The Meaning of Zechariah 12:3 Explained

Zechariah 12:3

KJV: 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.

YLT: And it hath come to pass, in that day, I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone to all the peoples, All loading it are completely pressed down, And gathered against it have been all nations of the earth.

Darby: And it shall come to pass in that day that I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone unto all peoples: all that burden themselves with it shall certainly be wounded, and all the nations of the earth shall be assembled together against it.

ASV: And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all the peoples; all that burden themselves with it shall be sore wounded; and all the nations of the earth shall be gathered together against it.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Zechariah 12:3 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Jerusalem would also be like a heavy stone "in that day" when the nations tried to carry it away; they would injure themselves when they tried to do so. In that day all the nations of the earth would gather together against Jerusalem (cf. Zechariah 14:2; Joel 3:9-16; Revelation 16:16-21).
". . . even if all the peoples of the earth should attempt to conquer Jerusalem, they will turn away, bloodied by their futile efforts." [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 12:3 mean?

And it shall happen in day that I will make - Jerusalem a stone very heavy for all peoples all who would heave it away surely will be cut in pieces and though are gathered against it all nations of the earth
וְהָיָ֣ה בַיּוֹם־ הַ֠הוּא אָשִׂ֨ים אֶת־ יְרוּשָׁלִַ֜ם אֶ֤בֶן מַֽעֲמָסָה֙ לְכָל־ הָ֣עַמִּ֔ים כָּל־ עֹמְסֶ֖יהָ שָׂר֣וֹט יִשָּׂרֵ֑טוּ וְנֶאֶסְפ֣וּ עָלֶ֔יהָ כֹּ֖ל גּוֹיֵ֥י הָאָֽרֶץ

וְהָיָ֣ה  And  it  shall  happen 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
בַיּוֹם־  in  day 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הַ֠הוּא  that 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
אָשִׂ֨ים  I  will  make 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: שׂוּמָה 
Sense: to put, place, set, appoint, make.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
יְרוּשָׁלִַ֜ם  Jerusalem 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יְרוּשָׁלַםִ  
Sense: the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split.
אֶ֤בֶן  a  stone 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אֶבֶן  
Sense: stone (large or small).
מַֽעֲמָסָה֙  very  heavy 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: מַעֲמָסָה  
Sense: load, burden.
לְכָל־  for  all 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
הָ֣עַמִּ֔ים  peoples 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
עֹמְסֶ֖יהָ  who  would  heave  it  away 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct, third person feminine singular
Root: עָמַס  
Sense: to load, carry, carry a load.
שָׂר֣וֹט  surely 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive absolute
Root: שָׂרַט  
Sense: to incise, scratch, tattoo, cut.
יִשָּׂרֵ֑טוּ  will  be  cut  in  pieces 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׂרַט  
Sense: to incise, scratch, tattoo, cut.
וְנֶאֶסְפ֣וּ  and  though  are  gathered 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: אָסַף 
Sense: to gather, receive, remove, gather in.
עָלֶ֔יהָ  against  it 
Parse: Preposition, third person feminine singular
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.
גּוֹיֵ֥י  nations 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.
הָאָֽרֶץ  of  the  earth 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.