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Dividing of Jerusalem

Zec 12:
1 ¶ The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, saith the LORD, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him.
2 Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem.
3 And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.
4 In that day, saith the LORD, I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness: and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the people with blindness.
5 And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the LORD of hosts their God.
6 In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem.
7 The LORD also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem do not magnify themselves against Judah.
8 In that day shall the LORD defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the LORD before them.
9 ¶ And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.
10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
- (written about 520-518 B.C)

 A cup of trembling

Zec 12:2 Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of staggering unto all the peoples round about, and upon Judah also shall it fall to be in the siege against Jerusalem. (JPS Jewish Publication Society Old Testament).

Verse 2 tells that Jerusalem will come a cup of staggering (trembling) to all nations, but also upon Judah shall it fall. It means that some Israelites will accept dividing of Jerusalem. There will be hard pressure and pressing against Israel and Jerusalem, where the world and Palestinians demand dividing of Jerusalem.

Verse 3 has hebrew word amas, which mean to load, carry, carry a load. I believe that this place tells us that part of Jerusalem people will be transported away from Jerusalem and will be replaced with Palestinians. God says also in His word:  Ps 122:3 (AV) Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together,

Jerusalem was built in the time of king David from upper city and down city and those two areas was put together. Psalm 122 proofs this. In that Psalm God says that Jerusalem is compact together, and it means that men can't divide it. God will judge all people who are planning dividing of Jerusalem.

Final restoration and salvation

Verse 4 speak about how first God save Judah and then Israelites and like this all Israel will be saved like it is written in Romans 11. And God will pour on the house of David, and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of prayers. And they shall look on Me (Jesus/Yeshua) whom they have pierced; and they shall mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they shall be bitter over Him, like the bitterness over the first-born.

Zec 13:
8 And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein.
9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.

Zec 13 spoke about last days. It says that two parts of  Israelites shall be cut off and die, but the third part shall be left and survive. In the last days land of Israel is forced to face many sad experiences. However, finally remnant of Israel (the third part) will be saved, and they believe that Jesus/Yeshua is the Messiah and the Lord.

Petri Paavola from Finland