Zechariah 5:1 kjv
Then I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a flying roll.
Zechariah 5:1 nkjv
Then I turned and raised my eyes, and saw there a flying scroll.
Zechariah 5:1 niv
I looked again, and there before me was a flying scroll.
Zechariah 5:1 esv
Again I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, a flying scroll!
Zechariah 5:1 nlt
I looked up again and saw a scroll flying through the air.
Zechariah 5 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Psa 40:7 | Then I said, "Behold, I have come; In the scroll of the book it is written… | Scroll refers to written divine will/covenant. |
| Eze 2:9-10 | Now when I looked, behold, a hand was sent to me... written inside and out… | A scroll with lamentations, mourning, and woe. |
| Eze 3:1-3 | ...He said to me, "Son of man, eat this scroll… | Consuming the prophetic word. |
| Jer 36:2 | "Take a scroll of a book for yourself and write on it all the words… | Jeremiah instructed to write divine words. |
| Rev 5:1 | And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written… | A scroll sealed with judgment/destiny. |
| Rev 20:12 | And I saw the dead… judged according to their works, by the things written in the books… | Books of judgment at the Great White Throne. |
| Isa 24:6 | Therefore the curse devours the earth… | Land cursed because of transgressions. |
| Mal 3:5 | Then I will draw near to you for judgment… | Swift judgment for sorcerers, adulterers, false swearers, etc. |
| Deut 27:15-26 | 'Cursed is the man who makes an idol... And all the people shall say, 'Amen.'' | Specific curses for breaking covenant. |
| Deut 28:15 | "But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the LORD… | Broad curses for covenant disobedience. |
| Psa 119:105 | Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. | God's word (represented by scroll) guides/judges. |
| Heb 10:7 | Then I said, 'Behold, I have come… In the volume of the book it is written… | Christ's coming fulfilling what is written. |
| 2 Chr 34:15-21 | ...Hilkliah the priest found the Book of the Law of the LORD given by Moses. | Rediscovery of God's written law and response. |
| Rom 2:6 | ...who "will render to each person according to his deeds." | Divine judgment according to works. |
| Gal 3:10 | For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse… | All who rely on law without faith are under curse. |
| Eph 5:6 | Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God… | Divine wrath for disobedience/sin. |
| Zech 3:9 | "For behold, the stone that I have laid before Joshua: upon the stone are seven eyes…" | God's eyes observing everything. |
| Zech 4:10 | For these seven eyes of the LORD which scan to and fro throughout the whole earth… | God's omnipresence and omniscient watch. |
| 1 Pet 4:17 | For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God… | Judgment starting with God's people. |
| Num 5:21 | ...the LORD make you a curse and an oath among your people… | Curses pronounced by oath. |
| Prov 29:24 | Whoever is a partner with a thief hates his own life… | Consequences of associating with theft. |
| Lev 19:12 | 'You shall not swear falsely by My name… | Commandment against false oaths. |
| Exod 20:7 | "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain… | Third Commandment: False swearing. |
| Exod 20:15 | "You shall not steal." | Eighth Commandment: Theft. |
Zechariah 5 verses
Zechariah 5 1 Meaning
Zechariah 5:1 presents the prophet's fifth night vision: a large, flying scroll. This scroll symbolizes the swift and widespread divine judgment that will be executed upon the entire land due to unrepented sin, particularly specified as theft and false oaths. The vision underscores God's active involvement in maintaining justice and cleansing His people and land, signifying a coming eradication of wickedness to prepare for the Lord's kingdom.
Zechariah 5 1 Context
Zechariah chapter 5 opens the second set of Zechariah's night visions, following the detailed architectural vision of the golden lampstand and two olive trees (ch. 4). While the previous visions offered encouragement regarding the rebuilding of the temple and restoration under Zerubbabel and Joshua, Zechariah 5 introduces a stark reality: despite God's favor, sin still exists and must be purged for true restoration and the full blessings of the covenant. The flying scroll symbolizes divine law and its inherent curse for disobedience, preparing the stage for the removal of wickedness from the land (represented by the woman in the ephah) in Zechariah 5:5-11. The eight night visions (Zech 1:7–6:8) are a coherent theological unit, portraying God's zealous intent to purify His people, restore Jerusalem, and establish His kingdom. Historically, Judah had just returned from Babylonian exile, and while the temple was being rebuilt, the people's spiritual commitment needed renewed conviction. This vision reminds them of God's covenant expectations and the consequences of violating them, asserting God's omnipresent justice in a society that might have grown complacent after exile.
