en_tn/zec/12/01.md

# General Information:

These verses begin a section that tells about the coming attack against Jerusalem and how God will rescue the city.

# This is a declaration of Yahweh's word concerning Israel

"This is the message that Yahweh declares concerning Israel"

# who stretched out the skies

This is a metaphor that speaks of the sky as if it were like a scroll that is rolled up and needs to be stretched out. AT: "the one who created the sky" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

# laid the foundation of the earth

This is a metaphor that speaks of the earth as if it were a building with a foundation. AT: "put all the earth into place" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

# fashions the spirit of mankind within man

This is a metaphor that speaks of the spirit as if it were like clay that a potter shapes. AT: "creates the human spirit"

# I am about to make Jerusalem into a cup ... to stagger about

Yahweh using Jerusalem to punish the surrounding peoples is spoken of as if Yahweh would make Jerusalem a cup full of an alcoholic drink that will cause the surrounding peoples to get drunk and stagger. AT: "Soon it will be like I make Jerusalem into a cup ... to stagger about" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

# into a cup

Here "cup" represents the cup and the contents within the cup. AT: "into a cup full of wine" or "into a cup full of an alcoholic drink" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]])

# surrounding her

Here "her" refers to the city of Jerusalem. It was common in Hebrew to speak of a city or country as if it were a woman. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-personification]])

# I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples

Yahweh using Jerusalem to punish the surrounding peoples is spoken of as if he would make Jerusalem a heavy stone. AT: "It will be like I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])