1 ¶ The burden of the word of the LORD upon Israel, said the LORD, who stretches forth the heavens and lays the foundation of the earth and forms the spirit of man within him.

The Word of the Lord about Israel: The Lord, Who spread out the heavens, who put the earth in its place, and made the spirit of man within him says this about Israel:

2 B ehold, I place Jerusalem as a cup of poison unto all the peoples round about and also unto those of Judah who shall be in the siege against Jerusalem.

“I am going to make Jerusalem like a cup that makes all the people around it seem to be drunk. Judah will be shut in by armies as well as Jerusalem.

3 A nd it shall be that in that day I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone unto all peoples; all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, and all the Gentiles of the earth shall gather themselves together against her.

On that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the people. All who lift it will be hurt. And all the nations of the earth will be gathered against it.

4 I n that day, said the LORD, I will smite every horse with astonishment and his rider with madness; but I will open my eyes upon the house of Judah and will smite every horse of the peoples with blindness.

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.

5 A nd the captains of Judah shall say in their heart, My strength is the inhabitants of Jerusalem in the LORD of the hosts, their God.

Then the leaders of Judah will say in their hearts, ‘The people of Jerusalem are strong because of the Lord of All, their God.’

6 I n that day I will make the captains of Judah like a hearth of fire among the wood and like a torch of fire among the sheaves; and they shall devour all the peoples round about, on the right hand and on the left; and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem.

On that day I will make the leaders of Judah like a pot of fire among pieces of wood, like fire among cut grain. They will destroy all the people around them, on the right and on the left. And the people of Jerusalem will again live on their own land in Jerusalem.

7 A nd the LORD shall keep the tents of Judah as in the beginning, so that the glory of the house of David and of the inhabitants of Jerusalem shall not cause those of Judah to magnify themselves.

The Lord will save the tents of Judah first, so that the shining-greatness of the family of David and of the people of Jerusalem may not be greater than that of Judah.

8 I n that day the LORD shall defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is weak among them in that time shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the LORD before them.

On that day the Lord will fight for the people of Jerusalem. The one who is weak among them on that day will be like David. And the family of David will be like God, like the angel of the Lord leading them.

9 ¶ And it shall come to pass in that day that I will seek to destroy all the Gentiles that come against Jerusalem.

On that day I will destroy every nation that comes against Jerusalem. Sorrow in Jerusalem

10 A nd I will pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and of prayer, and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn over him as one mourns for his only son, afflicting themselves over him as one afflicts himself over his firstborn.

“I will pour out the Spirit of loving-favor and prayer on the family of David and on those who live in Jerusalem. They will look on Him Whose side they cut. They will cry in sorrow for Him, as one cries for an only son. They will cry much over Him, like those who have lost their first-born son.

11 I n that day there shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.

On that day there will be much crying in Jerusalem, like the cries of Hadadrimmon in the plain of Megiddo.

12 A nd the land shall mourn, each family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart;

The land will be filled with sorrow, each family by itself. The families of David and their wives, and the family of Nathan and their wives, will each be filled with sorrow.

13 t he family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart;

The family of Levi and their wives will cry in sorrow, and the family of the Shimeites and their wives,

14 a ll the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart.

and all the families that are left, and their wives.