Zechariah 3 4

Zechariah 3:4 kjv

And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.

Zechariah 3:4 nkjv

Then He answered and spoke to those who stood before Him, saying, "Take away the filthy garments from him." And to him He said, "See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes."

Zechariah 3:4 niv

The angel said to those who were standing before him, "Take off his filthy clothes." Then he said to Joshua, "See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put fine garments on you."

Zechariah 3:4 esv

And the angel said to those who were standing before him, "Remove the filthy garments from him." And to him he said, "Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments."

Zechariah 3:4 nlt

So the angel said to the others standing there, "Take off his filthy clothes." And turning to Jeshua he said, "See, I have taken away your sins, and now I am giving you these fine new clothes."

Zechariah 3 verses

Zechariah 3 4 Meaning

Zechariah 3:4 describes the high priest Joshua standing before the Angel of the Lord, characterized by the extremely defiling state of "filthy garments." This imagery visually communicates his, and by extension, the nation Israel's, spiritual impurity and sinfulness in God's presence, highlighting their unworthiness to minister or represent. Despite this compromised state, the verse sets the scene for divine intervention, demonstrating God's sovereign initiative to address sin and purify His people, initiating their restoration through an act of grace.

Zechariah 3 4 Context

Zechariah 3 presents the second of Zechariah's eight nocturnal visions. The scene is a divine courtroom or assembly where Joshua, the high priest, stands before the Angel of the Lord, while Satan acts as his accuser. This vision specifically addresses the defilement and spiritual struggles of the returning exiles from Babylon. Historically, the exiles, under Joshua and Zerubbabel, had returned to a devastated Jerusalem, attempting to rebuild the temple. However, they faced internal apathy, external opposition, and deep spiritual discouragement stemming from their past sins, which the seventy-year exile had been a consequence of. Joshua, as the representative of the nation, personifies Israel's sinful and inadequate state before God, and this verse starkly illustrates their unworthiness. The subsequent verses reveal God's merciful act of cleansing and reinvestiture, signifying His commitment to restore His people and their priestly functions despite their sin.

Zechariah 3 4 Word analysis

• Now Joshua: The figure is יְהוֹשׁוּעַ (Yehoshua), the literal high priest in Jerusalem post-exile, working with Zerubbabel to rebuild the Temple (Ezra 3:2). In the vision, Joshua represents the entire priesthood and, by extension, the entire nation of Israel. His name, "Yehoshua," shares its root with the name "Yeshua," from which "Jesus" is derived, carrying the meaning "The LORD saves" or "The LORD is salvation." This semantic connection prefigures the ultimate High Priest who brings salvation.
• was clothed with: The Hebrew is לָבֻשׁ (lāvush), a passive participle meaning "wearing" or "clothed." This highlights his state; he was found in these garments, indicating his inherent or present condition rather than something he actively chose at that moment for the divine meeting. It underscores that his defilement was a pre-existing reality.
• filthy garments: The Hebrew is בְּגָדִים צֹאִים (begadim tso'im).
  • בְּגָדִים (begadim): garments, clothes. These are typically associated with identity, status, and role, especially for a priest who wore sacred vestments to signify his purity and mediating role.
  • צֹאִים (tso'im): filthy, foul, soiled, stained, excremental. This is a very strong word implying extreme defilement, often associated with human or animal waste. For a high priest, who was meant to be ceremonially pure and spotless (Exod 28; Lev 16), "filthy garments" represent utter unsuitability for priestly duties. The impurity is not just ceremonial but also moral and spiritual, symbolizing the nation's guilt and accumulated sin (Isa 64:6). This is the state of Israel as a corporate body, burdened by their past idolatry, disobedience, and spiritual failures.
• and stood before: The Hebrew is וְעֹמֵד לִפְנֵי (v'omed lifnei). "Stood" (וְעֹמֵד - v'omed) signifies being present for a purpose, often for judgment, service, or representation. It denotes a position of readiness, perhaps humility or anxiety. "Before" (לִפְנֵי - lifnei) implies direct presence in front of a superior or in a court setting. Joshua stands defenseless and exposed, signifying his and Israel's posture of humility and guilt before the divine throne.
• the angel: The Hebrew is מַלְאַךְ יְהוָה (mal'akh YHVH), "the Angel of the Lord." This figure often appears in the Old Testament, commonly interpreted by scholars as a pre-incarnate appearance of the Son of God, the Lord Himself, or a distinct divine representative. In this vision, this "Angel" is identified with the LORD who rebukes Satan in Zech 3:2, underscoring the divine authority and presence at work, presiding over the courtroom, judging, but ultimately, saving. This establishes the authority by which Joshua's plight is assessed and his cleansing decreed.

Zechariah 3 4 Bonus section

The juxtaposition of Joshua, the High Priest, in filthy garments points to the paradoxical nature of God's redemptive plan. The very figure meant to represent holiness and mediate for a pure people is himself defiled, underscoring that human effort or merit is insufficient for atonement. The imagery sets the stage for God's divine exchange: taking away the filthy garments of sin and clothing Joshua in "pure robes" and a "clean turban" (Zech 3:5), symbolic of imputed righteousness and reinstated authority. This action directly refutes Satan's accusation, not by denying Joshua's guilt, but by demonstrating God's sovereign power to cleanse, forgive, and restore, showcasing God's righteousness not as an arbitrary declaration but as a transformative work. The entire scene in Zechariah 3 is a profound type pointing to Christ's work, where He, as the true High Priest, bears the "filthy garments" of our sin and imputes His perfect righteousness to us (2 Cor 5:21), making us worthy to stand before God.

Zechariah 3 4 Commentary

Zechariah 3:4 sets a vivid and dramatic scene: the high priest Joshua, symbolic of the whole post-exilic community of Israel, is depicted in the most deplorable spiritual state—clothed in "filthy garments"—as he stands exposed before the divine presence. These garments represent the deep sin, guilt, and ritual impurity that characterized Israel following their disobedience, which led to their seventy-year exile. This visual indictment underscores humanity's utter unworthiness and inadequacy to stand before a holy God on their own merits or to fulfill their sacred callings. However, this desperate situation is precisely where divine grace intercedes. Rather than condemning, the Angel of the Lord is poised to execute an act of sovereign cleansing and justification. This highlights that God's grace initiates salvation even in the face of profound sin, not as a reward for human worthiness but as an outpouring of divine mercy, thereby securing God's people for their purpose. This points forward to the ultimate High Priest, Jesus, whose atoning sacrifice cleanses sin and makes us righteous, allowing us to stand holy before God.