Zechariah 12 · Verse 3

Zechariah 12:3

And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.
Zechariah 12:3, King James Version

Zechariah 12:3 in other translations

BSBOn that day, when all the nations of the earth gather against her, I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who would heave it away will be severely injured.
WEBIt will happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all the peoples. All who burden themselves with it will be severely wounded, and all the nations of the earth will be gathered together against it.
ASVAnd it shall come to pass in that day, that I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all the peoples; all that burden themselves with it shall be sore wounded; and all the nations of the earth shall be gathered together against it.
YLTAnd it hath come to pass, in that day, I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone to all the peoples, All loading it are completely pressed down, And gathered against it have been all nations of the earth.
DARBYAnd it shall come to pass in that day that I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone unto all peoples: all that burden themselves with it shall certainly be wounded, and all the nations of the earth shall be assembled together against it.
BBEAnd it will come about in that day that I will make Jerusalem a stone of great weight for all the peoples; all those who take it up will be badly wounded; and all the nations of the earth will come together against it.
WebsterAnd in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be assembled against it.

What does Zechariah 12:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
3. (Zec 14:4, 6-9, 13). Jerome states it was a custom in Palestine to test the strength of youths by their lifting up a massive stone; the phrase, "burden themselves with it," refers to this custom. Compare Mt 21:44: The Jews "fell" on the rock of offense, Messiah, and were "broken"; but the rock shall fall on Antichrist, who "burdens himself with it" by his assault on the restored Jews, and "grind him to powder." all ... people of ... earth--The Antichristian confederacy against the Jews shall be almost universal.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 3 A burdensome stone - Probably referring to that stone which was thrown on the breast of a culprit adjudged to lose his life by stoning, by which the whole region of the thorax, heart, lungs, liver, etc., was broken to pieces.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Zechariah 12:1-8

Here is a Divine prediction, which will be a heavy burden to all the enemies of the church. But it is for Israel; for their comfort and benefit. It is promised that God will make foolish the counsels, and weaken the courage of the enemies of the church. The exact meaning is not clear; but God often begins by calling the poor and despised; and in that day even the feeblest will resemble David, and be as eminent in…

Read the full comment on Zechariah 12:1-8 →

Zechariah 12:3 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְהָיָ֣הve.ha.Yahand it will beH1961
בַיּוֹם\־vai.yom-on the dayH3117
הַ֠הוּאHa.hu'<the> thatH1931
אָשִׂ֨ים'a.SimI will makeH7760
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
יְרוּשָׁלִַ֜םye.ru.sha.LimJerusalemH3389
אֶ֤בֶן'E.vena stone ofH68
מַֽעֲמָסָה֙ma.'a.ma.SahburdenH4614
לְכָל\־le.kholfor allH3605
הָ֣עַמִּ֔יםha.'a.Mimthe peoplesH5971
כָּל\־kol-allH3605
עֹמְסֶ֖יהָ'o.me.Sei.ha[those who] carry itH6006
שָׂר֣וֹטsa.Rotseverely <injure>H8295
יִשָּׂרֵ֑טוּyi.sa.Re.tuthey will injure themselvesH8295
וְנֶאֶסְפ֣וּve.ne.'es.Fuand they will gatherH622
עָלֶ֔יהָ'a.Lei.haon itH5921
כֹּ֖לkolallH3605
גּוֹיֵ֥יgo.Yei[the] nations ofH1471
הָאָֽרֶץ\׃ha.'A.retzthe earthH776

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Zechariah 12:3

  • Matthew 21:44

    And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

  • Zechariah 14:2-4

    For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.

  • Daniel 2:34-35

    Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.

  • Luke 20:18

    Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

  • Isaiah 66:14-16

    And when ye see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb: and the hand of the Lord shall be known toward his servants, and his indignation toward his enemies. For, behold, the Lord will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh: and the slain of the Lord shall be many.

  • Zechariah 14:6

    And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark:

  • Zechariah 13:1

    In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.

  • Ezekiel 38:1-23

    And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, And say, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords: …

  • Zechariah 12:11

    In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.

  • Joel 3:8-16

    And I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the children of Judah, and they shall sell them to the Sabeans, to a people far off: for the Lord hath spoken it. Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up: Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong. Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O Lord. …

  • Zechariah 14:13

    And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the Lord shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour.

  • Micah 5:8

    And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he go through, both treadeth down, and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
in that.
4,6,8,9,11; 2:8,9; 10:3-5; 13:1; 14:2,3,4,6,8,9,13; Isa 60:12
Isa 66:14-16; Eze 38:1-39:29; Joe 3:8-16; Ob 1:18; Mic 5:8,15
Mic 7:15-17; Hab 2:17; Zep 3:19; Hag 2:22
a burdensome.
Da 2:34,35,44,45; Mt 21:44; Lu 20:18
though.
14:2,3; Mic 4:11-13; Re 16:14; 17:12-14; 19:19-21; 20:8,9

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Zechariah 12:2

    Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem.

  • Zechariah 12:3

    And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.

  • Zechariah 12:4

    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.

Read all of Zechariah 12

Zechariah 12:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y será en aquel día, que yo pondré á Jerusalem por piedra pesada á todos los pueblos: todos los que se la cargaren, serán despedazados, bien que todas las gentes de la tierra se juntarán contra ella.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et il arrivera, en ce jour-là, que je ferai de Jérusalem une pierre pesante pour tous les peuples: tous ceux qui s’en chargeront s’y meurtriront certainement; et toutes les nations de la terre seront rassemblées contre elle.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und es wird geschehen an jenem Tage, da werde ich Jerusalem zu einem Laststein machen für alle Völker: alle, die ihn aufladen wollen, werden sich gewißlich daran verwunden. Und alle Nationen der Erde werden sich wider dasselbe versammeln.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Et erit: in die illa ponam Jerusalem lapidem oneris cunctis populis: omnes qui levabunt eam concisione lacerabuntur, et colligentur adversus eam omnia regna terræ.