Zechariah 12:3 - Exposition

A burdensome stone. Jerusalem shall prove to all the nations that attack it a weight not only too heavy to lift, but one which, itself remaining unhurt, shall wound and injure those who attempt to carry it. Jerome supposes here an allusion to a custom in the towns of Palestine, which prevailed to his day (and, indeed, in Syria even now), of placing round stones of great weight at certain distances, by lifting which the youths tested their bodily strength. But we do not know that this custom existed in Zechariah's time, and the nations are not gathered together for amusement or display of strength, but for hostile attack. Septuagint, λίθον καταπατούμενον , "a stone trodden down," which reminds one of Luke 21:24 , ἱερουσαλὴμ ἔσται πατουμένη ὑπὸ ἐθνῶν . Shall be cut in pieces; i .e. by the sharp edges of the stone, or, as the Revised Version, shall be sore wounded. Though ; rather, and; Septuagint, καὶ ἐπισυναχθήσονται : Vulgate, et colligentur. All the people ( peoples ) of the earth. This indicates that the struggle spoken of is no mere local conflict, waged in Maccabean or other times, but the great battle of the world against the Church, which shall rage in the Messianic era.