The Prophetic Decree

And I will pour out on the House of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplications. And they will look to me concerning whom they stabbed; and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only son, and grieve bitterly over him as one grieves over a firstborn.

וְשָׁפַכְתִּי֩ עַל־בֵּ֨ית דָּוִ֜יד וְעַ֣ל׀ יוֹשֵׁ֣ב יְרוּשָׁלִַ֗ם ר֤וּחַ חֵן֙ וְתַ֣חֲנוּנִ֔ים וְהִבִּ֥יטוּ אֵלַ֖י אֵ֣ת אֲשֶׁר־דָּקָ֑רוּ וְסָפְד֣וּ עָלָ֗יו כְּמִסְפֵּד֙ עַל־הַיָּחִ֔יד וְהָמֵ֥ר עָלָ֖יו כְּהָמֵ֥ר עַֽל־הַבְּכֽוֹר

In this article we will examine the evidence surrounding Zechariah 12:10, consider the major interpretations, and ask a simple but crucial question: Who was or will be stabbed, and does the evidence point to Yeshua?

Please do not just read the following information —investigate it! As most of us have read murder mysteries or played the game of Clue, we encourage you to start thinking like a detective. Your job is to figure out who the victim is, who is responsible for the stabbing, and when this event takes place.

Let’s begin the investigation.

The prophet Zechariah starts out by describing a final war during the period known as Acharit Hayamim (The End of Days), which takes place after the war described in Ezekiel 38-39.

It will be both a difficult and glorious time, as all of the nations have come against Jerusalem, in the midst of the third Jewish Temple standing in the Holy City.

At that time, the people of Israel will undergo national teshuvah (repentance)—a return to God that is often demonstrated in the TaNaKh through mourning.

In Zechariah 12:10, this mourning hinges on the people of Jerusalem recognizing someone who is stabbed (dakaru / דקרו), resulting in a profound spiritual awakening that enables the nation to live righteously before God.

Jewish English translations of the Tanakh render dakaru as either thrust through, slain or stabbed while most Christian English translations use the word pierced. In this article we will use them interchangeably. See chart below for a display of the three main Jewish English translations of darakru.

Who is the one they will mourn for that brings about such a revolutionary teshuvah for Israel?

Jewish tradition offers several possibilities, including the death of Jewish soldiers or martyrs, Jewish exiles in the diaspora, a Jewish leader, the death of the evil inclination, and the death of the Messiah son of Joseph.

We are going to explore these interpretations later in this article, as well as the debate regarding whether this passage applies to Yeshua. If you prefer, you can skip ahead now to see: The Interpretations | Rabbinic Objections to Yeshua.

You can easily get to one of these sections, just click on it.

1. 1. God Pours out a Spirit of Grace
2. 2. Did the People See God?
3. 3. Was God or Someone Else Stabbed?
4. 4. Who did the Stabbing?
5. 5. Who are the People of Judah Mourning For?
6. 6. Is Zechariah 12:10 Referring to Yeshua? Three reasons why the rabbis say it can not be Yeshua.
7. 7. Our Conclusion, and Your Conclusion.

When does Zechariah 12:10 take place?

Setting the Stage:
Zechariah 12:10 in Context

Zechariah the prophet, whose name means “Adonai remembers,” was called by God to the generation that recently returned to Judea from the Babylonian exile (586–538 BCE).

Although the Jewish exiles had returned to their land and begun rebuilding the Temple, they were soon forced to stop due to opposition from their neighbors. Consequently, Jerusalem continued to lie in ruins. Between 520 and 518 BCE, Zechariah urged the people to resume rebuilding the Second Temple under the leadership of Zerubbabel the governor and Joshua the high priest.

God Pours Out A Spirit Of Grace

STYLE TEST ONLY · All photographs and the translation chart from the source document have intentionally been omitted.