Chapter 12

1 Jerusalem a cup of trembling to herself, 3 and a burdensome stone to her adversaries. 6 The victorious restoring of Judah. 9 The repentance of Jerusalem.

1. Burden. Chapters 12–14 constitute the second “burden,” or oracle (see on ch. 9:1). This prophetic message may be entitled “The triumph of God’s program.”

2. Cup of trembling. That is, a cup whose contents produce trembling. Compare similar figures in Isa. 51:17; Jer. 25:15–18; 51:57; Hab. 2:16.

The siege. See p. 30; see on ch. 14:2.

3. Burdensome stone. Better, “a heavy stone.” Jerusalem would be like a boulder too heavy to lift and, apparently, one with rough, jagged edges.

Cut in pieces. Heb. sЊarat, a verb occurring elsewhere only in Lev. 21:5, where it describes the making of voluntary incisions such as were forbidden to the Israelites. The Hebrew construction is emphatic, meaning, “severely cut.” God’s special protection would be upon His people. Those who attempted to hurt them would themselves be hurt.

4. I will smite. These words must have been especially comforting to Zerubbabel and his associates at a time when the future appeared dark and the enemy was seeking to halt the work of God (see Haggai 2:22; see also p. 30).

6. Governors. Heb. Хalluphim. A slightly different vowel pointing (see Vol. I, p. 25) gives the reading Хalaphim, which may be translated “thousands” (1 Sam. 10:19), or “clans” (RSV). See on Micah 5:2. Encouraged by the evidences of God’s protective power, the clans of Judah would enlarge their borders and occupy all the territory God had assigned them (see Vol. IV, pp. 29, 30).

Hearth. Heb. kiyyor, “a pot,” for washing (Ex. 30:18; etc.), or, for cooking (1 Sam. 2:14); here, connected with “fire,” a fire pot.

7. Do not magnify. As a result of the exaltation of the rural areas the glory of the territories of provincial Judah would equal that of the capital city, Jerusalem itself.

8. As David. These promises of conquering might were to have met fulfillment in the remnant of Judah. It was hoped that after their return from captivity they would cooperate fully with the purposes of Heaven. A nation thus stayed upon God is invincible. The individual, too, may claim these promises in his battles against temptation and in his conquests for the Lord (see DA 250, 251).

On the application of this prophecy to the Christian church see Vol. IV, pp. 35, 36; AA 48.

9. Seek to destroy. A further assurance of victory over all enemy opposition.

10. Grace. Heb. chen, a word with two basic shades of meaning: (1) “qualities that make one agreeable,” “charm” (Prov. 11:16; 22:1); (2) “favour,” found frequently in the expression “to find favor,” also translated “to find grace” (Gen. 18:3; 19:19; 32:5; etc.). Chen comes from the root chanan, which means “to be gracious.”

Supplications. Heb. tachanunim, from the root chanan. The word translated “grace” (see above under “Grace”) is also from this root. Tachanunim means, “petitions for favor.”

The prediction concerning the pouring out of “the spirit of grace and of supplications” has been variously understood. The expression “spirit of grace” may be interpreted as signifying a spirit seeking for favor. If such is its meaning, the second expression “[spirit] of supplications” is essentially in apposition to the first, and the phrases may be expressed as follows, “a spirit seeking for favor,” that is, “a spirit petitioning favor.” Understood in this way the prophet is here envisioning a far-reaching spiritual revival, brought about by a new glimpse of the sinfulness of sin, and characterized by an earnest search for the righteousness of Christ. Looking upon the “pierced” Messiah, seeing in Him the fulfillment of all the OT types, perceiving as never before the marvelous love of God in the gift of His Son, men would deeply mourn over their past defects of character.

The mourning “as one mourneth for his only son” may also be in grief over the death of the Messiah, a grief such as a nation prepared to receive Messiah would have experienced. Zechariah is here presenting Israel’s future as it might have been. It was God’s design that the whole earth should be prepared for the first advent of Christ (see PK 704). How different would have been the history of the Jewish nation and of Jerusalem if the people had accepted the gift of God’s beloved Son (see DA 576, 577)! Had He come to a nation thus prepared to receive Him, and had He suddenly been “pierced,” how deep their grief would have been! The poignancy of their grief would have been heightened by the realization that their own sins had caused His death.

However, the words are to meet yet another fulfillment. There seems to be an allusion to Zech. 12:10 in Matt. 24:30, “and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory,” and in Rev. 1:7, “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him.” The word translated “wail” in Rev. 1:7 is the same as the one translated “mourn” in Matt. 24:30, and represents the reading of the LXX in Zech. 12:10. The mourning here described pictures the experience of those who rejected Christ at His first advent. When they shall see Him in all His glory at the second advent, they will realize the full import of their deed (see DA 580). Doubtless “the most violent opposes of His truth and His people” (GC 637) in other ages are also to be included in the prediction here made. See also EW 179.

Pierced. Heb. daqar. The word is frequently used of thrusting through with a weapon (Num. 25:8; Judges 9:54; 1 Sam. 31:4; 1 Chron. 10:4). John notes that this scripture was fulfilled when one of the Roman soldiers pierced the side of Jesus (John 19:37).

11. Hadadrimmon. A compound of two names for the same Semitic god, Hadad and Rimmon. The significance of the term is not clear. Some think Hadadrimmon was a place in the valley near Megiddo and that the reference is to the death of Josiah, who received mortal wounds when he attacked Necho, king of Egypt, in the valley of Megiddo. The death of the king resulted in special mourning (2 Chron. 35:20–25). Various attempts have been made to identify the place, but without success. Others think that “the mourning of Hadadrimmon” refers to some pagan rite. The fact that the composite name Hadadrimmon is made up of two names of a pagan deity may lend some support to the latter view.

12. Every family apart. The enumeration of the various families in vs. 12, 13, ending in the expression “all the families that remain” (v. 14), conveys the picture of universal mourning. “The house of David” represents the royal family. Nathan was the son of David (1 Chron. 3:5). He may here be singled out because Zerubbabel was a descendant of David through Nathan (Luke 3:27, 31). The Levites represent the spiritual leaders. As in the case of the house of David, one prominent family is mentioned—the family of Nathan. Concerning the family of Shimei, see Num. 3:17, 18, 21.

Ellen G. White comments

8    AA 48; COL 120; MB 63; 5T 81; 6T 42; 8T 20

10   DA 580