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Zechariah 12:6

in Zechariah 12

On that day I will make the clans of Judah like a firepot in a woodpile, like a flaming torch among the sheaves; they will consume all the peoples around them on the right and on the left, while the people of Jerusalem remain secure there.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

In that day will I make the chieftains of Judah like a pan of fire among wood, and like a flaming torch among sheaves; and they shall devour all the peoples round about, on the right hand and on the left; and they of Jerusalem shall yet again dwell in their own place, even in Jerusalem.

KJV

In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem.

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This verse in Zechariah 12

Commentary

9 notes on this verse

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

Jerusalem shall be inhabited again - This seems to refer to the future conversion of the Jews, and their “return to their own land.”

This site's exposition

smite every horse with astonishment

on Zechariah 12:4-6

The Lord promises to smite every horse of the besieging nations with astonishment and its rider with madness, striking the cavalry blind while keeping his own eyes open upon the house of Judah. Judah's governors become in that day like a hearth of fire in the wood and a torch in a sheaf, devouring the surrounding peoples on the right hand and the left, and Jerusalem is inhabited again in her own place. Gill and Barnes read the reversal, panic falling on the strong horses of the nations while the weak governors of Judah turn to fire, as the pattern the whole chapter repeats, human strength undone and human weakness armed.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers1 voice

A commentator

Jerome

Commentary on Zechariah · Written before 420.

proposed

(Vers. 6, 7.) On that day, I will make the leaders of Judah like a fiery furnace among wood, and like a burning torch among hay. They will consume all the surrounding peoples to the right and to the left, and Jerusalem will be inhabited again in its own place, in Jerusalem. And the Lord will save the dwellings of Judah, just as in the beginning, so that the glory of the house of David and the pride of the inhabitants of Jerusalem may not be exalted over Judah.

The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices

A commentator

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament (1765)

Like a hearth - A hearth on which fire is thoroughly kindled. In her own place - Not built as Nineveh, Babylon, or Rome, in some place near old cities, but in the very same place where old Jerusalem stood.

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

The church's motto may be, Nemo me impune lacesset--He that assails me does it at his peril. If you are weary of your life, persecute the Christians, was once a proverb. It is promised that God will infatuate the counsels and enfeeble the courage of the church's enemies (

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens

In that day will I make the governors of Judah like a hearth of fire among the wood,.... As a large hearth of fire, with wood all about it, devours and consumes it; so shall the governors of Judah be to the nations that shall come up against Jerusalem.

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

They had so after their return out of captivity, but this was to have its full accomplishment in the gospel-church, which is a Jerusalem inhabited in its own place; for, the gospel being to be preached to all the world, it may call every place its own. It is promised that the inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be enabled to defend themselves, and yet shall be taken under the divine protection,
2 more voices on this verse

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

Daniel dwells on his worldly conquests as a king; St. John, more on his spiritual tyranny, whence he adds a second beast, the false prophet coming in a semblance of spirituality. What is briefly described by one is more fully prophesied by the other [ROOS].
I will make the governors of Judah like a hearth - or “cauldron” of fire large, broad, deep, and full of fire, among the wood which is prepared for burning, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf The fire could not kindle the wood or the sheaf, of itself, unless applied to it. All is of the agency of God: “I will make.” Ribera: “He foretells the increase of the Church, which by such persecutions shall not be diminished, but shall be marvelously increased. The preachers of the Church shall raise up all the peoples round about, shall destroy all unbelief, and shall kindle the hearts of hearers with the fire of the divine word.” “On the right hand and on the left.” Ribera: “He indicates the strength and success of the preachers, whom no one can resist nor hinder,” as our Lord says, “I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist” Luk 21:15. And Jerusalem shall again - Rather, “yet, be inhabited.” “Yet” is a sort of burden in Zechariah’s prophecies . Osorius: “They at once burned up by the flame all the defilement of vices, and kindled the minds of people with the torch of divine love; at once consumed the enemy and cast a heavenly fire into the human heart: ‘yet;’ in despite of all appearances, of all which is against her. ‘She shall yet dwell in her own place in Jerusalem;’ for, however the waves of this world chafe and lash themselves into foam against her, they break themselves, not her; as soon as they have reached their utmost height, they fall back; if they toss themselves, and, for a moment, hide her light, they fall down at all sides, and the ray shines out, steady as before; for she is ‘founded on a rock,’ against which ‘the gates of hell’ should not ‘prevail’ Mat 16:18.

The words behind it

26 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.

  • בַּיּ֣וֹםon the day

    baiyomH3117 →2304 times

  • הַה֡וּא<the> that

    hahu'H1931 →1879 times

  • אָשִׂים֩I will make

    ʾasimH7760 →584 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H853 →10935 times

  • אַלֻּפֵ֨י[the] chiefs of

    ʾalufeiH441 →69 times

  • יְהוּדָ֜הJudah

    yehudahH3063 →819 times

  • כְּֽכִיּ֧וֹרlike a pot of

    kekhiyorH3595 →

  • אֵ֣שׁfire

    ʾeshH784 →378 times

  • בְּעֵצִ֗יםamong wood<s>

    beetzimH6086 →

  • וּכְלַפִּ֥ידand like a torch of

    ukhelapidH3940 →

  • אֵשׁ֙fire

    ʾeshH784 →378 times

  • בְּעָמִ֔ירamong cut grain

    beamirH5995 →

  • וְאָ֨כְל֜וּand they will consume

    veakheluH398 →810 times

  • עַל־on

    ʾal-H5921 →5755 times

  • יָמִ֧ין[the] right [side]

    yaminH3225 →140 times

  • וְעַל־and on

    veal-H5921 →5755 times

  • שְׂמֹ֛אול[the] left [side]

    semolH8040 →54 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H853 →10935 times

