The Meaning of Zechariah 12:1 Explained

Zechariah 12:1

KJV: 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.

YLT: The burden of a word of Jehovah on Israel. An affirmation of Jehovah, Stretching out heaven, and founding earth, And forming the spirit of man in his midst.

Darby: The burden of the word of Jehovah concerning Israel. Thus saith Jehovah, who stretcheth out the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him:

ASV: The burden of the word of Jehovah concerning Israel. Thus'saith Jehovah, who stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Zechariah 12:1 Mean?

Study Notes

burden
Zechariah 12-14. from one prophecy the general theme of which is the return of the Lord and the establishment of the kingdom. The order is:
(1) The siege of Jerusalem preceding the battle of Armageddon ( Zechariah 12:1-3 );
(2) the battle itself ( Zechariah 12:4-9 );
(3) the "latter rain" in the pouring out of the Spirit and the personal revelation of Christ to the family of David and the remnant in Jerusalem, not merely as the glorious Deliverer, but as the One whom Israel pierced and has long rejected ( Zechariah 12:10 );
(4) the godly sorrow which follows that revelation ( Zechariah 12:11-14 );
(5) the cleansing fountain Zechariah 13:1 then to be effectually "opened" to Israel.

Verse Meaning

"Here at the brink of a new age it is important to know that the same God who brought everything into existence in the first place is well able to usher in the new creation of a restored people in a renewed and universal kingdom." [1]

Context Summary

Zechariah 12:1-14 - Jerusalem's Day Of Mourning
This vision refers to a time yet future, when the Jews shall have returned to their own land, but still in unbelief; and will be assailed by their foes, though in vain, Zechariah 12:2-3; Zechariah 12:6. The Lord will defend them, Zechariah 12:7-8. Then the nation will mourn. Their repentance will be universal, from the highest to the lowest; lonely, and on account of the sufferings they inflicted on Jesus. The Agent of this mourning will be the Holy Spirit; and it will eventuate in the full forgiveness of sin through the blood of atonement and an entire cleansing from idols. [source]

Chapter Summary: Zechariah 12

1  Jerusalem a cup of trembling to herself,
3  and a burdensome stone to her adversaries
6  The victorious restoring of Judah
10  The repentance of Jerusalem

What do the individual words in Zechariah 12:1 mean?

The burden of the word of Yahweh against Israel thus says Yahweh who stretches out the heavens and lays the foundation of the earth and forms the spirit of man within him -
מַשָּׂ֥א דְבַר־ יְהוָ֖ה עַל־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל נְאֻם־ יְהוָ֗ה נֹטֶ֤ה שָׁמַ֙יִם֙ וְיֹסֵ֣ד אָ֔רֶץ וְיֹצֵ֥ר רֽוּחַ־ אָדָ֖ם בְּקִרְבּֽוֹ פ

מַשָּׂ֥א  The  burden 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַשָּׂא 
Sense: load, bearing, tribute, burden, lifting.
דְבַר־  of  the  word 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
יְהוָ֖ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
עַל־  against 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
נְאֻם־  thus  says 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: נְאֻם  
Sense: (Qal) utterance, declaration (of prophet).
יְהוָ֗ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
נֹטֶ֤ה  who  stretches  out 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: נָטָה 
Sense: to stretch out, extend, spread out, pitch, turn, pervert, incline, bend, bow.
שָׁמַ֙יִם֙  the  heavens 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַיִם  
Sense: heaven, heavens, sky.
וְיֹסֵ֣ד  and  lays  the  foundation 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: יָסַד 
Sense: to found, fix, establish, lay foundation.
אָ֔רֶץ  of  the  earth 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
וְיֹצֵ֥ר  and  forms 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: יׄוצֵר 
Sense: to form, fashion, frame.
רֽוּחַ־  the  spirit 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: רוּחַ  
Sense: wind, breath, mind, spirit.
אָדָ֖ם  of  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
בְּקִרְבּֽוֹ  within  him 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: קֶרֶב  
Sense: midst, among, inner part, middle.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation