Zechariah 5 7

Zechariah 5:7 kjv

And, behold, there was lifted up a talent of lead: and this is a woman that sitteth in the midst of the ephah.

Zechariah 5:7 nkjv

Here is a lead disc lifted up, and this is a woman sitting inside the basket";

Zechariah 5:7 niv

Then the cover of lead was raised, and there in the basket sat a woman!

Zechariah 5:7 esv

And behold, the leaden cover was lifted, and there was a woman sitting in the basket!

Zechariah 5:7 nlt

Then the heavy lead cover was lifted off the basket, and there was a woman sitting inside it.

Zechariah 5 verses

Zechariah 5 7 Meaning

Zechariah 5:7 describes a crucial moment in the fifth of Zechariah's night visions: the lid of the ephah container is revealed, uncovering a woman seated within. This imagery symbolically introduces the central element of the vision – a personified wickedness confined within a vessel, which is subsequently to be removed from the land of Judah. It highlights God's direct intervention in dealing with pervasive moral and spiritual corruption within His restored community.

Zechariah 5 7 Context

Zechariah 5:7 is part of the fifth vision (Zech 5:5-11) of the prophet Zechariah's eight nocturnal visions (Zech 1:7–6:8), given to him in the second year of Darius (520 BC). This specific vision directly follows the vision of the flying scroll, which condemned thievery and false oaths (Zech 5:1-4). Together, these visions convey God's determination to purge unrighteousness from the land of Judah after the return from Babylonian exile.

The broader historical context is critical: the Jewish remnant had returned from seventy years of exile, charged with rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem. Despite this renewed covenant relationship, elements of sin, idolatry, and moral corruption persisted. Zechariah's prophecies serve to encourage the rebuilding work while also emphasizing the need for spiritual and moral purity. The vision of the ephah containing "Wickedness" underscores that simply returning to the land and rebuilding structures is insufficient; God requires the purification of the people and the eradication of sin, particularly that which pertains to their commercial and social life, reminiscent of the sins that led to the exile.

Zechariah 5 7 Word analysis

• And behold, (וְהִנֵּה, v'hinneh): A common Hebrew interjection drawing immediate attention to what follows, emphasizing a sudden, significant revelation or appearance. It marks a dramatic disclosure within the vision.
• a leaden cover (כִּכַּר עֹפֶרֶת, kikkar ‘oferet):
  • כִּכַּר (kikkar): Literally "circle, disc, talent," a large weight (usually about 75 lbs or 34 kg) or round loaf. Here it functions as a weighty, circular lid or plug.
  • עֹפֶרֶת (‘oferet): "lead." The use of lead is highly symbolic due to its density, weight, dullness, and associations with impurity and base metals in ancient metallurgy. It signifies something extremely heavy, designed to keep something securely sealed or contained, and its dullness might also represent the nature of the wickedness it covers – without the brightness of purity.
  • Significance: This heavy lead lid suggests that the "Wickedness" inside the ephah is weighty, pervasive, and difficult to contain or remove, requiring substantial force, indicating divine intervention.
• was lifted, (נִשֵּׂאת, niss’et): From נָשָׂא (nasa), "to lift, bear, carry." This verb is in the Niphal stem (passive voice), meaning "it was lifted," implying an action performed upon the lid, rather than the lid lifting itself. The lifting is initiated by the angelic figure in Zech 5:8, demonstrating divine authority and power to reveal and then deal with the hidden sin.
• and this is (וְזֹאת, v'zot): Another demonstrative particle, "and this one (feminine)," pointing directly to the person now visible.
• a woman (אִשָּׁה, 'ishshah): In biblical prophecy, a "woman" often personifies abstract concepts or collective entities. Here, she embodies הָרִשְׁעָה (ha-rish'ah) – "Wickedness" or "Lawlessness," as clarified in Zechariah 5:8. This specific imagery of a woman personifying wickedness, idolatry, or a corrupt system recurs in other biblical texts (e.g., Revelation 17, Pro 7). It implies seduction, corruption, and the mother of further evil, reminiscent of ancient Near Eastern fertility cults or immoral goddesses, though Zechariah connects it to internal, economic, and moral corruption.
• sitting (יוֹשֶׁבֶת, yoshevet): Present participle, implying a settled, established presence. She is not merely entering or leaving, but seated, suggesting that wickedness had taken firm root and established its dwelling place within the land, within the people's daily lives and institutions. This stable position necessitates God's decisive action to dislodge her.
• inside the ephah. (בְּתוֹךְ הָאֵיפָה, betokh ha'ephah):
  • בְּתוֹךְ (betokh): "within, in the midst of."
  • הָאֵיפָה (ha'ephah): "the ephah," a common dry measuring unit, about 22 liters or half a bushel, frequently used in commerce, especially for grain. The ephah represents the sphere of daily economic activity, the marketplace, trade, and even the daily provisions. Its association with the preceding vision (flying scroll, thievery, false oaths) and its specific use in commercial transactions firmly link "Wickedness" to systemic corruption, deceitful weights, and dishonest practices in Israelite society, which were specifically condemned in Mosaic Law. This placement within the commercial measure signifies that the primary manifestation of this "Wickedness" is in unjust economic and social interactions rather than overt idolatry (though related, this highlights practical ethics).

