Zechariah 12:4

Easy-to-Read Version

But at that time I will scare the horse, and the soldier riding it will panic. I will make all the enemy horses blind, but my eyes will be open—and I will be watching over Judah's family.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
On that day”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“I will strike every horse with panic and its rider with madness. I will keep a watchful eye on the house of Judah but strike all the horses of the nations with blindness.

Hebrew Names Version
In that day," says the LORD, "I will strike every horse with terror, and his rider with madness; and I will open my eyes on the house of Yehudah, and will strike every horse of the peoples with blindness.

King James Version (1611)
In that day, saith the Lord, I will smite euery horse with astonishment, and his rider with madnesse, and I will open mine eyes vpon the house of Iudah, and will smite euery horse of the people with blindnesse.

King James Version
In 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.

English Standard Version
On that day, declares the Lord , I will strike every horse with panic, and its rider with madness. But for the sake of the house of Judah I will keep my eyes open, when I strike every horse of the peoples with blindness.

New American Standard Bible
"On that day," declares the LORD, "I will strike every horse with confusion and its rider with insanity. But I will watch over the house of Judah, while I strike every horse of the peoples with blindness.

New Century Version
At that time I will confuse every horse and cause its rider to go crazy," says the Lord . "I will watch over Judah, but I will blind all the horses of the enemies.

Amplified Bible
"In that day," declares the LORD, "I will strike every horse with panic and his rider with madness; but I will open My eyes and watch over the house of Judah, and will strike every horse of the [opposing] nations with blindness.

Geneva Bible (1587)
In that day, sayeth the Lorde, I will smite euery horse with stonishment, and his rider with madnesse, and I will open mine eyes vpon the house of Iudah, and will smite euery horse of the people with blindnesse.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"In that day," declares the LORD, "I will strike every horse with bewilderment and his rider with madness. But I will watch over the house of Judah, while I strike every horse of the peoples with blindness.

Legacy Standard Bible
In that day," declares Yahweh, "I will strike every horse with bewilderment and his rider with madness. But I will open my eyes to watch over the house of Judah, while I strike every horse of the peoples with blindness.

Berean Standard Bible
On that day," declares the LORD, "I will strike every horse with panic, and every rider with madness. I will keep a watchful eye on the house of Judah, but I will strike all the horses of the nations with blindness.

Contemporary English Version
I will make every horse panic and every rider confused. But at the same time, I will watch over Judah.

Complete Jewish Bible
When that day comes," says Adonai , "I will strike all the horses with panic and their riders with madness; I will keep watch over Y'hudah, but I will strike blind all the horses of the peoples.

Darby Translation
In that day, saith Jehovah, I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness; but I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the peoples with blindness.

George Lamsa Translation
On that day, says the LORD, I will smite all horses with stupor, and their riders with confusion; and I will open my eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the Gentiles with blindness.

Good News Translation
At that time I will terrify all their horses and make all their riders go crazy. I will watch over the people of Judah, but I will make the horses of their enemies blind.

Lexham English Bible
On that day,' declares Yahweh, ‘I will strike every horse with confusion, and the one riding it with madness; but over the house of Judah I will keep my eyes open, and I will strike every horse of the peoples with blindness.

Literal Translation
In that day I will strike every horse with panic and his rider with madness, says Jehovah. And I will open My eyes on the house of Judah, and I will strike every horse of the peoples with blindness.

American Standard Version
In that day, saith Jehovah, I will smite every horse with terror, and his rider with madness; and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the peoples with blindness.

Bible in Basic English
In that day, says the Lord, I will put fear into every horse and make every horseman go off his head: and my eyes will be open on the people of Judah, and I will make every horse of the peoples blind.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
In that day, saith the LORD, I will smite every horse with bewilderment, and his rider with madness; and I will open Mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the peoples with blindness.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
In that day saith the Lorde, I wyll make al horses astonyed, and those that ryde vpon the to be out of their wittes: I wyll open myne eyes vpon the house of Iuda, and smite all the horses of the people with blindnesse.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
In that day, saith the Lord Almighty, I will smite every horse with amazement, and his rider with madness: but I will open mine eyes upon the house of Juda, and I will smite all the horses of the nations with blindness.

