Zechariah 3
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 3
Prophetic Vision: Joshua the High Priest. 1 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, while the adversary[a] stood at his right side to accuse him.(A) 2 And the angel of the Lord said to the adversary, “May the Lord rebuke you, O adversary; may the Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you!(B) Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?”(C)
3 [b]Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clad in filthy garments. 4 Then the angel said to those standing before him, “Remove his filthy garments.”(D) And to him he said, “Look, I have taken your guilt from you,(E) and I am clothing you in stately robes.” 5 Then he said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” And they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with the garments while the angel of the Lord was standing by. 6 Then the angel of the Lord charged Joshua: 7 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: If you walk in my ways and carry out my charge, you will administer my house and watch over my courts;[c] and I will give you access to those standing here.”
Supplementary Oracle. 8 “Hear, O Joshua, high priest! You and your associates who sit before you! For they are signs of things to come I will surely bring my servant the Branch. 9 Look at the stone(G) that I have placed before Joshua. On this one stone with seven facets[e](H) I will engrave its inscription—oracle of the Lord of hosts—and I will take away the guilt of that land in one day. 10 On that day—oracle of the Lord of hosts—you will invite one another under your vines and fig trees.”(I)
Footnotes
- 3:1 Adversary: Hebrew satan, here, the prosecuting attorney, a figure in the Lord’s heavenly courtroom. Cf. Jb 1:6–2:7. Later tradition understands this figure to be Satan.
- 3:3–4 The filthy garments of Joshua symbolized the guilt of the Israelite people who have become unclean by going into exile. The angel of the Lord purifies the high priest by the removal of his garments.
- 3:7 If you walk…watch over my courts: four components of priestly activity: (1) following God’s commandments and teaching them to the people, (2) carrying out cultic functions, (3) participating in the judicial system in certain difficult cases, and (4) administering the laborers and lands in the Temple’s domain.
- 3:8 Signs of things to come: the restoration of the priesthood is a sign of the expected restoration of the Davidic line. The Branch: a tree metaphor for the expected future ruler as a descendant of the Davidic dynasty. This imagery also appears in Is 11:1, 10; Jer 23:5; 33:15; and Zec 6:12.
- 3:9 Stone with seven facets: represents both the precious stones that were part of the high priest’s apparel and the building stone (see 4:7, 10) that initiated a major construction project. The seven facets (or “eyes”) indicate the totality of its role as an instrument of God’s vigilance and action. Inscription: can refer both to words engraved on the high priest’s apparel (Ex 28:9, 11) and to words chiseled on a cornerstone.
Zechariah 3
New King James Version
Vision of the High Priest
3 Then he showed me (A)Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the Lord, and (B)Satan[a] standing at his right hand to oppose him. 2 And the Lord said to Satan, (C)“The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord who (D)has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! (E)Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?”
3 Now Joshua was clothed with (F)filthy garments, and was standing before the Angel.
4 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, (G)and I will clothe you with rich robes.”
5 And I said, “Let them put a clean (H)turban on his head.”
So they put a clean turban on his head, and they put the clothes on him. And the Angel of the Lord stood by.
The Coming Branch
6 Then the Angel of the Lord admonished Joshua, saying, 7 “Thus says the Lord of hosts:
‘If you will walk in My ways,
And if you will (I)keep My command,
Then you shall also (J)judge My house,
And likewise have charge of My courts;
I will give you places to walk
Among these who (K)stand here.
8 ‘Hear, O Joshua, the high priest,
You and your companions who sit before you,
For they are (L)a[b] wondrous sign;
For behold, I am bringing forth (M)My Servant the (N)BRANCH.
9 For behold, the stone
That I have laid before Joshua:
(O)Upon the stone are (P)seven eyes.
Behold, I will engrave its inscription,’
Says the Lord of hosts,
‘And (Q)I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.
10 (R)In that day,’ says the Lord of hosts,
‘Everyone will invite his neighbor
(S)Under his vine and under his fig tree.’ ”
Footnotes
- Zechariah 3:1 Lit. the Adversary
- Zechariah 3:8 Lit. men of a sign or wonder
Zechariah 3
English Standard Version
A Vision of Joshua the High Priest
3 Then he showed me (A)Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and (B)Satan[a] standing at his right hand to accuse him. 2 And the Lord said to Satan, (C)“The Lord rebuke you, O Satan! The Lord who has (D)chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this (E)a brand[b] plucked from the fire?” 3 Now (F)Joshua was standing before the angel, (G)clothed with filthy garments. 4 And the angel said to (H)those who were standing before him, (I)“Remove the filthy garments from him.” And to him he said, “Behold, (J)I have taken your iniquity away from you, and (K)I will clothe you with pure vestments.” 5 And I said, (L)“Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord was standing by.
6 And the angel of the Lord solemnly assured (M)Joshua, 7 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: If you will walk in my ways and (N)keep my charge, then you shall (O)rule my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you the right of access among (P)those who are standing here. 8 Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who sit before you, for (Q)they are men who are a sign: behold, I will bring (R)my servant (S)the Branch. 9 For behold, on (T)the stone that I have set before Joshua, on a single stone with (U)seven eyes,[c] I will (V)engrave its inscription, declares the Lord of hosts, and (W)I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day. 10 In that day, declares the Lord of hosts, every one of you will invite his neighbor to come (X)under his vine and under his fig tree.”
Footnotes
- Zechariah 3:1 Hebrew the Accuser or the Adversary
- Zechariah 3:2 That is, a burning stick
- Zechariah 3:9 Or facets
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