New Living Translation
Zechariah 12:4
4“On that day,” says the Lord, “I will cause every horse to panic and every rider to lose his nerve. I will watch over the people of Judah, but I will blind all the horses of their enemies.
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
2I will make Jerusalem like an intoxicating drink that makes the nearby nations stagger when they send their armies to besiege Jerusalem and Judah. 3On that day I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock. All the nations will gather against it to try to move it, but they will only hurt themselves. “On that day,” says the Lord, “I will cause every horse to panic and every rider to lose his nerve. I will watch over the people of Judah, but I will blind all the horses of their enemies. 5And the clans of Judah will say to themselves, ‘The people of Jerusalem have found strength in the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, their God.’ 6“On that day I will make the clans of Judah like a flame that sets a woodpile ablaze or like a burning torch among sheaves of grain. They will burn up all the neighboring nations right and left, while the people living in Jerusalem remain secure.
Read all of Zechariah 12Zechariah 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 an immovable rock. All the nations will gather against it to try to move it, but they will only hurt themselves.
- Isaiah 24:21In that day the Lord will punish the gods in the heavens and the proud rulers of the nations on earth.
- Zechariah 10:5They will be like mighty warriors in battle, trampling their enemies in the mud under their feet. Since the Lord is with them as they fight, they will overthrow even the enemy’s horsemen.
- Zechariah 14:15This same plague will strike the horses, mules, camels, donkeys, and all the other animals in the enemy camps.
- Deuteronomy 28:28The Lord will strike you with madness, blindness, and panic.
- 2 Kings 6:14So one night the king of Aram sent a great army with many chariots and horses to surround the city.
- Psalms 76:5Our boldest enemies have been plundered. They lie before us in the sleep of death. No warrior could lift a hand against us.
- Ezekiel 38:4I will turn you around and put hooks in your jaws to lead you out with your whole army—your horses and charioteers in full armor and a great horde armed with shields and swords.
- Ezekiel 39:20Feast at my banquet table—feast on horses and charioteers, on mighty men and all kinds of valiant warriors, says the Sovereign Lord.
- Zechariah 9:8I will guard my Temple and protect it from invading armies. I am watching closely to ensure that no more foreign oppressors overrun my people’s land.
- 1 Kings 8:29May you watch over this Temple night and day, this place where you have said, ‘My name will be there.’ May you always hear the prayers I make toward this place.
- 2 Chronicles 6:20May you watch over this Temple day and night, this place where you have said you would put your name. May you always hear the prayers I make toward this place.
- 2 Chronicles 7:15My eyes will be open and my ears attentive to every prayer made in this place.
- Nehemiah 1:6listen to my prayer! Look down and see me praying night and day for your people Israel. I confess that we have sinned against you. Yes, even my own family and I have sinned!
- Isaiah 37:17Bend down, O Lord, and listen! Open your eyes, O Lord, and see! Listen to Sennacherib’s words of defiance against the living God.
- Jeremiah 24:6I will watch over and care for them, and I will bring them back here again. 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
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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