Comentario sobre Zacarías 12:3

a stone of burden A stone of burden placed upon men by order of the ruler, to carry it and to load it on their shoulders. It is very heavy, to the extent that all who bear it become gashed.

And it shall come to pass on that day that I will make Jerusalem a stone of burden – The nations of the kingdom of Ishmael, in whose hands Jerusalem rests, will stand up against the nations who come to lay siege to Jerusalem and will want to lift Jerusalem up on their shoulders. That is to say that it will remain in their domain but this load will be a stone of burden for them, which will gash their flesh. This is like a load which is too heavy to bear, a sharp stone that cuts the flesh. The explanation of why they will be gashed by it is because all of the nations of the world will gather around Jerusalem, the armies of Gog and Magog will all gather to conquer it from the Ishmaelites who are burdened with it. The prophet called the Ishmaelites by the name of ‘peoples’ and those that gather against them by the name of ‘nations’ because it is clear to me that a people is superior to a nation, because those that gather against them will at first be from the lowly masses and the kings of the Ishmaelites will fight against them:

a stone of burden – She is compared first to a cup of weakness, and then the prophet goes on to compare her to a stone of burden. This is to say - all those who wear themselves out fighting against Jerusalem will be beaten by her. This is like a great stone which is a tremendous burden and a heavy load to those who bear it. Furthermore, while they are lifting it off the ground to place it on their shoulders it will gash their hands. Many men test their strength against it and through carrying it gash their hands. So all the nations of the world will gather against Jerusalem, they will all be gathered together in her. The word burden (maamasa) is as in “…and each one loaded (va’yaamos) his donkey…” (Genesis 44:13) Loading something on a donkey relates to a burden. Targum Yonatan translated it into Aramaic as “a heavy stone for all nations, all who rob her will surely be plundered…”