Zechariah 12 10

Zechariah 12:10 kjv

And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

Zechariah 12:10 nkjv

"And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.

Zechariah 12:10 niv

"And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.

Zechariah 12:10 esv

"And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.

Zechariah 12:10 nlt

"Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the family of David and on the people of Jerusalem. They will look on me whom they have pierced and mourn for him as for an only son. They will grieve bitterly for him as for a firstborn son who has died.

Zechariah 12 verses

Zechariah 12 10 Meaning

Zechariah 12:10 is a pivotal messianic prophecy envisioning a future spiritual awakening for Israel, particularly the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the lineage of David. Yahweh promises to bestow upon them a spirit of divine favor and sincere petition. This divine intervention will cause them to gaze upon a figure whom they themselves have "pierced"—a deeply enigmatic yet profound statement indicating the direct involvement of God with this suffering individual. This gaze will evoke profound national sorrow and repentance, akin to the intense grief for the loss of an only son or a cherished firstborn, acknowledging a personal and corporate sin against this pierced one.

Zechariah 12 10 Context

Zechariah 12:10 is embedded within the second major section of Zechariah (chapters 9-14), which focuses on "the burden of the word of the LORD concerning Israel." Chapter 12 specifically portrays Jerusalem under attack by all nations, yet Yahweh promises to defend and utterly destroy her enemies, making the city an "immovable rock." After this glorious military triumph and salvation, the spiritual transformation described in verse 10 follows. This indicates that Israel's future repentance and mourning over the pierced one is not a precursor to national restoration, but a spiritual outcome directly consequent to divine intervention and salvation. The verse thus points to a profound and national spiritual awakening for the Jewish people in the eschatological future, where they will recognize the one they rejected and crucified, leading to deep mourning and ultimate salvation. Historically, Zechariah was a post-exilic prophet whose messages encouraged the rebuilding of the Second Temple and provided hope for the future messianic kingdom. The audience, still reeling from exile and striving for national identity, would have found encouragement in Yahweh’s promise of protection, restoration, and ultimate spiritual revival.

Zechariah 12 10 Word analysis

• And I will pour out (וְשָׁפַכְתִּי – wə·šā·faḵ·tî): The verb "pour out" (שׁפך – shaphakh) indicates an abundant, unrestrained, and often supernatural outpouring. This emphasizes God's sovereign and gracious initiative in granting this spiritual blessing.
• on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem: Refers to both the leadership (royal, spiritual) and the general populace. This indicates a comprehensive, national outpouring and repentance.
• a spirit of grace (רוּחַ חֵן – ruach chen): Ruach can mean wind, breath, or spirit. Here, it denotes God's empowering Spirit. Chen signifies favor, grace, or kindness. Thus, it's a Spirit that makes one receptive to God's favor and produces graciousness.
• and pleas for mercy (וְתַחֲנוּנִים – wə·ṯa·ḥă·nū·nîm): Tachnunim means supplications, earnest entreaties for favor or compassion. The Spirit will move them to heartfelt, persistent prayer and petition for God's mercy.
• so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, (וְהִבִּיטוּ אֵלַי אֵת אֲשֶׁר דָּקָרוּ – wə·hib·bî·ṭū ’ê·lay ’êṯ ’ă·šer dā·qā·rū): This is the theological core of the verse.
  • look on me (’ê·lay): Hibbitu (הִבִּיטוּ) means to look intently, gaze, fix one's eyes on. The ’ê·lay (to/upon me) shows Yahweh as the speaker.
  • on him whom they have pierced: The direct object marker ’êṯ (אֵת) introduces "him" (’ă·šer, relative pronoun for 'who' or 'whom') and refers back to the me. The verb daqaru (דָּקָרוּ – to pierce, to thrust through, to transfix) describes a violent act, often resulting in death or a grievous wound (Num 25:8; 1 Sam 31:4; Lam 4:9). The subject "they" is indefinite, yet implicitly refers to "the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem," making it a personal indictment. This seemingly paradoxical phrase—looking on Yahweh, who is simultaneously the pierced one—suggests the divinity of the Messiah and Yahweh's identification with His suffering.
• they will mourn for him, as one mourns for an only son,: A universal idiom for the deepest, most agonizing personal grief, for the loss of a singularly beloved and precious life (Jer 6:26, Amos 8:10). It signifies sorrow beyond measure.
• and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn: Reinforces the intensity of mourning. Losing a firstborn, while culturally significant for inheritance and standing, was also the loss of a primary hope and joy (Ex 11:5, Num 3:13), making this sorrow immensely profound and culturally impactful.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• "I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem": Emphasizes divine initiative and the specific national scope of this future spiritual transformation. It is not something Israel initiates, but God bestows.
• "a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy": This divine gift is twofold: inner spiritual disposition (grace/favor) and the external expression of that disposition (earnest supplication). The Spirit transforms their hearts to seek and receive divine mercy.
• "they look on me, on him whom they have pierced": This central, shocking phrase is understood in Christian theology as Yahweh identifying with the crucified Messiah. The "me" is Yahweh speaking, identifying with "him" who was "pierced." This indicates that the act of piercing the Messiah was an act against Yahweh Himself.
• "they will mourn for him, as one mourns for an only son, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn": These strong similes highlight the deep, personal, and unparalleled sorrow of the repentant people. It signifies not merely a national tragedy, but a profound, heart-rending recognition of the magnitude of their corporate sin in rejecting and killing their Messiah. The bitterness implies deep regret and remorse.

Zechariah 12 10 Bonus section

• The Septuagint (LXX) translation of "him whom they have pierced" translates "on me, on them whom they have pierced," which has led to different interpretations. However, the Masoretic Text (MT), widely regarded as reflecting the original Hebrew, clearly states "on me, on him whom they have pierced," supporting the strong Christological reading and divine identification.
• This verse represents a turning point in Zechariah's prophecy, shifting from national triumph and military salvation to profound national spiritual repentance. It posits that spiritual restoration often follows, or is deeply connected to, God's providential deliverance.
• Jewish exegetical traditions also wrestle with the identity of the "pierced one," with some recognizing a suffering Messiah (Messiah ben Joseph) in other texts, but less frequently connecting him directly with Yahweh. Christian interpretations uniformly identify the pierced one as Jesus, the God-man, whose crucifixion perfectly fulfills this prophecy.
• The phrase "a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy" connects deeply with the concept of the New Covenant (Jer 31:31-34, Ezek 36:26-27), where God's Spirit enables true, inward obedience and relationship. This points to a work of transformation that is entirely God's initiative, moving the hearts of a previously resistant people.

Zechariah 12 10 Commentary

Zechariah 12:10 is a prophecy of eschatological spiritual awakening for Israel, catalyzed by divine intervention. God promises to supernaturally endue the Jewish people with a spirit enabling genuine repentance and a desire for mercy. The catalyst for this profound change is their recognition of the "pierced one," whom Yahweh identifies with Himself. This is a clear foreshadowing of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, whose hands, feet, and side were pierced during His crucifixion (Jn 19:37). When the Jewish nation collectively looks upon Him—perhaps at His second coming, as Revelation 1:7 suggests—they will comprehend their historic sin of rejecting and causing the suffering of their Messiah. This realization will plunge them into an unprecedented national mourning, a sorrow as deep as losing an only son or a firstborn child, leading to profound repentance and spiritual salvation (Rom 11:26). The passage underscores the identification of the suffering Messiah with God Himself, hinting at the Messiah's divinity.