Zechariah 14:12 Meaning and Explanation
“And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The LORD strikes the nations that warred against Jerusalem with a wasting plague that consumes flesh, eyes, and tongue.
What Does Zechariah 14:12 Mean?
Returning to the judgment of the hostile nations, the prophet describes the plague the LORD sends upon "all the people that have fought against Jerusalem." The imagery is severe: flesh, eyes, and tongue consumed away even as the enemy yet stands. It is a picture of swift and total undoing, the strength of the foe melting before the living God.
The detail underscores a sober truth: to set oneself against God's people and God's city is to set oneself against the LORD himself, and no army can endure that. Flesh, sight, and speech, the means of war, are precisely what waste away. The believer need not take vengeance into his own hands; judgment belongs to the LORD, who defends his own and brings every proud power to nothing in his appointed day.
Zechariah 14:12 in the Original Language
maggephah (מַגֵּפָה), 'plague' -- a striking blow or pestilence sent as judgment from the LORD.
Frequently Asked Questions About Zechariah 14:12
What does Zechariah 14:12 mean?
The LORD strikes the nations that warred against Jerusalem with a wasting plague that consumes flesh, eyes, and tongue.