Zechariah 5:11 meaning summary explained with word-by-word analysis enriched with context, commentary and Cross References from KJV, NIV, ESV and NLT.
Zechariah 5:11 kjv
And he said unto me, To build it an house in the land of Shinar: and it shall be established, and set there upon her own base.
Zechariah 5:11 nkjv
And he said to me, "To build a house for it in the land of Shinar; when it is ready, the basket will be set there on its base."
Zechariah 5:11 niv
He replied, "To the country of Babylonia to build a house for it. When the house is ready, the basket will be set there in its place."
Zechariah 5:11 esv
He said to me, "To the land of Shinar, to build a house for it. And when this is prepared, they will set the basket down there on its base."
Zechariah 5:11 nlt
He replied, "To the land of Babylonia, where they will build a temple for the basket. And when the temple is ready, they will set the basket there on its pedestal."
Zechariah 5 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 10:10 | The first centers of his kingdom were Babel, Erech, Akkad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. | Origin of humanistic rebellion. |
| Gen 11:2-9 | They said to each other, "Come, let's make bricks... a city with a tower... its top in the heavens..." | Tower of Babel in Shinar, human pride against God. |
| Isa 13:1 | A prophecy against Babylon that Isaiah son of Amoz saw. | God's judgment declared on Babylon. |
| Isa 14:12-15 | "How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! ...I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God..." | Figurative fall of Babylon's king, linked to cosmic evil. |
| Dan 1:2 | He carried some of the articles from the temple of God and put them in the temple of his god in Shinar. | Shinar/Babylon as a place of blasphemy. |
| Jer 50:1-3 | The word that the Lord spoke concerning Babylon, concerning the land of the Babylonians... | Extensive prophecies of Babylon's downfall. |
| Zech 3:9 | "...I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day." | Foretells removal of sin, linked to Israel's purification. |
| Ezek 36:25 | I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean... | Promise of cleansing from impurities. |
| Mal 3:2-3 | "...He will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver..." | Prophecy of purification and judgment. |
| Psa 101:8 | Every morning I will destroy all the wicked of the land... | Divine commitment to eradicate evil. |
| Matt 13:41 | The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers... | Future removal of evil from God's kingdom. |
| Rom 16:20 | The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. | Ultimate triumph over evil. |
| 2 Thes 2:8 | The lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth... | Destruction of the embodiment of lawlessness. |
| Rev 14:8 | "Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great,"... | Declaration of Babylon's ultimate destruction. |
| Rev 17:5 | On her forehead was written a name: Babylon the Great, Mother of Prostitutes and of the Abominations of the Earth. | Babylon as the symbolic center of worldly evil. |
| Rev 18:21 | Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a large millstone and threw it into the sea, and said: "With such violence Babylon the Great will be thrown down, never to be found again." | Permanent and utter destruction of spiritual Babylon. |
| Exod 25:8 | "Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them." | Contrast with God's dwelling vs. evil's house. |
| 1 Kgs 8:13 | I have indeed built a magnificent temple for you, a place for you to dwell forever. | Contrast with God's dwelling vs. evil's house. |
| 2 Cor 6:17 | Therefore, "Come out from them and be separate," says the Lord... | Call for separation from worldly evil. |
| Heb 12:1 | Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. | Exhortation to cast off sin. |
| Job 26:11 | The pillars of heaven quake and are amazed at his rebuke. | God's power over the spiritual realm. |
| Jer 29:10 | "When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place." | Judgment on literal Babylon leads to Israel's return. |
Zechariah 5 verses
Zechariah 5 11 meaning
The interpreting angel reveals that the ultimate destination for "Wickedness" (personified in the ephah with the lead lid) is the land of Shinar. It is to be taken there to have a specially constructed "house" built for it, a dedicated place where it will be firmly established on its permanent base. This signifies a decisive, supernatural removal of evil from God's people and its banishment to the place symbolic of ancient rebellion and idolatry.
Zechariah 5 11 Context
Zechariah 5:11 concludes the fifth and sixth visions presented to the prophet Zechariah (Zech 5:1-11), which collectively deal with divine judgment against sin and its ultimate removal from the land. The preceding verses (Zech 5:5-8) describe an ephah (a measuring basket) containing a woman identified as "Wickedness" (רִשְׁעָה – rish’ah). A lead lid is then forced onto the ephah to contain her. The immediate context of verse 11 is Zechariah asking the interpreting angel where the two women with stork-like wings (from Zech 5:9-10) are taking the ephah. This vision directly follows the vision of the flying scroll, which symbolized God's curse going out over the entire land to cut off all who steal and swear falsely. These visions assured the post-exilic community that despite their present struggles, God was actively purifying their land and removing the pervasive moral and spiritual evils that led to their exile, promising a holy future for His people in Jerusalem.
