Zechariah 2:12 kjv
And the LORD shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land, and shall choose Jerusalem again.
Zechariah 2:12 nkjv
And the LORD will take possession of Judah as His inheritance in the Holy Land, and will again choose Jerusalem.
Zechariah 2:12 niv
The LORD will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land and will again choose Jerusalem.
Zechariah 2:12 esv
And the LORD will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land, and will again choose Jerusalem."
Zechariah 2:12 nlt
The land of Judah will be the LORD's special possession in the holy land, and he will once again choose Jerusalem to be his own city.
Zechariah 2 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Zech 2:8 | "For thus says the Lord of hosts: ...'he who touches you touches the apple of His eye.'" | Direct parallel and preceding statement; God's intimate care. |
| Zech 2:10 | "Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion! For behold, I am coming and I will dwell in your midst,' says the LORD." | God's promise of dwelling in Zion; links to "after glory". |
| Zech 2:11 | "Many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day... and you shall know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me to you." | Confirms the "Me" being sent by the Lord, similar language. |
| Deut 32:10 | "He found him in a desert land... He encircled him, He instructed him, He guarded him as the apple of His eye." | Foundation for the "apple of His eye" idiom for Israel. |
| Ps 17:8 | "Keep me as the apple of Your eye; Hide me under the shadow of Your wings." | Petition for God's personal, protective care. |
| Prov 7:2 | "Keep my commands and live, and my law as the apple of your eye." | Metaphor used for something exceedingly precious and carefully guarded. |
| Isa 48:16 | "Come near to Me, hear this: ...Now the Lord GOD and His Spirit Have sent Me." | Similar divine sending, possibly Triune echo (Yahweh and Spirit send a divine "Me"). |
| John 3:16-17 | "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son... not to condemn but that the world through Him might be saved." | God the Father sending His Son, analogous sending within the Godhead. |
| John 17:3 | "And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." | Jesus affirms being sent by the Father, a core New Covenant truth. |
| Zech 1:15 | "'I am exceedingly angry with the nations that are at ease; For I was a little angry, and they helped on the calamity.'" | God's anger at nations exceeding their judgment towards Israel. |
| Zech 1:21 | "'These are the horns that scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.'... The blacksmiths... terrify them... for the nations that lifted up their horn against the land of Judah to scatter it." | Previous vision detailing judgment on nations that scattered Israel. |
| Isa 49:26 | "I will feed those who oppress you with their own flesh, and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with sweet wine..." | Strong prophetic imagery of God's vengeance on oppressors. |
| Jer 50:11-13 | "'Because you were jubilant, because you rejoiced, You who are the plunderers of My heritage... therefore your mother shall be greatly ashamed...' Says the Lord." | Judgment against Babylon for plundering God's heritage. |
| Joel 3:1-2 | "For behold, in those days and at that time, when I bring back the captives of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all nations..." | God gathering nations for judgment based on their treatment of Israel. |
| Matt 25:40 | "And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'" | Identifying with God's people means identifying with God Himself. |
| Zech 14:1-3 | "Behold, the day of the LORD is coming... For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem..." | Future gathering of nations for judgment, often related to end times. |
| Ezek 43:4-5 | "And the glory of the LORD came into the temple by way of the gate... and behold, the glory of the LORD filled the temple." | "Glory" connected with God's manifest presence in His dwelling place. |
| Rev 21:3 | "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people..." | Ultimate fulfillment of God dwelling among His people, "after glory" motif. |
| Isa 54:17 | "No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn." | God's absolute protection over His people. |
| Rom 11:28-29 | "Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable." | Confirms God's enduring love and covenant with Israel despite their disobedience. |
| Mal 3:10-12 | "Test Me now in this,' says the Lord of hosts, 'If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing...'" | Demonstrates the "Lord of hosts" is actively engaged in His people's prosperity and protection. |
Zechariah 2 verses
Zechariah 2 12 Meaning
Zechariah 2:12 proclaims the Lord's solemn assurance of judgment against nations that have oppressed His people, Israel, rooted in His profound and intimate protective love for them. It reveals a unique theological point where the "Lord of hosts" (God the Father) sends a divine agent, referred to as "Me," who is also identified as the "Lord of hosts," after a manifestation of God's glory or in connection with the promised glory for His people. This divine agent executes the judgment on behalf of those who have plundered Judah. The verse underscores that harming God's chosen people is an attack on God Himself, who guards them as one guards the most precious and vulnerable part of their eye.
