Zechariah 12:3

KJV1611 – Modern English

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

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וְהָיָ֣ה בַיּוֹם־הַ֠הוּא אָשִׂ֨ים אֶת־יְרוּשָׁלִַ֜ם אֶ֤בֶן מַֽעֲמָסָה֙ לְכָל־הָ֣עַמִּ֔ים כָּל־עֹמְסֶ֖יהָ שָׂר֣וֹט יִשָּׂרֵ֑טוּ וְנֶאֶסְפ֣וּ עָלֶ֔יהָ כֹּ֖ל גּוֹיֵ֥י הָאָֽרֶץ׃

Transliteration

Wə-hāyāh in-hayyôm-that ʾāśîm ʾet-Yərûšālaim ʾeḇen maʿămāsāh to-all-hāʿammîm all-ʿōməsêhā śārôṭ yiśśārēṭû wə-neʾespû against-her all gôyê hāʾāreṣ

Grammar Details

• *Wə*: conjunction - and
• *hāyāh*: perfect, 3rd person masculine singular, Qal - it will be/come to pass
• *hayyôm*: definite article + masculine singular - the day
• *ʾāśîm*: imperfect, 1st person singular, Qal - I will make/set/place
• *ʾet*: direct object marker
• *Yərûšālaim*: proper noun, feminine singular - Jerusalem
• *ʾeḇen*: feminine singular - stone
• *maʿămāsāh*: feminine singular - burden/heavy weight
• *hāʿammîm*: definite article + masculine plural - the peoples/nations
• *ʿōməsêhā*: masculine plural construct + 3rd person feminine singular suffix - those lifting her/her lifters
• *śārôṭ*: infinitive absolute, Qal - severely/surely lacerate
• *yiśśārēṭû*: imperfect, 3rd person masculine plural, Niphal - they will be lacerated/cut/wounded
• *neʾespû*: perfect with waw consecutive, 3rd person plural, Niphal - they will be gathered
• *gôyê*: masculine plural construct - nations of
• *hāʾāreṣ*: definite article + feminine singular - the earth/land

Word Meanings

• *hāyāh*: it will be/come to pass/happen
• *ʾeḇen* *maʿămāsāh*: burdensome stone/heavy stone/weight-bearing stone
• *ʿōməsêhā*: those who lift her/burden themselves with her
• *śārôṭ* *yiśśārēṭû*: surely be cut/definitely be wounded/certainly be lacerated
• *neʾespû*: will be gathered/assembled/collected together

Other Translations

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  And on that day, I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples. All who try to lift it will be severely injured, and all the nations of the earth will gather against her.

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  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.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  And it shall come to pass in that day,{H3117} that I will make{H7760} Jerusalem{H3389} a burdensome{H4614} stone{H68} for all the peoples;{H5971} all that burden{H6006} themselves with it shall be sore wounded;{H8295} and all the nations{H1471} of the earth{H776} shall be gathered together{H622} against it.

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And in that day{H3117} will I make{H7760}{(H8799)} Jerusalem{H3389} a burdensome{H4614} stone{H68} for all people{H5971}: all that burden{H6006}{(H8802)} themselves with it shall be cut in pieces{H8295}{(H8800)}{H8295}{(H8735)}, though all the people{H1471} of the earth{H776} be gathered together{H622}{(H8738)} against it.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  At the same tyme will I make Ierusalem an heuy stone for all people, so that all soch as lift it vp, shalbe toarne and rete, and all the people of the earth shalbe gathered together agaynst it.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  And in that day will I make Ierusalem an heauie stone for all people: all that lift it vp, shall be torne, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  At the same time wyll I make Hierusalem an heauy stone for all people, so that al such as lyft it vp shalbe torne and rent, and all the people of the earth shal be gathered together against it.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  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.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  It will happen in that day, that I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all the peoples. All who burden themselves with it will be severely wounded, and all the nations of the earth will be gathered together against it.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  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.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  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.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  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.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And it will come about in that day that I will make Jerusalem a stone of great weight for all the peoples; all those who take it up will be badly wounded; and all the nations of the earth will come together against it.

• World English Bible (2000)

  It will happen in that day, that I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all the peoples. All who burden themselves with it will be severely wounded, and all the nations of the earth will be gathered together against it.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  Moreover, on that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy burden for all the nations, and all who try to carry it will be seriously injured; yet all the peoples of the earth will be assembled against it.

