CHAPTER 12

1 The burden of the word of Jehovah on Israel; — Say does Jehovah, Who expanded the heavens and founded the earth, And formed the spirit of man within him, —

2 Behold, I make Jerusalem A threshold of bruising to all the people around; And as to Judah, so shall he be During the siege against Jerusalem. (344)

3 It shall also be in that day That I will make Jerusalem A burdensome stone to all people; Whosoever will lift it shall be cut in pieces, Though assembled against it Should be all the nations of the earth. (345)

4 In that day, saith Jehovah, I will smite every horse with stupor, And its rider with madness; and on the house of Judah I will open mine eyes; And every horse of the people Will I smite with blindness:

5 And say will the chiefs of Judah in their hearts, — “Strength to me are the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Through Jehovah of hosts their God.” (349)

6 In that day I will make the chiefs of Judah Like a pot fire among wood; And like a torch of fire in a sheaf, And they shall consume, on the right hand And on the left, all the nations around; And inhabited shall be Jerusalem In her own place, in Jerusalem:

7 And save shall Jehovah The tents of Judah as at the beginning; And thus the honour of the house of David, and the honour of the citizen of Jerusalem, Shall not exult over Judah. (345)

8 In that day Jehovah will protect The inhabitant of Jerusalem; And the feeble among them shall be like David, And the house of David like angels, (357) As the angel of Jehovah before their face.

9 And it shall be in that day, That I will seek to destroy all the nations Who shall come against Jerusalem:

10 And I will pour upon the house of David, And upon the inhabitant of Jerusalem, The spirit of grace and of lamentations; And they shall look to me whom they have pierced: And lament shall they for him, As with a lamentation for an only-begotten; And bitter shall they be for him, As with a bitterness for a first-born.

11 In that day great shall be the lamentation in Jerusalem, Like the lamentation of Hadadrimmon In the valley of Megiddon:

12 And lament shall the land, Every family apart; The family of the house of David apart, And their wives apart; The family of the house of Nathan apart, And their wives apart;

13 The family of the house of Levi apart, And their wives apart; The family of Shimei apart; And their wives apart;

14 All the remaining families, Every family apart, And their wives apart;