The Meaning of Zechariah 12:5 Explained

Zechariah 12:5

KJV: And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the LORD of hosts their God.

YLT: And leaders of Judah have said in their heart, 'Strength to me are the inhabitants of Jerusalem, In Jehovah of Hosts their God.'

Darby: And the leaders of Judah shall say in their heart, The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength through Jehovah of hosts their God.

ASV: And the chieftains of Judah shall say in their heart, The inhabitants of Jerusalem are my strength in Jehovah of hosts their God.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the governors  of Judah  shall say  in their heart,  The inhabitants  of Jerusalem  [shall be] my strength  in the LORD  of hosts  their God. 

What does Zechariah 12:5 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The leaders of Israel"s groups outside Jerusalem would realize that Yahweh Almighty, their God, was making the people of Jerusalem strong supporters of them.

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 12:5 mean?

And shall say the governors of Judah in their heart [are] strength my the inhabitants of Jerusalem in Yahweh of hosts their God
וְאָֽמְר֛וּ אַלֻּפֵ֥י יְהוּדָ֖ה בְּלִבָּ֑ם אַמְצָ֥ה לִי֙ יֹשְׁבֵ֣י יְרוּשָׁלִַ֔ם בַּיהוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת אֱלֹהֵיהֶֽם

וְאָֽמְר֛וּ  And  shall  say 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אַלֻּפֵ֥י  the  governors 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אַלּוּף 
Sense: tame, docile.
יְהוּדָ֖ה  of  Judah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.
בְּלִבָּ֑ם  in  their  heart 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: לֵב 
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding.
אַמְצָ֥ה  [are]  strength 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אַמְצָה  
Sense: strength.
לִי֙  my 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
יֹשְׁבֵ֣י  the  inhabitants 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
יְרוּשָׁלִַ֔ם  of  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.
בַּיהוָ֥ה  in  Yahweh 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
צְבָא֖וֹת  of  hosts 
Parse: Noun, common plural
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host.
אֱלֹהֵיהֶֽם  their  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).