Zechariah 2 12 Context
Zechariah 2 is part of a series of night visions granted to the prophet, offering messages of encouragement and hope to the returned exiles in post-exilic Jerusalem (c. 520 BC). The immediate context of verse 12 follows a vision where a man with a measuring line intends to measure Jerusalem (Zech 2:1-2). The angel then declares that Jerusalem will be too vast to be measured, and the Lord Himself will be a wall of fire around her and the glory within her (Zech 2:4-5). This sets the stage for God's presence as both protection and glory. Verses 6-9 are an urgent call for the remaining exiles in Babylon to return, reassuring them that God is arising to judge their former oppressors. Zechariah 2:10-11 proclaims God's dwelling in Zion and the joining of many nations to the Lord. Verse 12 serves as the divine basis for the preceding call to escape Babylon and the promised judgment on those nations, explaining why God will act: because of His intimate, protective relationship with His people. The broader historical context is a time of temple rebuilding, political uncertainty, and spiritual discouragement, to which Zechariah's prophecy brings divine comfort, clear guidance, and prophetic vision of God's future purposes.
Zechariah 2 12 Word analysis
- For thus says the Lord of hosts: This is a classic prophetic formula (koh amar YHWH Tsabaoth, כה אמר יהוה צבאות). It signifies a direct, authoritative, and unchanging oracle from God Himself. "Lord of hosts" (YHWH Tsabaoth) emphasizes God's omnipotence, His sovereign control over all heavenly armies and earthly forces, assuring that His declaration carries irresistible power and cannot be thwarted.
- 'After glory He sent Me:
- After glory (אחר כבוד - 'akhar kavod): The Hebrew phrase is open to rich interpretation. It can mean "after a glorious appearance," "after the manifestation of My glory" (referring to God's promised indwelling in Zion, Zech 2:5), or "in connection with the restoration of glory." The LXX translates it "after the glory," suggesting it refers to the divine glory itself being revealed or present. It implies that because God is or will be glorified among His people, His subsequent actions will stem from and uphold that glory.
- He sent Me (שלחני - shelachani): This is a profound Christological and theological point. The "He" is identified as the "Lord of hosts" (God the Father), and the "Me" is also presented as a divine figure, the very "Lord of hosts" who speaks in Zechariah 2:11 and subsequent chapters. This highlights the concept of divine commissioning within the Godhead, prefiguring the Father sending the Son in the New Covenant. It distinguishes the sender from the one sent, yet both share the divine title. It signifies a distinct person of the Godhead, likely the pre-incarnate Christ or the Angel of the LORD who is Himself divine.
- against the nations which plundered you: "Nations" (גוים - goyim) refers to the gentile empires, specifically Babylon in the immediate context, but prophetically extends to all powers that oppress God's people. "Plundered" (שסו - shasu) highlights the violent and unjust confiscation of possessions and people during the exiles. God directly identifies with the suffering of His people, taking their cause as His own.
- for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye.’
- for he who touches you: This denotes any harmful or aggressive action, even a seemingly slight one, against Judah. It's not just about plunder but any kind of affront or oppression.
- touches the apple of His eye (בבת עינו - babath 'aino): This vivid idiom in Hebrew signifies something extremely precious, delicate, and deeply cherished, the most vulnerable part of the eye which one instinctively protects with fierce immediacy. Babath 'aino literally means "the little man/pupil of His eye," referring to the small image seen reflected in another person's pupil. This illustrates God's intensely personal and protective love for His people. An attack on them is perceived by God as a direct, painful, and intolerable assault on Himself, leading to swift divine retaliation.
Zechariah 2 12 Bonus section
The concept of the "Lord of hosts" sending "Me" points to the early revelation of plurality within the Godhead. While not fully elucidated as the Trinity, it lays groundwork for understanding how the Father sends the Son (the pre-incarnate Christ, often identified with the Angel of the LORD in the Old Testament, such as in Zech 3:1-2) to execute His divine will. This dynamic emphasizes divine unity in purpose and action. The phrase "after glory" also ties into the Shekinah glory – the visible presence of God – and implies that God’s actions against the nations proceed directly from His indwelling presence among His people, underscoring His unwavering faithfulness to His covenant promises and His people. This profound theological statement elevates the status of Judah in God's sight, giving hope and stability in a volatile world.
Zechariah 2 12 Commentary
Zechariah 2:12 reveals the immeasurable worth God places on His covenant people and His unyielding commitment to protect them. The declaration that the "Lord of hosts" sends a divine "Me" (the Angel of the Lord or pre-incarnate Christ) after glory suggests that divine action against the enemies is inextricably linked to God's manifested presence and honor among His people. The "glory" might be His promised dwelling in Jerusalem (Zech 2:5,10), from which He extends His hand of judgment. The very act of touching God's chosen people, regardless of its severity, is interpreted by God as an affront to His own being, analogous to touching the most sensitive and precious part of one's eye. This deep sensitivity ensures that all oppression against them incurs swift and severe divine retribution. This verse serves as a powerful encouragement for the beleaguered exiles, assuring them that despite their weakness, they possess unparalleled divine protection because of God's personal and passionate love. It reminds believers across ages that their suffering, when faced as God's people, is noticed and taken personally by the Lord.Examples: Just as a parent immediately shields their child from harm, God acts instantly to defend those He cherishes as the "apple of His eye." An attack on His people is an attack on Him.