Zechariah 12 11

Zechariah 12:11 kjv

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

Zechariah 12:11 nkjv

In that day there shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem, like the mourning at Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo.

Zechariah 12:11 niv

On that day the weeping in Jerusalem will be as great as the weeping of Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo.

Zechariah 12:11 esv

On that day the mourning in Jerusalem will be as great as the mourning for Hadad-rimmon in the plain of Megiddo.

Zechariah 12:11 nlt

The sorrow and mourning in Jerusalem on that day will be like the great mourning for Hadad-rimmon in the valley of Megiddo.

Zechariah 12 verses

Zechariah 12 11 Meaning

Zechariah 12:11 predicts an unparalleled national lamentation that will engulf Jerusalem. This grief will be as profound and widespread as the historical mourning for King Josiah, who was fatally wounded at Hadadrimmon near the plain of Megiddo. The prophecy points to a future, divinely initiated sorrow, stemming from the recognition of "Him whom they have pierced," as mentioned in the preceding verse.

Zechariah 12 11 Context

Zechariah 12:11 is part of a larger prophecy (chapters 12-14) concerning Jerusalem's ultimate destiny. Chapter 12 primarily describes a future time when God will make Jerusalem an unmovable "burdensome stone" for surrounding nations, promising her protection and victory against her enemies. Following this depiction of physical deliverance, a dramatic spiritual shift occurs, leading to profound repentance. Verse 10 speaks of the Lord pouring out a "spirit of grace and supplication" upon the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, leading them to look upon "Me whom they have pierced." This gaze then ignites a sorrow "like the mourning for an only son," culminating in the scale described in verse 11, equating it to the unparalleled national grief over King Josiah. The historical context for the original audience recalls Josiah's death (around 609 BCE) at Megiddo, which marked the tragic end of a righteous king and the beginning of Judah's final decline into Babylonian exile, hence the depth of the national lament. The "mourning of Hadadrimmon" likely refers to the deep lamentation at the site where Josiah was struck down.

Zechariah 12 11 Word analysis

• בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא (bayyōm hahū): "On that day"

  • Word Level: A frequently used eschatological and prophetic idiom in Zechariah and other prophetic books. It points to a specific future, divinely determined period of intervention, often encompassing both judgment and salvation. It signifies a significant epoch in God's redemptive plan.
  • Significance: It emphasizes the definitive, certain, and climactic nature of the events described, marking a critical transition in history, frequently connected with the Day of the Lord or Messianic age.

• וְגָמַל (vəḡāmal): "And will be great" / "there will be a great"

  • Word Level: From the root גָּמַל (gāmal) which typically means "to deal out," "reward," "recompense," but in contexts of mourning, can emphasize magnitude. Here it combines with mispad to describe a great mourning.
  • Significance: Underscores the intensity and widespread nature of the sorrow; not just mourning, but great mourning.

• מִסְפַּד (mispad): "mourning" / "lamentation"

  • Word Level: Refers to outward expressions of grief, including weeping, wailing, tearing clothes, and ritual lamentations. It denotes intense and communal sorrow.
  • Significance: It signifies profound, heartfelt grief, not merely sadness but a public and often vocal expression of sorrow.

• בִּירוּשָׁלַם (bîrûšālayim): "in Jerusalem"

  • Word Level: Refers to the capital city, the religious and political center of Israel. The preposition 'בְּ' (be-) means "in."
  • Significance: Pinpoints the geographical and spiritual focus of this event, indicating that this mourning will be a national and profoundly spiritual experience concentrated in the heart of God's chosen city.

• כְּמִסְפַּד (kəmispad): "like the mourning"

  • Word Level: The prefix 'כְּ' (ke-) means "like" or "as," a comparative particle.
  • Significance: Introduces a historical comparison to illustrate the scale and intensity of the prophetic mourning, providing an immediate frame of reference for the original audience.

