Open English Translation ZEC Chapter 12

12 This is a declaration of Yahweh’s message concerning Yisrael—a declaration of Yahweh, who stretched out the skies and laid the foundation of the earth, who forms the human spirit that’s inside people, 2 “Listen, I’m about to make Yerushalem into a cup causing all the nations surrounding her to stagger around. It will also be like that for Yehudah during the siege against Yerushalem. 3 At that time, I’ll make Yerushalem into a heavy stone for all the peoples. Anyone trying to lift that stone will hurt himself very much, and all the nations in the world will gather against that city. 4 This is Yahweh’s declaration: At that time, I will strike every horse with confusion and its rider with madness. I’ll open my eyes over the Yehudah region, but I’ll strike every horse from other countries with blindness. 5 Then the leaders of Yehudah will say to themselves, ‘The inhabitants of Yerushalem are our strength because of their god, army commander Yahweh.’

6 At that time, I will make the leaders of Yehudah like firepots among wood and like a flaming torch among standing grain, because they’ll devour all the surrounding peoples on their right and on their left. Yerushalem will again live in her own place.”

7 Yahweh will save Yehudah’s tents first, so that the honour of David’s descendants and the honour of Yerushalem’s inhabitants won’t be greater than the rest of Yehudah. 8 At that time, Yahweh will be the defender of the inhabitants of Yerushalem. Those among them who are weak will become strong like David, while the David’s descendants will be like God, like Yahweh’s messenger going ahead of them. 9 “On that day I will begin to destroy all the nations that fight against Yerushalem.”

10 But I will pour out a spirit of compassion and pleading on David’s descendants and the inhabitants of Yerushalem, so they will look on me—the one they’ve pierced. They’ll mourn for me, as one mourns for an only son—they will wail bitterly for him like those who wail after the death of a firstborn son.[ref] 11 On that day the wailing in Yerushalem will be like the wailing at Hadad-Rimmon in the Megiddo plain. 12 The land will mourn, each clan separate from other clans. The clan of David’s descendants will be separate and their wives will be separate from the men. The clan of Nathan’s descendants will be separate and their wives will also be separate from the men. 13 The clan of Levi’s descendants will be separate and their wives will be separate from the men. The clan of the Shimeites will be separate and their wives will also be separate from the men. 14 Each of the remaining clans will be separate and the wives will be separate from the men.”