English Revised Version
In 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 peoples with blindness.

World English Bible
In that day," says Yahweh, "I will strike every horse with terror, and his rider with madness; and I will open my eyes on the house of Judah, and will strike every horse of the peoples with blindness.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
In that dai, seith the Lord, Y schal smyte ech hors in drede, `ether leesynge of mynde, and the stiere `of hym in woodnesse; and on the hous of Juda Y schal opene myn iyen, and schal smyte with blyndnesse ech hors of puplis.

Update Bible Version
In that day, says Yahweh, I will smite every horse with terror, and his rider with madness; and I will open my eyes on the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the peoples with blindness.

Webster's Bible Translation
In that day, saith the LORD, I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness: and I will open my eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the people with blindness.

New English Translation
On that day," says the Lord , "I will strike every horse with confusion and its rider with madness. I will pay close attention to the house of Judah, but will strike all the horses of the nations with blindness.

New King James Version
In that day," says the LORD, "I will strike every horse with confusion, and its rider with madness; I will open My eyes on the house of Judah, and will strike every horse of the peoples with blindness.

New Living Translation
"On that day," says the Lord , "I will cause every horse to panic and every rider to lose his nerve. I will watch over the people of Judah, but I will blind all the horses of their enemies.

New Life Bible
On that day," says the Lord, "I will put fear in every horse, and make the horsemen crazy. But I will watch over the people of Judah, while I make every horse of the nations blind.

New Revised Standard
On that day, says the Lord , I will strike every horse with panic, and its rider with madness. But on the house of Judah I will keep a watchful eye, when I strike every horse of the peoples with blindness.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
In that day, Declareth Yahweh, I will smite every horse with terror, and his rider with madness, - and, over the house of Judah, will I keep opening mine eyes, and, every horse of the peoples, will I smite with blindness.

Douay-Rheims Bible
In that day, saith the Lord, I will strike every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness: and I will open my eyes upon the house of Juda, and will strike every horse of the nations with blindness.

Revised Standard Version
On that day, says the LORD, I will strike every horse with panic, and its rider with madness. But upon the house of Judah I will open my eyes, when I strike every horse of the peoples with blindness.

Young's Literal Translation
In that day -- an affirmation of Jehovah, I do smite every horse with astonishment, And its rider with madness, And on the house of Judah I open My eyes, And every horse of the peoples I smite with blindness.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
In that daye (sayeth ye LORDE) I wil make all horses abasshed, and those that ryde vpon them, to be out of their wyttes. I will open myne eyes vpon the house of Iuda, ad smyte all the horses of the people with blyndnesse.

THE MESSAGE
"On the Big Day"—this is God speaking—"I'll throw all the war horses into a crazed panic, and their riders along with them. But I'll keep my eye on Judah, watching out for her at the same time that I make the enemy horses go blind. The families of Judah will then realize, ‘Why, our leaders are strong and able through God -of-the-Angel-Armies, their personal God.'

Contextual Overview

¹ This is a message from the Lord about Israel. The Lord is the one who made the earth and the sky, and he put the human spirit in people. And this is what the Lord said: ² "Look, I will make Jerusalem like a cup of poison to the nations around her. The nations will come and attack that city, and all of Judah will be caught in the trap. ³ But I will make Jerusalem like a heavy rock—those who try to take it will hurt themselves. They will be cut and scratched. All the nations on earth will come together to fight against Jerusalem. ⁴ But at that time I will scare the horse, and the soldier riding it will panic. I will make all the enemy horses blind, but my eyes will be open—and I will be watching over Judah's family. ⁵ The leaders of Judah will encourage the people and say, ‘The Lord All-Powerful is your God. He makes us strong.' ⁶ At that time I will make the leaders of Judah like a fire burning in a forest. They will destroy their enemies like fire burning straw. They will destroy the enemy all around them, and the people in Jerusalem will again be able to sit back and relax." ⁷ The Lord will save the people of Judah first, so the people in Jerusalem will not be able to brag too much. David's family and the other people who live in Jerusalem will not be able to brag that they are better than the other people in Judah. ⁸ But the Lord will protect the people in Jerusalem. Even the man who trips and falls will become a great soldier like David. And the men from David's family will be like gods—like the Lord 's own angel leading the people.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

that day: Zechariah 12:3, Zechariah 12:6, Zechariah 12:8, Zechariah 12:9, Zechariah 12:11, Isaiah 24:21

