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Zechariah 12:3

in Zechariah 12

On 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.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And 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.

KJV

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.

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This verse in Zechariah 12

Commentary

7 notes on this verse
And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people,.... The Targum renders it "a stone of offence"; at which they shall stumble and fall; but it seems to design the immovableness of the state and condition of Jerusalem, that those who attempt to remove her out of her place, or to make any alteration in her happy circumstances, will not be able to do it, Psa 125:

This site's exposition

a burdensome stone for all people

Jerusalem becomes a burdensome stone that cuts to pieces all who try to lift it, though every people on earth gather themselves against the city. Henry and Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown read the figure from the ancient practice of testing strength by hoisting heavy stones, the city proving too heavy for any nation's grip. The verse states the outcome, cut in pieces, without the notes assigning it to any named conflict of any era, the parking order governing the whole horizon that runs from here through chapter 14.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

4 ), they will find it a task too hard for them. Those that are for keeping up and advancing the kingdom of sin in the world look upon Jerusalem, even the church of God, as the great obstacle to their designs, and they must have it out of the way; but they will find it heavier than they think it is; so that, [1.] They cannot remove it.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-citation-number+unbalanced-parens

A commentator

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament (1765)

proposed

In that day - The day of the full accomplishment of this prophecy is a day known to the Lord. A burdensome stone - Too heavy for them, though many join together to remove it.

The Nineteenth Century3 voices

I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone to all nations - What is “a stone to all nations?” It is not a rock or anything in its own nature immovable, but a “stone,” a thing rolled up and down, moved, lifted, displaced, piled on others, in every way at the service and command of people, to do with it what they willed.

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

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.

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

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.

The words behind it

19 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • וְהָיָ֣הand it will be

    vehayahH1961 →3559 times

  • בַיּוֹם־on the day

    vaiyom-H3117 →2304 times

  • הַ֠הוּא<the> that

    hahu'H1931 →1879 times

  • אָשִׂ֨יםI will make

    ʾasimH7760 →584 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H853 →10935 times

  • יְרוּשָׁלִַ֜םJerusalem

    yerushalimH3389 →643 times

  • אֶ֤בֶןa stone of

    ʾevenH68 →273 times

  • מַֽעֲמָסָה֙burden

    maamasahH4614 →

  • לְכָל־for all

    lekholH3605 →5413 times

  • הָ֣עַמִּ֔יםthe peoples

    haamimH5971 →1873 times

  • כָּל־all

    kol-H3605 →5413 times

  • עֹמְסֶ֖יהָ[those who] carry it

    ʾomeseihaH6006 →

  • שָׂר֣וֹטseverely <injure>

    sarotH8295 →

  • יִשָּׂרֵ֑טוּthey will injure themselves

    yisaretuH8295 →

  • וְנֶאֶסְפ֣וּand they will gather

    veneesfuH622 →200 times

  • עָלֶ֔יהָon it

    ʾaleihaH5921 →5755 times

  • כֹּ֖לall

    kolH3605 →5413 times

  • גּוֹיֵ֥י[the] nations of

    goyeiH1471 →561 times

  • הָאָֽרֶץ׃the earth

    haaretzH776 →2504 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

18 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Matthew 21:44He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.”11 worksZechariah 14:2–4For I will gather all the nations for battle against Jerusalem, and the city will be captured, the houses looted, and the women ravished. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be removed from the city.9 worksZechariah 13:1“On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the people of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity.9 worksDaniel 2:34–35As you watched, a stone was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay, and crushed them.8 worksLuke 20:18Everyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.”6 worksIsaiah 41:11Behold, all who rage against you will be ashamed and disgraced; those who contend with you will be reduced to nothing and will perish.6 works
The other 12 cross-references, with their words ▾
Zephaniah 3:15The LORD has taken away your punishment; He has turned back your enemy. Israel’s King, the LORD, is among you; no longer will you fear any harm.5 worksIsaiah 54:15If anyone attacks you, it is not from Me; whoever assails you will fall before you.5 worksEzekiel 38:1–23And the word of the LORD came to me, saying,4 worksIsaiah 66:14–16When you see, you will rejoice, and you will flourish like grass; then the hand of the LORD will be revealed to His servants, but His wrath will be shown to His enemies.4 worksZechariah 14:6On that day there will be no light, no cold or frost.4 worksZechariah 12:4On that day, declares the LORD, I will strike every horse with panic, and every rider with madness. I will keep a watchful eye on the house of Judah, but I will strike with blindness all the horses of the nations.4 worksZechariah 12:11On that day the wailing in Jerusalem will be as great as the wailing of Hadad-rimmon in the plain of Megiddo.3 worksMicah 5:8Then the remnant of Jacob will be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among flocks of sheep, which tramples and tears as it passes through, with no one to rescue them.3 worksPsalms 129:5May all who hate Zion be turned back in shame.3 worksZechariah 12:8–9On that day the LORD will defend the people of Jerusalem, so that the weakest among them will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of the LORD going before them.2 worksZechariah 14:8–9And on that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half of it toward the Eastern Sea and the other half toward the Western Sea, in summer and winter alike.2 worksHabakkuk 2:17For your violence against Lebanon will overwhelm you, and the destruction of animals will terrify you, because of your bloodshed against men and your violence against the land, the city, and all their dwellers.2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Matthew 21:44

    He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.”

    it leads to

    • Isaiah 8:14–15

      And He will be a sanctuary—but to both houses of Israel a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, to the dwellers of Jerusalem a trap and a snare.

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

    • Daniel 2:34–35

      As you watched, a stone was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay, and crushed them.

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

    • Daniel 2:44–45

      In the days of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will shatter all these kingdoms…

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

  • Through

    Zechariah 13:1

    “On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the people of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity.

    it leads to

    • 1 Corinthians 6:11

      And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

    • John 1:29

      The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

    • Psalms 51:2

      Wash me clean of my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.

    • Ezekiel 36:25

      I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and all your idols.

    • Hebrews 9:13–14

      For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that their bodies are clean,

Where this verse is studied

About Zechariah

Zechariah's Vision of Four Chariots, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
Zechariah's Vision of Four Chariots, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
Zechariah: the study guide →Read Zechariah 12 →

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Read on in Zechariah 12 →