Referenced Verses

• Matt 21:44 : 44 And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.
• Zech 14:2-4 : 2 For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses plundered, and the women violated; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city. 3 Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. 4 And his feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall split in the midst toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall move toward the north, and half of it toward the south.
• Dan 2:34-35 : 34 You watched until a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, so that no trace of them was found: and the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.
• Dan 2:44-45 : 44 And in the days of these kings, the God of heaven shall set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. 45 For as much as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God has made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.
• Zech 14:6 : 6 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark:
• Luke 20:18 : 18 Whoever falls upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it falls, it will grind him to powder.
• Zech 13:1 : 1 In that day, there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for impurities.
• Isa 60:12 : 12 For the nation and kingdom that will not serve you shall perish, yes, those nations shall be utterly wasted.
• Isa 66:14-16 : 14 And when you see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb: and the hand of the LORD shall be known toward his servants, and his indignation toward his enemies. 15 For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. 16 For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many.
• Ezek 38:1-9 : 1 And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2 Son of man, set your face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, 3 And say, Thus says the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: 4 And I will turn you back, and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you forth, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armor, a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords: 5 Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet: 6 Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah from the far north, and all his bands: and many people with you. 7 Be prepared, and prepare for yourself, you, and all your company that are assembled unto you, and be a guard unto them. 8 After many days you shall be visited: in the latter years you shall come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have always been waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them. 9 You shall ascend and come like a storm, you shall be like a cloud to cover the land, you, and all your bands, and many people with you. 10 Thus says the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time, things shall come into your mind, and you shall think an evil thought: 11 And you shall say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to those who are at rest, who dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates, 12 To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn your hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, who have acquired cattle and goods, who dwell in the midst of the land. 13 Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions, shall say to you, Have you come to take a spoil? have you gathered your company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil? 14 Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say to Gog, Thus says the Lord GOD; In that day when my people of Israel dwell safely, shall you not know it? 15 And you shall come from your place out of the north parts, you, and many people with you, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army: 16 And you shall come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring you against my land, that the nations may know me, when I shall be sanctified in you, O Gog, before their eyes. 17 Thus says the Lord GOD; Are you he of whom I have spoken in former times by my servants the prophets of Israel, who prophesied in those days many years that I would bring you against them? 18 And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, says the Lord GOD, that my fury shall come up in my face. 19 For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel; 20 So that the fish of the sea, and the birds of the sky, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground. 21 And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, says the Lord GOD: every man's sword shall be against his brother. 22 And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. 23 Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the LORD.
• Rev 16:14 : 14 For they are the spirits of demons, working miracles, which go forth to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
• Rev 17:12-14 : 12 The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but receive authority as kings for one hour with the beast. 13 These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. 14 These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with him are called, chosen, and faithful.
• Rev 19:19-21 : 19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him who sat on the horse, and against his army. 20 And the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked miracles before him, with which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast, and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with sulfur. 21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him who sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the birds were filled with their flesh.
• Rev 20:8-9 : 8 And will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together for battle; the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. 9 And they went up over the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them.
• Zech 14:8-9 : 8 And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be. 9 And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.
• Zech 14:13 : 13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they shall seize everyone on the hand of his neighbor, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbor.
• Joel 3:8-9 : 8 And I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the children of Judah, and they shall sell them to the Sabeans, to a people far off, for the LORD has spoken it. 9 Proclaim this among the nations: Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up: 10 Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears; let the weak say, I am strong. 11 Assemble yourselves and come, all you nations, and gather yourselves together round about; cause your mighty ones to come down there, O LORD. 12 Let the nations be stirred up, and come to the Valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations. 13 Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe; come, get down, for the press is full, the vats overflow, for their wickedness is great. 14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision, for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. 15 The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining. 16 The LORD also shall roar out of Zion and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake. But the LORD will be the hope of his people and the strength of the children of Israel.
• Obad 1:18 : 18 The house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau stubble; they shall kindle them and devour them, and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau, for the LORD has spoken.
• Mic 4:11-13 : 11 Now also are many nations gathered against you, that say, 'Let her be defiled, and let our eyes gaze upon Zion.' 12 But they do not know the thoughts of the LORD, nor do they understand His counsel; for He shall gather them as sheaves into the threshing floor. 13 Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion; for I will make your horn iron, and I will make your hoofs bronze, and you shall beat in pieces many people, and I will consecrate their gain to the LORD, and their substance to the Lord of the whole earth.
• Mic 5:8 : 8 And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he goes through, both treads down and tears in pieces, and none can deliver.
• Mic 5:15 : 15 And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the nations, such as they have not heard.
• Mic 7:15-17 : 15 According to the days of your coming out of the land of Egypt will I show him marvelous things. 16 The nations shall see and be confounded at all their might; they shall lay their hand upon their mouth, their ears shall be deaf. 17 They shall lick the dust like a serpent, they shall move out of their holes like worms of the earth; they shall be afraid of the LORD our God, and shall fear because of you.
• Hab 2:17 : 17 For the violence of Lebanon shall cover you, and the spoil of beasts, which made them afraid, because of men's blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all who dwell therein.
• Zeph 3:19 : 19 Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict you: and I will save her who is lame, and gather her who was driven out; and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame.
• Hag 2:22 : 22 And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations; and I will overthrow the chariots and those who ride in them; the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother.
• Zech 2:8-9 : 8 For thus says the LORD of hosts: After the glory has He sent me to the nations which plundered you: for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye. 9 For, behold, I will wave My hand over them, and they shall become plunder for those who served them: and you shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent me.
• Zech 10:3-5 : 3 My anger was kindled against the shepherds, and I punished the goats. For the LORD of hosts has visited his flock, the house of Judah, and has made them like his noble horse in battle. 4 Out of him came forth the corner, out of him the peg, out of him the battle bow, out of him every ruler together. 5 And they shall be like mighty men, who tread down their enemies in the mire of the streets in battle. And they shall fight, because the LORD is with them, and the riders on horses shall be confounded.
• Zech 12:4 : 4 In that day, says the LORD, I will strike every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness: and I will open my eyes on the house of Judah, and will strike every horse of the people with blindness.
• Zech 12:6 : 6 In that day I will make the governors of Judah like a hearth of fire among wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people around about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem.
• Zech 12:8-9 : 8 In that day the LORD shall defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them in that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the LORD before them. 9 And it shall happen in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.
• Zech 12:11 : 11 In that day there shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem, like the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddo.