Zechariah 5 9

Zechariah 5:9 kjv

Then lifted I up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came out two women, and the wind was in their wings; for they had wings like the wings of a stork: and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heaven.

Zechariah 5:9 nkjv

Then I raised my eyes and looked, and there were two women, coming with the wind in their wings; for they had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the basket between earth and heaven.

Zechariah 5:9 niv

Then I looked up?and there before me were two women, with the wind in their wings! They had wings like those of a stork, and they lifted up the basket between heaven and earth.

Zechariah 5:9 esv

Then I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, two women coming forward! The wind was in their wings. They had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the basket between earth and heaven.

Zechariah 5:9 nlt

Then I looked up and saw two women flying toward us, gliding on the wind. They had wings like a stork, and they picked up the basket and flew into the sky.

Zechariah 5 verses

Zechariah 5 9 Meaning

This verse describes the immediate consequences and purpose of the flying scroll seen in Zechariah's vision. It signifies judgment and cleansing from sin and deceit, directed towards the entire land, ensuring that those who practice wickedness will no longer dwell there unpunished. The curse's reach extends to all who sin, leaving no room for corruption to fester.

Zechariah 5 9 Context

Zechariah's vision in chapter 5 unfolds a series of symbolic judgments against sin and corruption within Jerusalem and the returning exiles. Following the vision of the ephah containing wickedness, this verse, Zechariah 5:9, describes the flying scroll being sent forth. The flying scroll itself symbolizes divine judgment, its length of twenty cubits and width of ten cubits representing its comprehensive and pervasive nature. It is declared that this curse will go out over the face of the whole land, targeting those who engage in theft and false swearing, essentially those who violate God's law and dishonor His name through deceitful practices. The overall message is that sin, embodied by the scroll, will be expelled and unable to remain within the land. This is part of Zechariah's prophetic reassurance to the post-exilic community, indicating God's cleansing action and the restoration of a purified people.

Zechariah 5 9 Word Analysis

• וַתְּעוֹפֵף (vətəʿōp̄ēp̄): From the root עָפַף (ʿāp̄ap̄), meaning "to fly swiftly," "to soar," or "to make blind/dark." In this context, it strongly implies a rapid, purposeful movement, like a swift bird or an arrow, conveying the energetic execution of judgment. The visual imagery is of the scroll actively moving, not passively carried.

• אֶת־ (ʾeṯ): The definite direct object marker, indicating that the subject (the curse) is acting upon a specific object (the flying scroll), but in the subsequent part of the verse, it signifies what the scroll itself will do.

• הַגָּלֶּה (haggālleh): The flying thing/scroll. This is a participial form indicating something in active flight. It directly refers back to the object of Zechariah's vision.

• הַלּוֹט (hallōṭ): The flying thing/scroll. This appears to be a fuller form or variation of the participle used for "flying," emphasizing the action of flight and perhaps the shape or the unfurling nature of the scroll.

• לָצֵאת (lāṣēṯ): To go forth, to come out, to proceed. This infinitive indicates the purpose or destination of the flying scroll – its outward movement into the land.

• עַל־פְּנֵי (ʿal-pənê): Upon the face of, over the surface of. This prepositional phrase emphasizes the extent of the judgment – it will cover the entirety of the land. There will be no place for sin to hide.

• כָּל־ (kōl): All, every. Reinforces the comprehensive nature of the curse, leaving no corner of the land untouched by this divine action.

• הָאָרֶץ (hāʾāreṣ): The land. This refers to the land of Israel, the specific territory targeted by this judgment.

• לִלְכֹּד (lil·kōd): To take possession of, to seize, to capture, to gather in. This is a crucial verb. It signifies the purpose of the curse entering the land – to apprehend and remove those associated with the wickedness contained within the scroll.

• וְהִצְדִּיק (wəhiṣ·ṣə·dîq): And to justify, to cleanse, to declare righteous, to pronounce acquitted. This is a highly significant verb in its Piel (intensive) form. While often translated as "justify," in this context of judgment and expulsion, it carries the meaning of "to cleanse," "to acquit from blame," or "to establish righteousness." The curse acts as a mechanism for divine vindication and purification, making the land righteous by removing the unrighteous. It is God's declaration of the land's rightful status after the removal of sin. The land itself will be seen as just and pure due to this purging action.

• אֶת־ (ʾeṯ): Again, the direct object marker.

• הַבַּיִת (hab·bā·yiṯ): The house. This can refer to the physical house of any sinner, but contextually, it also carries a broader meaning. It could represent the "house of Israel," or the dwelling place of God (the Temple). The curse will deal with sin within any dwelling, including the spiritual dwelling of God's people.

• לִטְהֹר (liṭ·hōr): To cleanse, to purify. This infinitive further clarifies the action of הִצְדִּיק (hiṣ·ṣə·dîq). The judgment is ultimately a purification, making the land and its inhabitants who remain clean and acceptable to God.

Group by Words-Group Analysis:

• The action of judgment: "flying scroll... to go forth upon the face of all the land." This imagery emphasizes a swift, purposeful, and extensive divine judgment, not a localized or passive event. It is active and encompassing.
• The purpose of judgment: "to take possession of... and to cleanse." The judgment is twofold: to remove the guilty (taking possession for judgment/exile) and, by doing so, to purify and restore the land's intended righteousness and purity. The act of cleansing is linked to the act of taking.

Zechariah 5 9 Bonus Section

The concept of a flying scroll as a symbol of judgment is unique to Zechariah 5, though the idea of divine pronouncements being actively dispatched for judgment resonates throughout Scripture. The particular sins targeted – theft and false swearing – were serious violations of the Mosaic Law (Leviticus 19:11-12). Their prominence here highlights the pervasive nature of dishonesty and deception within the community, which God intended to purge. The dual action of "taking" and "cleansing/justifying" highlights God's sovereign power to judge and restore. It's a purging that re-establishes His covenant relationship with the land and its people who are faithful. The inclusion of the "house" in relation to cleansing reinforces the idea that this purification extends to individual dwellings and the corporate dwelling of God's people.

Zechariah 5 9 Commentary

Zechariah 5:9 describes the active deployment of the divine curse represented by the flying scroll. This curse is not an abstract concept but a tangible instrument of God's justice. Its swift flight over the entire land signifies that sin is pervasive and judgment will be universal in its scope against the wicked. The verbs "to take" (likkod) and "to cleanse" (lit'hor/hitzdîq) are key. The curse acts to seize those who practice theft and false swearing – the very elements of corruption represented by the scroll itself. In seizing them, it purifies the land. This purification isn't passive; it's an active declaration of righteousness (hitzdîq) upon the land, removing that which is defiled. It’s God establishing His justice by removing sin from His dwelling place, preparing it for restoration. The imagery connects to a divine act that restores order and holiness. The whole land will experience this cleansing, ensuring no unrighteousness remains unchecked.