זכריה, פרק י״ב, פסוק ט׳

A future day of judgment will bring a final, decisive confrontation between God and the foreign armies that gather to fight against the holy city. This specific time marks the moment God takes direct action [אבן עזרא]. The turning point of this conflict will be a tragic event in battle: the killing of the Messiah son of Joseph. In response to the grave sin of his murder, God will set out to punish and wipe out the responsible nations [מלבי״ם].

When considering how God will pursue this destruction, commentators offer different perspectives on His approach. One view understands this as a statement of absolute determination, meaning God will exert His complete will to ensure the destruction is fully carried out [רד״ק, מצודת דוד]. Another approach frames this process as a strict legal investigation. In this scenario, God will carefully examine the sins of the nations, searching through their records to see if they possess any redeeming merit. If a nation holds merit, they will be saved; if not, they will be destroyed [רש״י]. Ultimately, this severe judgment is directed strictly at the nations that arrive with the intent to lay siege to Jerusalem [ביאור שטיינזלץ].