Zechariah 12:10

Grace. Heb. chen, a word with two basic shades of meaning: (1) “qualities that make one agreeable,” “charm” (Prov. 11:16; 22:1); (2) “favor,” found frequently in the expression “to find favor,” also translated “to find grace” (Gen. 18:3; 19:19; 32:5; etc.).

Chen comes from the root chanan, which means “to be gracious.”

Supplications. Heb. tachanunim, from the root chanan. The word translated “grace” (see above under “Grace”) is also from this root. Tachanunim means, “petitions for favor.”

The prediction concerning the pouring out of “the spirit of grace and of supplications” has been variously understood. The expression “spirit of grace” may be interpreted as signifying a spirit seeking for favor. If such is its meaning, the second expression “[spirit] of supplications” is essentially in apposition to the first, and the phrases may be expressed as follows, “a spirit seeking for favor,” that is, “a spirit petitioning favor.” Understood in this way the prophet is here envisioning a far-reaching spiritual revival, brought about by a new glimpse of the sinfulness of sin, and characterized by an earnest search for the righteousness of Christ. Looking upon the “pierced” Messiah, seeing in Him the fulfillment of all the OT types, perceiving as never before the marvelous love of God in the gift of His Son, men would deeply mourn over their past defects of character.

The mourning “as one mourneth for his only son” may also be in grief over the death of the Messiah, a grief such as a nation prepared to receive Messiah would have experienced. Zechariah is here presenting Israel’s future as it might have been. It was God’s design that the whole earth should be prepared for the first advent of Christ (see PK 704). How different would have been the history of the Jewish nation and of Jerusalem if the people had accepted the gift of God’s beloved Son (see DA 576, 577)! Had He come to a nation thus prepared to receive Him, and had He suddenly been “pierced,” how deep their grief would have been! The poignancy of their grief would have been heightened by the realization that their own sins had caused His death.

However, the words are to meet yet another fulfillment. There seems to be an allusion to Zech. 12:10 in Matt. 24:30, “and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory,” and in Rev. 1:7, “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him.” The word translated “wail” in Rev. 1:7 is the same as the one translated “mourn” in Matt. 24:30, and represents the reading of the LXX in Zech. 12:10. The mourning here described pictures the experience of those who rejected Christ at His first advent. When they shall see Him in all His glory at the second advent, they will realize the full import of their deed (see DA 580). Doubtless “the most violent opposers of His truth and His people” (GC 637) in other ages are also to be included in the prediction here made. See also EW 179.

Pierced. Heb. daqar. The word is frequently used of thrusting through with a weapon (Num. 25:8; Judges 9:54; 1 Sam. 31:4; 1 Chron. 10:4). John notes that this scripture was fulfilled when one of the Roman soldiers pierced the side of Jesus (John 19:37).