1The 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. 2Behold, 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.12.2 trembling: or, slumber, or, poison12.2 when…: or, and also against Judah shall he be which shall be in siege against Jerusalem
3¶ 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. 4In 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. 5And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the LORD of hosts their God.12.5 The inhabitants…: or, There is strength to me and to the inhabitants, etc
6¶ 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. 7The 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. 8In 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.12.8 feeble: or, abject: Heb. fallen
9¶ And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. 10And 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. 11In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon. 12And 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;12.12 every…: Heb. families, families 13The family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart;12.13 of Shimei: or, of Simeon, as LXX 14All the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart.
Gud vil tilintetgøre Jerusalems fjender
1Det følgende er et budskab til Israel fra Herren, som udspændte himlen, lagde jordens fundament og gav mennesket liv og ånde:
2„Engang vil nabolandenes folkeslag angribe Judas land og belejre Jerusalem, men de vil få min vrede at føle, så de bliver helt fortumlede. 3Til den tid vil jeg gøre Jerusalem til en tung sten, som de ikke kan løfte. Prøver de på det, kommer de til skade. Alle jordens nationer vil samle sig imod mit folk. 4Men da vil jeg gøre alle fjendens heste panikslagne og rytterne vanvittige. Jeg vil stå vagt over mit folk og gøre fjenderne blinde. 5Da vil Judas ledere forstå, at Jerusalems indbyggere får deres styrke fra Herren, den almægtige Gud.
6Til den tid vil jeg gøre Juda til en ild, der antænder tørt brænde, en fakkel, der sætter neg i brand. Judas folk vil besejre nabolandene, så Jerusalems indbyggere kan få lov at være i fred. 7Herren vil først give sejr til hæren fra det judæiske opland, for at Jerusalems indbyggere og Davids slægt ikke skal tro, de er bedre end det øvrige Juda.
8Da vil Herren komme Jerusalems indbyggere til hjælp, så den svageste føler sig stærk som kong David, og Davids kongelige slægt skal lede dem med en autoritet, som svarer til Herrens engels, ja, med Guds egen autoritet. 9Til den tid vil jeg tilintetgøre alle de folkeslag, som angriber Jerusalem.
Folket omvender sig
10Til den tid vil jeg udgyde nådens og bønnens ånd over Davids kongelige slægt og Jerusalems indbyggere, og de vil få øje på ham, som de har gennemboret. De vil sørge over ham, som man sørger over sin eneste søn, og klage, som man klager over sin førstefødtes død. 11Sorgen og klagen i Jerusalem skal være lige så stor som dødsklagen ved Hadad-Rimmon12,11 Hvor den gudfrygtige kong Josias blev dræbt af den egyptiske hær, jf. 2.Krøn. 35,20-25. i Megiddodalen. 12-14Der skal være landesorg, for hele Israels folk skal synke i knæ af gråd og anger, både kongeslægten, præsteslægterne og menigmand. Alle landets slægter skal sørge, mændene for sig og kvinderne for sig.