Zechariah 5 7 Bonus section

The selection of a "leaden cover" (כִּכַּר עֹפֶרֶת, kikkar ‘oferet) specifically holds symbolic weight beyond just heaviness. In the ancient world, lead was associated with base materials and was sometimes used in magical practices, including curses, or to seal things securely, implying permanence or judgment. This subtle undertone might hint at the deceptive and enduring nature of the "Wickedness" which God must powerfully confront.

The vision is not merely about individuals' sins, but systemic evil. The ephah symbolizes the commercial system itself, not just specific items bought and sold. This broad indictment highlights God's concern for societal righteousness and His active opposition to any form of structural injustice or oppression that would corrupt His people and land, foreshadowing a complete sanctification for those who genuinely turn to Him.

Zechariah 5 7 Commentary

Zechariah 5:7 unveils a central metaphor for understanding the spiritual and moral state of the post-exilic community. The "leaden cover" signifies that the depth and pervasive nature of the "Wickedness" (ha-rish'ah) within Judah were heavy, profound, and seemingly locked away, perhaps ignored or passively accepted. The act of the lid being "lifted" by an unseen, divine power (the angel's hand in v. 8) emphasizes that God initiates the process of revealing and dealing with sin.

The "woman" emerging from the ephah is the vivid personification of this national wickedness, directly linking societal moral failure, especially in commerce, to the idolatry that was Israel's perennial problem. She embodies not just isolated acts of sin but the very spirit of unrighteousness that could defile the land. Her "sitting" in the ephah demonstrates how deeply embedded this corruption had become within the ordinary activities of daily life, particularly within the economic systems that were vital for society. This means that Zechariah is addressing foundational issues of justice and righteousness that affect everyone.

This vision provides profound assurance: though deeply entrenched, such wickedness is not insurmountable. God Himself, through His agents, actively exposes and removes it. The process that unfolds in the rest of the chapter, where the woman is put back into the ephah and then transported to the land of Shinar (Babylon), signifies a decisive divine act of purification and judgment against systemic evil, ensuring the holiness of the promised land and its people. This vision thus served as both a stark warning against corruption and a powerful message of hope for ultimate divine cleansing and establishment of a truly righteous community.

• Practical usage: This verse encourages believers to not just outwardly conform to religious practices but to examine the "ephah" of their daily lives – their work, finances, and social interactions – for hidden "wickedness." It calls for a thorough purging of dishonesty and injustice, recognizing that God desires purity not just in worship but in all aspects of life.