Zechariah 5 1 Word analysis
- Again (שּׁוּב - shuv): This adverb signals a return or repetition. In this context, it marks the continuation of the series of prophetic night visions that Zechariah is receiving from the Lord. It implies a sequential, divine revelation, emphasizing that each vision builds upon or complements the previous ones.
- I lifted my eyes (וָאֶשָּׂא עֵינַי - va'essa eynai): This phrase is a common Hebrew idiom for beginning to look intently, a standard formula in prophetic visions to describe the prophet's awareness of entering into a revelatory experience (e.g., Eze 8:5; Dan 8:3). It indicates a deliberate act of looking to perceive a divine manifestation.
- and looked (וָאֵרֶא - va'ere): The subsequent act of perception, indicating not just an intention to look but the actual sight. This underscores the visual nature of the revelation.
- and behold (וְהִנֵּה - vehinneh): This interjection serves to draw immediate attention to what is about to be revealed, highlighting its suddenness, significance, or surprising nature. It's a marker of emphasis in biblical narrative.
- a flying scroll (מְגִלָּה פֹרַחַת - megillah poreḥat):
- Megillah (מְגִלָּה): A "scroll" or "roll." In ancient Near Eastern cultures, important documents, laws, contracts, or curses were written on scrolls (Jer 36:2; Psa 40:7). Its presence suggests a written decree, often binding or carrying legal weight. In a biblical context, it frequently refers to divine law, prophecy, or judgment. Its unrolled state, described in the following verse, suggests an open declaration or a clearly visible message.
- Poreḥat (פֹרַחַת): This participle, derived from paraḥ, means "flying," "blossoming," or "breaking out suddenly." Here, it unequivocally means "flying." The image of a scroll flying through the air is extraordinary and unique in prophetic literature (apart from Ezekiel's scroll vision, which is given rather than flying). This denotes the swiftness, widespread nature, and inescapable character of the judgment contained within it. It's a symbol of divine justice moving unimpeded across the land, reaching everyone.
- Significance of "a flying scroll": This visual represents the active, pervasive, and speedy enforcement of divine law. It is not merely a book that will be read or delivered but a living, moving entity carrying God's decree of judgment. This directly contrasts any belief that God is distant or unaware of human transgressions. The concept also serves as a polemic against pagan beliefs where their gods might be localized or slow to act. Yahweh's judgment is portrayed as immediate and universal, not confined by geographical boundaries, swiftly covering the entire earth.
Zechariah 5 1 Bonus section
The dimensions of the flying scroll, twenty cubits long and ten cubits wide (approx. 30x15 feet), are precisely the dimensions of the Holy Place within the Tabernacle (Exod 26:15-25; 1 Kgs 6:3-4). This remarkable parallel strongly suggests that the flying scroll embodies God's covenant Law, as the Law was kept within the innermost parts of the Tabernacle and Temple. The sheer size, too, emphasizes its comprehensive nature – it's an encompassing judgment that cannot be hidden from. It could also symbolize the entire sweep of divine instruction, a warning against not merely breaking specific laws but disrespecting the entire body of God's commands. Furthermore, the scroll being open and flying suggests that the "curse" is public and revealed, not hidden. This sets the stage for God's direct intervention to clean the land of sin, necessary before the building of the ideal kingdom.
Zechariah 5 1 Commentary
Zechariah 5:1 introduces the visionary symbol of a "flying scroll" as an emblem of divine judgment. This scroll, as explained further in Zechariah 5:2-4, embodies the comprehensive curse for all who engage in theft and false swearing, which represent fundamental violations of the covenant (the 8th and 3rd/9th Commandments). The fact that the scroll is "flying" communicates several critical aspects of this judgment: its swiftness, its widespread reach over the "whole land" (Zech 5:3), and its inescapable nature. It functions as an active declaration of God's universal law, coming directly from Him and executing itself without hindrance. The purpose is not mere punishment but purification—cleansing the land of iniquity to make it fit for God's presence and kingdom. This vision underscores that true spiritual and national restoration is contingent upon moral righteousness and the eradication of covenant violations, highlighting the severity of sin even within a post-exilic community called to holiness.