Zechariah 12:12

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;

And the land {H776} shall mourn {H5594}, every {H4940} family {H4940} apart {H905}; the family {H4940} of the house {H1004} of David {H1732} apart, and their wives {H802} apart; the family {H4940} of the house {H1004} of Nathan {H5416} apart, and their wives {H802} apart;

Then the land will 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 Natan by itself, and their wives by themselves;

The land will mourn, each clan on its own: the clan of the house of David and their wives, the clan of the house of Nathan and their wives,

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;

Context of Zechariah 12:12

Zechariah 12:12 is part of a prophetic chapter detailing a future time when Jerusalem will be besieged by all nations, yet God will miraculously intervene to save His people. The preceding verses, particularly Zechariah 12:10, describe a profound spiritual awakening among the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. They will look upon "him whom they have pierced" and mourn for him as one mourns for an only son. Verse 12 elaborates on the nature and intensity of this national and personal mourning, emphasizing its widespread and deeply individual character.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Profound National and Personal Repentance: The verse highlights a future period of intense, heartfelt sorrow and repentance in Israel. This is not a superficial or collective lament but a deeply personal grief experienced by every individual and family. It signifies a genuine turning to God after recognizing their past rejection of the Messiah.
  • Intense, Individualized Grief: The repetition of "every family apart" and "their wives apart" underscores the extreme depth and sincerity of this mourning. It implies a sorrow so profound that even within households, individuals retreat to mourn privately, a sign of ultimate distress and contrition.
  • Comprehensive Scope of Mourning: By specifically mentioning the "house of David" (the royal lineage) and the "house of Nathan" (a prominent family, likely referring to a son of David, 2 Samuel 5:14, or perhaps the prophetic line), the prophecy indicates that this repentance will encompass all segments of Israeli society, from the most prominent to the less conspicuous.
  • Messianic Atonement and Cleansing: This deep repentance ultimately leads to a fountain opened for sin and uncleanness (Zechariah 13:1), signifying forgiveness and spiritual cleansing through the atonement of the Messiah.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "mourn" in this passage is saphad (סָפַד), which often describes a formal lamentation or ritualistic mourning, typically accompanied by wailing and outward expressions of grief. However, the accompanying details of "every family apart" and "their wives apart" suggest that while it is a national act, the emotional depth is intensely personal and private, moving beyond mere public display to a genuine, internal sorrow and brokenness before God.

Practical Application

While Zechariah 12:12 speaks of a future event concerning Israel, its principles offer timeless insights into the nature of true repentance. Genuine sorrow over sin is not just a collective acknowledgment but a personal, heartfelt experience. It requires individual reflection and a deep sense of contrition for one's own transgressions and complicity in humanity's rejection of God's ways. This verse reminds us that true spiritual awakening often begins with a profound recognition of sin and a mournful turning towards the One who was "pierced" for our sake.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • 2 Samuel 5:14

    And these [be] the names of those that were born unto him in Jerusalem; Shammua, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon,

  • Zechariah 7:3

    [And] to speak unto the priests which [were] in the house of the LORD of hosts, and to the prophets, saying, Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years?

  • Revelation 1:7

    Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they [also] which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

  • Matthew 24:30

    And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

  • Luke 3:31

    Which was [the son] of Melea, which was [the son] of Menan, which was [the son] of Mattatha, which was [the son] of Nathan, which was [the son] of David,

  • Exodus 12:30

    And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for [there was] not a house where [there was] not one dead.

  • 2 Samuel 7:2

    That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.

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