Zechariah 12:2 Meaning and Explanation
“Behold, 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.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The LORD declares that Jerusalem will become like an intoxicating cup that brings reeling and ruin to the nations that attack her.
What Does Zechariah 12:2 Mean?
The oracle turns to the surrounding peoples who lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem. The LORD promises to make the city 'a cup of trembling' -- a cup whose contents leave those who drink reeling, staggering, undone. What the nations intend as conquest will instead become their own undoing.
Here is a reversal that runs through Scripture: what seems a place of weakness becomes, in God's hand, the instrument of His judgment and rescue. The city under attack is not abandoned. God Himself stands between His people and those who would destroy them, turning the assault back upon its source. The threatened become the protected.
Zechariah 12:2 in the Original Language
saph (סַף), 'cup' -- here a basin or threshold-bowl whose drink brings staggering, an image of reeling judgment.
Frequently Asked Questions About Zechariah 12:2
What does Zechariah 12:2 mean?
The LORD declares that Jerusalem will become like an intoxicating cup that brings reeling and ruin to the nations that attack her.