Zechariah 12 12

Zechariah 12:12 kjv

And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart;

Zechariah 12:12 nkjv

And the land shall mourn, every family by itself: the family of the house of David by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of the house of Nathan by itself, and their wives by themselves;

Zechariah 12:12 niv

The land will mourn, each clan by itself, with their wives by themselves: the clan of the house of David and their wives, the clan of the house of Nathan and their wives,

Zechariah 12:12 esv

The land shall mourn, each family by itself: the family of the house of David by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of the house of Nathan by itself, and their wives by themselves;

Zechariah 12:12 nlt

"All Israel will mourn, each clan by itself, and with the husbands separate from their wives. The clan of David will mourn alone, as will the clan of Nathan,

Zechariah 12 verses

Zechariah 12 12 Meaning

Zechariah 12:12 describes a future, deeply profound, and pervasive national mourning in the land of Israel. This sorrow is presented as personal, extending to every family and even individuals within those families, as they come to grips with their past rejection of "Him whom they have pierced," referring to the Messiah. It signifies a profound spiritual awakening and repentance that will engulf the entire nation, moving from corporate lament to individual, heartfelt contrition.

Zechariah 12 12 Context

Zechariah chapter 12 is an eschatological prophecy focused on the culmination of Jerusalem's deliverance and ultimate spiritual restoration in the "latter days." The chapter opens with God declaring His protective plan for Jerusalem, promising to make it an immovable cup of trembling for surrounding nations. After a vivid description of physical victory and divine intervention against its enemies (vv. 1-9), the focus shifts dramatically in verse 10 to a spiritual outpouring. God promises to pour out "a spirit of grace and supplication" upon the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. This divine action will cause them to "look upon Me whom they have pierced," triggering a profound national lament. Zechariah 12:12 further elaborates on the nature and extent of this mourning, demonstrating that it will be deeply personal, touching every family and even individual members within society. The specific mention of leading families—David and Nathan—underscores the comprehensiveness of this widespread, contrite grief, which culminates in national recognition and repentance for their Messiah.

Zechariah 12 12 Word analysis

• וְסָפְדָה (wᵉsāp̄ədâ) – and shall mourn:
  • This Hebrew verb sāpad signifies intense lamentation and wailing, typically associated with death or great national calamity. It implies a public and audible expression of profound grief, not merely internal sadness. Its usage here in the context of Zech 12:10 suggests a sorrow leading to repentance for a grave sin, the rejection of their Messiah.
• הָאָרֶץ (hā’āreṣ) – the land:
  • While literally "the earth," in this prophetic context concerning Israel, it refers to "the land of Israel" and, by extension, its inhabitants. It emphasizes that this mourning will be geographically widespread throughout the nation.
• מִשְׁפָּחוֹת מִשְׁפָּחוֹת (mišpāḥōt mišpāḥōt) – every family apart:
  • The repetition of "families, families" serves as a Hebrew idiom for "every family" or "all the families without exception." It stresses the complete, granular scope of the mourning, reaching every social unit.
• לְבָד (lᵉvād) – apart:
  • This key word indicates separation, distinction, or individually. It signifies that the mourning is not a mere collective ritual but will be deeply personal and distinct within each family unit and even within individual households. This emphasizes the internal, intimate nature of the grief and repentance.
• מִשְׁפַּחַת בֵּית־דָּוִיד (mišpachat bēyt-dāwīḏ) – the family of the house of David:
  • Refers to the royal lineage, the ruling house descended from King David. Their prominent mention indicates that this national repentance will include the most influential political and spiritual leaders, demonstrating that no sector of society is exempt. This line is intrinsically linked to the Messianic promise.
• מִשְׁפַּחַת בֵּית־נָתָן (mišpachat bēyt-nātān) – the family of the house of Nathan:
  • This Nathan is understood to be Nathan, one of David's sons (2 Sam 5:14; 1 Chron 3:5), not Nathan the prophet. His family represents another significant, distinct Davidic lineage. The Gospel of Luke traces Jesus's maternal genealogy through Nathan (Lk 3:31), contrasting with Matthew's royal genealogy through Solomon. Its specific inclusion highlights the breadth of repentance across different, yet equally influential, lines within David's descendants, encompassing perhaps both administrative and even broader "common" Davidic ancestry, beyond the immediate reigning house.
• וּנְשֵׁיהֶם (û-nəšêhem) – and their wives:
  • The specific mention of wives in connection with the various family lines is crucial. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, women often played a central role in formal lamentation and mourning. Their inclusion here demonstrates that the sorrow and repentance will penetrate every household and involve both men and women, underscoring the absolute completeness and personal depth of the national spiritual awakening.

Words-group analysis:

• "the land shall mourn, every family apart": This phrase highlights the dual nature of the coming lament—it will be widespread across the entire nation, yet distinct and individual within each family unit. This emphasizes the personal responsibility and the deeply internal quality of the sorrow for sin.
• "the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart": This specific listing of influential Davidic families and their wives reinforces the meticulous and all-encompassing nature of this national repentance. It signifies that from the highest echelons of leadership to every individual household, without exception of gender or status, the entire society will undergo this profound spiritual experience. The repetition of "apart" solidifies the theme of individual, intense remorse.

Zechariah 12 12 Bonus section

• The parallel mention of the "house of David" and "house of Nathan" can be seen as representing the two genealogies of Jesus presented in the New Testament. Matthew traces Jesus's lineage through Joseph via Solomon (the royal, legal line), while Luke traces it through Mary via Nathan (the natural, biological line), both leading back to David. This adds a profound Messianic layer to the chosen family lines.
• The profound, personal nature of this mourning ("apart") suggests that this repentance will not be forced or merely cultural, but a Spirit-wrought conviction in individual hearts. It’s a genuine sorrow over specific historical and spiritual blindness concerning Jesus, leading to deep contrition.
• This prophetic passage stands as a powerful testament to God's enduring faithfulness to His covenant with Israel and His ultimate plan for their spiritual redemption and restoration at the end of the age, transforming a people in conflict into a people of profound faith and repentance.

Zechariah 12 12 Commentary

Zechariah 12:12 provides a vivid and poignant glimpse into Israel's future spiritual awakening, prophesied to occur after their miraculous physical deliverance. It paints a picture of intense national mourning, driven by God's outpouring of grace and a realization of having "pierced" their Messiah (v. 10). This mourning is unique because it's not a superficial public display, but a deeply personal sorrow ("apart") that permeates every segment of society. The inclusion of specific, influential Davidic lines like "the house of David" (representing royalty and leadership) and "the house of Nathan" (another significant branch of David's descendants, linking to the Messianic genealogy) emphasizes that this repentance will touch all classes, from the governing to the common populace. Furthermore, the explicit mention of "their wives" highlights the completeness of this repentance, reaching men and women, demonstrating that no individual or household will be untouched by this divine sorrow, which is ultimately a godly sorrow leading to salvation. It signifies a profound national repentance that is individual, comprehensive, and divinely initiated.