen on that day, That the Lord will punish the rebellious angels of heaven on high, And the kings of the earth on earth.
• Zechariah 10:5And they will be like warriors, Trampling down the enemy in the mud of the streets in battle; And they will fight, because the Lord will be with them; And the riders on horses will be put to shame.
• Zechariah 14:15And just like this plague, there will be a plague on the horse, the mule, the camel, the donkey, and all the cattle that will be in those camps.
• Deuteronomy 28:28The Lord will strike you with insanity, blindness, and with confusion of mind;
• 2 Kings 6:14So he sent horses and chariots and a substantial army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city.
• Psalms 76:5The stouthearted were plundered, They sank into sleep; And none of the warriors could use his hands.
• Ezekiel 38:4So I will turn you around and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them magnificently dressed, a great contingent with shield and buckler, all of them wielding swords;
• Ezekiel 39:20You will eat your fill at My table with horses and charioteers, with warriors and all the men of war,” declares the Lord God.
• Zechariah 9:8But I will camp around My house because of an army, Because of him who passes by and returns; And no oppressor will pass over them anymore, For now I have seen with My eyes.
• 1 Kings 8:29so that Your eyes may be open toward this house night and day, toward the place of which You have said, ‘My name shall be there,’ to listen to the prayer which Your servant will pray toward this place.
• 2 Chronicles 6:20that Your eye will be open toward this house day and night, toward the place of which You have said that You would put Your name there, to listen to the prayer which Your servant shall pray toward this place.
• 2 Chronicles 7:15Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to the prayer offered in this place.
• Nehemiah 1:6let Your ear now be attentive and Your eyes open, to hear the prayer of Your servant which I am praying before You now, day and night, on behalf of the sons of Israel Your servants, confessing the sins of the sons of Israel which we have committed against You; I and my father’s house have sinned.
• Isaiah 37:17Incline Your ear, Lord, and hear; open Your eyes, Lord, and see; and listen to all the words of Sennacherib, who sent them to taunt the living God.
• Jeremiah 24:6For I will set My eyes on them for good, and I will bring them back to this land; and I will build them up and not overthrow them, and 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