• חֲדַדְרִמּוֹן (ḥăḏaḏrîmmôn): "Hadadrimmon"

  • Word Level: The specific identity of "Hadadrimmon" is debated among scholars, but the strongest and most widely accepted view links it directly to the site or specific event surrounding King Josiah's death. It may be a specific location or cult site near Megiddo, or possibly refer to a public mourning for a pagan deity later re-purposed for Josiah's death due to its historical magnitude. However, the mention of "plain of Megiddo" following it solidifies the connection to Josiah's historical event for biblical interpretation.
  • Significance: Represents a historical tragedy that evoked unprecedented national sorrow. It serves as a benchmark for the immense grief to come, drawing a parallel with the mourning of Israel's last truly righteous king.

• בְּבִקְעַת מְגִדּוֹן (bəbiq‘at məḡidôwn): "in the plain of Megiddo"

  • Word Level: 'בְּבִקְעַת' (bəbiq‘at) means "in the valley/plain of," and 'מְגִדּוֹן' (məḡidôwn) refers to Megiddo, a strategically vital city in northern Israel, famous for its numerous battles and as a place of judgment (Armageddon). It was the site of King Josiah's fatal battle against Pharaoh Neco (2 Kgs 23:29, 2 Chr 35:20-24).
  • Significance: Grounds the prophetic comparison in a well-known, tragic historical event for the Jewish people. It underscores the profound national catastrophe and personal grief associated with Josiah's death, emphasizing the future mourning will be of a similar, deeply sorrowful, national impact.

• Word-Groups Analysis:

  • "On that day there will be a great mourning": This phrase immediately establishes the prophetic and eschatological nature of the verse. It declares a future, significant outpouring of national sorrow, of immense proportion, orchestrated by divine will. This mourning is not a reaction to a military defeat but a spiritual awakening, as clarified by Zec 12:10.
  • "like the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the plain of Megiddo": This is a powerful historical analogy. It references the incomparable sorrow of Judah at the death of King Josiah. His death at Megiddo plunged the nation into deep lament, as described by Jeremiah (2 Chr 35:25). By comparing the future mourning to this event, the prophet emphasizes its absolute intensity, universal reach within the nation, and profound sorrow. It moves beyond just a historical parallel to become a symbolic measure of overwhelming, collective grief over a lost leader and a perceived national disaster.

Zechariah 12 11 Bonus section

The historical King Josiah, a righteous reformer, met an untimely death fighting Pharaoh Neco at Megiddo. His passing deeply impacted the nation, marking the end of Judah's independence and initiating its rapid decline leading to the Babylonian captivity. Therefore, his death was seen as a profound divine judgment and a cause for immense, lingering sorrow.

Some scholars have suggested that "Hadadrimmon" might have also referred to a lamentation for a fertility deity in the ancient Near East, such as Tammuz or Adonis, often involving ritual weeping. However, within the context of Zechariah 12:10, where the mourning is directed towards "Him whom they have pierced," the most robust interpretation rejects a pagan association and grounds the reference firmly in the historical mourning for King Josiah. The specific mention of "in the plain of Megiddo" also strengthens the link to a historical battle rather than a cultic site for pagan lament. The emphasis is on the magnitude and national character of the mourning, rather than its specific cultic practices. The spiritual mourning prophesied in Zechariah 12 is thus distinctively centered on repentance towards God and His Messiah, not on any syncretistic pagan ritual.

Zechariah 12 11 Commentary

Zechariah 12:11 serves to quantify the spiritual lament foreshadowed in the preceding verse. The "great mourning" in Jerusalem is not simply an expression of sadness, but a national outpouring of contrite grief. By likening it to the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the plain of Megiddo, Zechariah invokes a specific historical tragedy: the death of King Josiah. This event was not merely the loss of a king, but for many, the perceived end of a period of revival and the onset of national decline towards exile. The depth of that original mourning, remembered across generations, provided the prophet's audience with the ultimate benchmark for an unparallelled national sorrow.

However, the future mourning prophesied here is not for a lost king or military defeat in the traditional sense, but a spiritual mourning over "Him whom they have pierced" (Zec 12:10). This points to a Messianic lament, a sorrow arising from the recognition of having rejected and put to death their Messiah. This profound, repentant grief, unlike the lament for Josiah, is transformative. It precedes God pouring out a spirit of grace (Zec 12:10) and opening a fountain for sin and uncleanness (Zec 13:1), signaling national repentance and spiritual cleansing. It is a sorrow leading to salvation, echoing Christ's sacrifice and leading to the eventual restoration of Israel.