Zechariah 5 11 Word analysis
- And he said (וַיֹּאמֶר - va-yō'mer): Refers to the interpreting angel, the divine guide throughout Zechariah's night visions. His role is to explain God's revelations, emphasizing the authoritative and clear communication of the divine purpose.
- To build it a house (לִבְנ֥וֹת לָ֣הּ בַּ֔יִת - liv-nōt lāh ba-yit): The verb "to build" indicates an intentional, deliberate act of construction, not just a casual deposit. The "house" (בַּ֤יִת - ba-yit) implies a designated dwelling, a fixed abode, or even a structure like a shrine or storehouse. The use of "house" for "Wickedness" is an ironic theological statement. While God's presence is linked to the temple (His "house"), here, Wickedness receives its own "house," underscoring its ultimate established domain outside the sphere of God's people. This house serves as a permanent, consecrated (in a negative sense) dwelling for evil.
- in the land of Shinar (בְּאֶ֣רֶץ שִׁנְעָר֙ - bə-'e-reṣ shin-ʿār): "Shinar" (שִׁנְעָר֙ - shin-ʿār) is the ancient Hebrew name for Babylon, or more precisely, Sumer. It holds immense symbolic significance, representing the historical origin of human rebellion against God (Tower of Babel, Gen 11) and the quintessential center of idolatry, oppressive power, and ungodly civilizations. It is presented as the fitting place for organized wickedness to reside, far from the Holy Land and the cleansed Jerusalem.
- When it is ready (וְהֻכַּ֣ן - və-huk-kan): This Hophal form of "to prepare" means "it will be established," or "made ready." It conveys the idea of complete preparation, firm establishment, and intended permanence for the new dwelling. This isn't a temporary lodging but a fully operational base.
- It will be set there on its base (וְהֻנִּ֤יחַ עַל־מְכֻנָתֹה֙ - və-hun-nī-aḥ ʿal-mə-ḵu-nā-tōh): The phrase indicates a permanent and secure placement. "Set" (Hophal of "to rest/place") means to be caused to rest or placed firmly. "On its base" (עַל־מְכֻנָתֹה֙ - ʿal-mə-ḵu-nā-tōh) refers to a stand or pedestal, denoting stability and rootedness. Wickedness is not merely dropped off but given a fixed, secure installation in its appointed realm, underscoring its complete and irrevocable removal from Judah and Jerusalem.
Zechariah 5 11 Bonus section
The vision of the ephah being transported to Shinar implies that wickedness is an organized force that can be contained and transplanted, rather than merely dissolved. This conceptualization of evil as having a "base" and "house" is highly significant. It suggests that evil is not just individual sin but a structural, institutionalized presence in the world, requiring a specific dwelling where it can be securely placed. This "house" in Shinar can be understood as the final establishment of all that is opposed to God's kingdom, preparing for a cleansed Jerusalem where holiness can flourish. The image ensures that the evil being removed will not return to pollute the restored land of Judah, as God deals with evil utterly and comprehensively. The wind-filled wings of the women emphasize the divine, unstoppable power executing this judgment.
Zechariah 5 11 Commentary
Zechariah 5:11 presents the divine intention to remove and permanently contain systemic evil from the community of God's people. The vision is highly symbolic: the ephah containing "Wickedness" being transported by powerful, wind-winged women (supernatural agents of divine judgment) to "Shinar" emphasizes that this is not a human endeavor but God's sovereign act. Shinar is chosen not merely as a geographic location, but as a profound theological statement. It is the archetype of anti-God civilization, the birthplace of humanistic defiance and idolatry (Tower of Babel), and the locus of the Babylonian empire which brought God's people into exile. Thus, establishing a "house" for Wickedness in Shinar is ironic justice; evil finds its "proper" home in the domain most aligned with its nature, eternally separated from the redeemed community in Zion. The idea that a "house" will be "built" and Wickedness "set" on "its base" highlights the complete, firm, and deliberate nature of its removal and confinement, not destruction, but displacement. It speaks to a future purification of God's land, making way for a truly holy habitation for His presence, free from the systemic corruption that afflicted them in the past. It offers profound assurance that God deals definitively with the root causes of their suffering and national defilement.