Zechariah 12:1. The burden— משׂא massa, usually denotes a prophesy of a calamitous kind. But it does not always so; for sometimes it signifies simply a prophesy, or revelation of some matter of importance, as Proverbs 30:1. Here however it may be fairly taken in the first sense, and rendered a burden; for though the issue be favourable to Israel in the end, yet it is preceded at first by a cup of trembling; and to the enemies of Israel the whole is from beginning to end sufficiently onerous.

Zechariah 12:2. A cup of trembling— That is, I will cause it to produce the same effect on the neighbouring nations as a cup of intoxicating liquors, which causes trembling, astonishment, and terror. See Bishop Lowth's note on Isaiah 51:21.

Zechariah 12:3. A burdensome stone, &c.— A stone of burden to all people: all that heave it, shall be crushed in pieces, &c. It was the custom among the inhabitants of Palestine, even in St. Jerom's days, to place round stones of prodigious weight in their towns, villages, and castles, wherewith the youth used to exercise themselves, according to their different strength; some raising them as high as their knees, and others as high as their heads; which efforts frequently occasioned very dangerous accidents. It is to this custom that the prophet alludes here; and many think that it is one of this kind of stones which is mentioned 1Ki 1:9 and alluded to, Eccl'us, Sir 6:21.
All the people of the earth— It is obvious, that by all is meant only many; as it is expressed, Ezekiel 38:6; Ezekiel 38:9; Ezekiel 38:15. "Thou and many people with thee."

Zechariah 12:4. I will smite every horse, &c.— The cavalry, the elephants, the numerous armies of the enemy shall be put to flight, and defeated by a small number of foot, and those ill-armed. Instead of people we may read nations.

Zechariah 12:5. The inhabitants of Jerusalem, &c.— There is strength to me, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem in the Lord, &c. Houbigant. This passage well expresses the sentiments of the men of Judah, concerning the interest they had in the safety of Jerusalem and its inhabitants, on which their own strength and security depended in a great degree; so that they would of course be influenced to bring that assistance, the efficacy of which is set forth in the verse that follows.

Zechariah 12:6. And Jerusalem shall be inhabited again, &c.— And Jerusalem shall again be safely inhabited in peace. Houbigant.

Zechariah 12:7. That the glory of the house of David, &c.— This may be rendered, That the glorying of the house of David, and the glorying of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, may not exalt itself against Judah.

Zechariah 12:8. And he that is feeble, &c.— And he who had fallen among them—shall be as David,—when he seemed to have fallen before Saul, and was compelled to hide himself in mountains and caves. The Jews are called the house of David, as the Messiah himself is called David. See Houbigant. Calmet says, it appears that the prophet would point out the birth of Christ by these words, The house of David shall be, &c. and would convince the Israelites that henceforward this ancient and illustrious house must derive its splendour and glory, not from its empire over the nation, but from its own virtue, and from its fidelity to the Lord. Indeed the house of David never did reascend the throne; but was well recompensed, notwithstanding, by the honour that it enjoyed of producing the blessed Jesus. Angel or messenger is, as we have before observed, one of the titles of the Messiah. The terms are varied in Mic 2:13 where it is said, The Breaker, or Redeemer (as it should be rendered), is gone before them: their king is past, even the Lord, &c. to signify by these synonymous expressions, that one and the same person is intended by them all; even the Messiah, as the Jews themselves say, who is the angel of the Lord. See Chandler's Defence, p. 63.