  • כָּל־all

    kol-H3605 →5413 times

  • הָעַמִּ֖יםthe peoples

    haamimH5971 →1873 times

  • סָבִ֑יבall around

    savivH5439 →336 times

  • וְיָשְׁבָ֨הand it will remain

    veyashevahH3427 →1079 times

  • יְרוּשָׁלִַ֥םJerusalem

    yerushalimH3389 →643 times

  • ע֛וֹדagain

    odH5750 →490 times

  • תַּחְתֶּ֖יהָin place its

    tachteihaH8478 →505 times

  • בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ פin Jerusalem

    birushalimH3389 →643 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.

Jeremiah 30:18This is what the LORD says: “I will restore the fortunes of Jacob’s tents and have compassion on his dwellings. And the city will be rebuilt on her own ruins, and the palace will stand in its rightful place.60 worksObadiah 1:18Then the house of Jacob will be a blazing fire, and the house of Joseph a burning flame; but the house of Esau will be stubble—Jacob will set it ablaze and consume it. Therefore no survivor will remain from the house of Esau.” For the LORD has spoken.7 worksZechariah 9:15The LORD of Hosts will shield them. They will destroy and conquer with slingstones; they will drink and roar as with wine. And they will be filled like sprinkling bowls, drenched like the corners of the altar.6 worksZechariah 14:10All the land from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem will be turned into a plain, but Jerusalem will be raised up and will remain in her place, from the Benjamin Gate to the site of the First Gate to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the royal winepresses.5 worksNumbers 23:24Behold, the people rise like a lioness; they rouse themselves like a lion, not resting until they devour their prey and drink the blood of the slain.”4 worksMicah 5:5–8And He will be our peace when Assyria invades our land and tramples our citadels. We will raise against it seven shepherds, even eight leaders of men.3 works
The other 12 cross-references, with their words ▾
Zechariah 2:4and said to him, “Run and tell that young man: ‘Jerusalem will be a city without walls because of the multitude of men and livestock within it.3 worksPsalms 149:6–9May the high praises of God be in their mouths, and a double-edged sword in their hands,3 worksDaniel 2:44–45In 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 and bring them to an end, but will itself stand forever.3 worksIsaiah 44:26who confirms the message of His servant and fulfills the counsel of His messengers, who says of Jerusalem, ‘She will be inhabited,’ and of the cities of Judah, ‘They will be rebuilt, and I will restore their ruins,’3 worksJeremiah 51:5For Israel and Judah have not been abandoned by their God, the LORD of Hosts, though their land is full of guilt before the Holy One of Israel.”3 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.3 worksZechariah 8:3–5This is what the LORD says: “I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the LORD of Hosts will be called the Holy Mountain.”2 worksMicah 4:13Rise and thresh, O Daughter of Zion, for I will give you horns of iron and hooves of bronze to break to pieces many peoples. Then you will devote their gain to the LORD, their wealth to the Lord of all the earth.2 worksNehemiah 11:1–36Now the leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem, and the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to live in the holy city of Jerusalem, while the remaining nine were to dwell in their own towns.2 worksJeremiah 31:38–40“The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when this city will be rebuilt for Me, from the tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate.2 worksIsaiah 54:3For you will spread out to the right and left; your descendants will dispossess the nations and inhabit the desolate cities.2 worksIsaiah 9:20They carve out what is on the right, but they are still hungry; they eat what is on the left, but they are still not satisfied. Each one devours the flesh of his own offspring.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

    Zechariah 2:4

    and said to him, “Run and tell that young man: ‘Jerusalem will be a city without walls because of the multitude of men and livestock within it.

    it leads to

    • Zechariah 1:17

      Proclaim further that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘My cities will again overflow with prosperity; the LORD will again comfort Zion and choose Jerusalem.’”

    • Micah 7:11

      The day for rebuilding your walls will come—the day for extending your boundary.

    • Ezekiel 38:11

      You will say, ‘I will go up against a land of unwalled villages; I will come against a tranquil people who dwell securely, all of them living without walls or bars or gates—

    • Jeremiah 33:22

      As the hosts of heaven cannot be counted and as the sand on the seashore cannot be measured, so too will I multiply the descendants of My servant David and the Levites who minister…

  • Through

    Obadiah 1:18

    Then the house of Jacob will be a blazing fire, and the house of Joseph a burning flame; but the house of Esau will be stubble—Jacob will set it ablaze and consume it. Therefore…

    it leads to

    • Isaiah 10:17

      And the Light of Israel will become a fire, and its Holy One a flame. In a single day it will burn and devour Assyria’s thorns and thistles.

    • Ezekiel 37:19

      you are to tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel associated with…

    • Micah 5:8

      Then 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…

    • Isaiah 5:24

      Therefore, as a tongue of fire consumes the straw, and as dry grass shrivels in the flame, so their roots will decay and their blossoms will blow away like dust; for they have rejected…

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 9 works. Open the list of works

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; 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; Jerome, Commentary on Zechariah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; 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 →