12-14. A universal and an individual mourning at once. David . . . Nathan—representing the highest and lowest of the royal order. Nathan, not the prophet, but a younger son of David (2 Samuel 5:14; Luke 3:31). apart—Retirement and seclusion are needful for deep personal religion. wives apart—Jewish females worship separately from the males (Exodus 15:1; Exodus 15:20). read more
13. Levi . . . Shimei—the highest and lowest of the priestly order (Numbers 3:18; Numbers 3:21). Their example and that of the royal order would of course influence the rest. read more
14. All . . . that remain—after the fiery ordeal, in which two-thirds fall (Zechariah 13:8; Zechariah 13:9). read more
Israel’s national conversion 12:10-14The focus now changes from physical to spiritual deliverance (cf. Deuteronomy 30:1-10). read more
All the Israelites would mourn; this would be a national repentance. The repeated phrases "every family by itself" and "their wives by themselves" solemnize the mourning and underline its genuineness."The wives are spoken of as mourning apart because in public lamentations the custom prevailed of separating into groups, also according to sex." [Note: Leupold, p. 241.] "The closest relationship is as nothing in [the] presence of sin and God as its judge. Each must be alone." [Note: Kelly, p.... read more
The Deliverance of JerusalemMany scholars believe that in Zechariah 12-14 (omitting Zechariah 13:7-9) we have a third separate prophecy, the oldest in the book of Zechariah, written subsequent to the death of king Josiah, 609 b.c. (cp. the mourning in the valley of Megiddon, Zechariah 12:11), but prior to the fall of the kingdom of Judah, 586 b.c. For this view there are some strong arguments—(a) frequent references to the House of David (Zechariah 12:7-8, Zechariah 12:10, Zechariah 12:12;... read more
(10-14) These are verses of almost unprecedented difficulty. If the words “and they shall look on me whom they pierced” stood alone, they might possibly be taken in a figurative sense, as denoting that they shall look to the Lord whom they had so grievously contemned (see Notes on John 19:37). Such is the view of the passage taken by Calvin, Rosenmüller, Gesenius, &c., and apparently by the LXX.; but this figurative sense of the word cannot be supported by usage; it always means “to thrust... read more
(12) Nathan.—Not the prophet, but the son of David (2 Samuel 5:14). read more
(13) Shimei.—Not the Benjamite tribe (2 Samuel 16:5), but of the family of Gershon, son of Levi (Numbers 3:17). Thus, of the two tribes, he mentions one leading family and one subordinate branch, and then (Zechariah 12:1) embraces all together, and mentions even “their wives apart,” to show how general, and yet particular, the mourning should be. read more
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Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Zechariah 12:10-14
Zechariah 12:10-14. And I will pour, &c.— The Jews had stumbled, and fell at the stone of stumbling and rock of offence, the Messiah in his humble appearance, as Isaiah foretold. But that no one might be surprised at this sudden change of their affairs, Zechariah tells us, they should themselves be first changed, and repent heartily of that sin which had been the cause of their fall; for God should pour out on them the spirit of grace and supplication, that they might look with compunction... read more