I will smite: Zechariah 10:5, Zechariah 14:15, Deuteronomy 28:28, 2 Kings 6:14, 2 Kings 6:18, Psalms 76:5-7, Ezekiel 38:4, Ezekiel 39:20

I will open: Zechariah 9:8, 1 Kings 8:29, 2 Chronicles 6:20, 2 Chronicles 6:40, 2 Chronicles 7:15, Nehemiah 1:6, Isaiah 37:17, Jeremiah 24:6, Daniel 9:18, Acts 17:30

Reciprocal: Psalms 76:6 - both Jeremiah 51:21 - General Joel 3:2 - will plead Zephaniah 3:19 - I will undo Zechariah 14:13 - a great

Cross-References

Genesis 11:27
This is the history of Terah's family. Terah was the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Haran was the father of Lot.

Genesis 11:31
Terah took his family and left Ur of Babylonia. They planned to travel to Canaan. Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot (Haran's son), and his daughter-in-law Sarai (Abram's wife). They traveled to the city of Haran and decided to stay there.

Hebrews 11:8
God called Abraham to travel to another place that he promised to give him. Abraham did not know where that other place was. But he obeyed God and started traveling because he had faith.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

In that day, saith the Lord, I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness,.... The meaning is, the enemies of God's people shall be astonished at the failure of their attempts, and be filled with fury and madness because they cannot accomplish their designs; and shall be at their wits' end, not knowing what course to take: perhaps reference is had to the Turkish armies, that shall be brought against Jerusalem to recover it into their possession, which generally consist of a large cavalry; see Revelation 9:16:

and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah; which phrase is sometimes used, as expressive of the wrath of God against his enemies, Amos 9:4 and, if the house of Judah signifies the same as Judah, joined with the nations of the earth in the siege, Zechariah 12:2, it must be so understood here; but rather it seems to be different, and to intend those who will inhabit other parts of Judea, and who will be truly the people of God, Jews not only literally, but spiritually; and so is to be interpreted in a good sense, of the divine love to them, care of them, and protection over them; see Job 14:13 and so the Targum paraphrases it,

"and upon those of the house of Judah, I will reveal my power to do them good:''

and will smite every horse of the people with blindness: that is, every rider of them, either with blindness of mind or body, or both. It may be, as the former smiting, mentioned in the beginning of the verse, respects the mind, this may regard the body; so that they shall not see their way, and their hands shall not perform their enterprise.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

In that day, saith the Lord, I will smite every horse with astonishment, stupefying - Zechariah revives the words concentrated by Moses, to express the stupefaction at their ills, which God would accumulate upon His people, if they perseveringly rebelled against Him. Each expresses the intensity of the visitation. “The horse and his rider” Deut. 27:28 had, through Moses’ song at the Red Sea, become the emblem of worldly power, overthrown. That song opens; “I will sing unto the Lord; for He hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath He cast into the sea” Exodus 15:1. The scared cavalry throws into confusion the ranks, of which it was the boast and strength.

And on the house of Judah I will open My eyes - In pity and love and guidance, as the Psalmist says, “I will counsel, with Mine eye upon thee” Psalms 32:8, in contrast with “the blindness” with which God would smite the powers arrayed against them.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Zechariah 12:4. I will smite every horse — Some apply this to the wars of the Maccabees with the Syrians; but it is more likely to be a prophecy not yet accomplished. The terms are too strong for such petty and evanescent victories as those of the Maccabees.