Zechariah 12

The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, saith the LORD, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him.

The message from God for Israel is this: the same God who created the sky, established the Earth, and gives humans their spirits, says this.

Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem.

Look, I will turn Jerusalem into a source of fear for all nearby people. They will tremble when they are under attack, both against Judah and against Jerusalem.

And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.

On that day, I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for everyone. Anyone who tries to carry this burden will be hurt, even if all the people on Earth join forces against it.

In that day, saith the LORD, I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness: and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the people with blindness.

On that day, says the Lord, I will make all horses confused and their riders crazy. I will watch over the people of Judah and make all their horses unable to see.

And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the LORD of hosts their God.

The leaders of Judah will think, "The people living in Jerusalem will be our power and support from the LORD, their God."

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.

On that day, I will make Judah's leaders like a fiery hearth among wood and like a torch of fire in a sheaf. They will consume people all around them, right and left. Then, Jerusalem will be reoccupied, living in its own place within the city itself.

The LORD also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem do not magnify themselves against Judah.

God will save Judah's tents first, so the pride of David's house and Jerusalem's people doesn't grow too big compared to Judah.

In that day shall the LORD defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the LORD before them.

On that day, the Lord will protect the people of Jerusalem. The weak among them will be strong like David. The family of David will be powerful, like God's angels, protecting them from harm.

And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.

On that day, I will try to destroy all the countries that attack Jerusalem.

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.

I will give the people in David's house and Jerusalem a spirit of kindness and praying. They will see the one who was hurt by them and feel very sad, like a parent mourning their only child, and be bitter about it, like a parent mourning their first child.

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

On that day, there will be immense sadness in Jerusalem, similar to the sadness of Hadadrimmon in the Megiddon Valley.

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;

The land will be sad, with each family separated. The family of David's household will be separate, along with their wives. The family of Nathan's household will also be separate, with their wives apart too.

The family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart;

Separate the Levi family and their wives, and the Shimei family and their wives;

All the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart.

All remaining families, each separate family, and each wife separately.