Behold: This occurrence of the Hebrew word hinneh is parallel with that in 12.2. Both indicate the beginning of a new discourse unit. The present occurrence probably marks the opening of the second major unit within chapters 12–14. Revised Standard Version is inconsistent in rendering the same Hebrew word as “Lo” in 12.2, but Behold here. New Revised Standard Version improves on this by using “See” both times, and New Jerusalem Bible has “Look” both times.
A day of the LORD is coming: The Hebrew expression is unusual in including a preposition before LORD, and some versions try to indicate this. Beck, for instance, has “A day is coming that will belong to the LORD,” New Revised Standard Version has “a day is coming for the LORD” (similarly Jerusalem Bible), and Contemporary English Version has “The LORD will have his day.” New English Bible and Revised English Bible helpfully expand this to “A day is coming for the LORD to act.” Good News Translation “The day when the LORD will sit in judgment is near” is perhaps too detailed, though the idea is certainly correct. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, 2. Edition is similar. Most versions, like Revised Standard Version, do not distinguish between the expression found here and that found commonly elsewhere and translated “the day of the LORD.” The verb is coming translates a Hebrew participle which conveys the sense that its arrival is imminent.
When the spoil taken from you will be divided in the midst of you: The suffixes translated you are both feminine singular, and indicate that this message is addressed to the city of Jerusalem (which is feminine in Hebrew). Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version indicate this here, even though the name of the city does not occur in Hebrew until verse 2. The spoil taken from you assumes that the city has been captured by enemies and has been plundered. This is not actually stated until the next verse. Spoil or loot (compare Good News Translation) refers to the wealth or “possessions” (New Living Translation) of the people of Jerusalem that would be taken forcibly by their enemies. Will be divided in the midst of you means the enemies will be so completely victorious that they will not even bother to take their loot back to their camp before dividing it. In some languages it will be necessary to avoid the passive verbs and say “when your enemies will plunder you and divide the loot among themselves” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch), or even “when your enemies will forcibly take all your possessions and divide them among themselves.” A few English versions translate the last few words of the verse as “will be divided among you” (New International Version, Jerusalem Bible; similarly New Jerusalem Bible). This is misleading as it suggests that the people of Jerusalem will be receiving plunder rather than having it taken from them. More helpful models are “… in your very midst” (Moffatt, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), “… while you stand by” (New English Bible/ Revised English Bible), and “… before your eyes” (Good News Translation, Bible en français courant, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente).
An alternative translation model for this verse is:
• Look, a day is coming for the LORD to act. And when it comes, he will let your enemies forcibly take all your possessions and divide them among themselves while you stand watching.
Quoted with permission from Clark, David J. & Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Zechariah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2002. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .