Zechariah 3
New Catholic Bible
The Leaders of the Holy City[a]
Chapter 3[b]
Joshua the High Priest. 1 Then he showed me Joshua, the high priest, standing before the angel of the Lord, with Satan standing at his right to accuse him. 2 And the angel of the Lord said to Satan, “May God rebuke you, Satan! May the Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this man a brand snatched from the fire?”
3 Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. 4 The angel then said to those who were standing before him, “Remove his filthy garments and clothe him in fine vestments.” 5 He also said, “Place a clean miter on his head.” Therefore, they put a clean miter on his head and clothed him in clean garments, while the angel of the Lord stood by and said, “Behold, I have removed your guilt.”
6 The angel of the Lord then declared to Joshua: 7 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: If you walk in my ways and observe my ordinances, you will rule over my house and be in charge of my courts, and I will give you the right of access to all those who are standing here.
8 “Therefore listen, Joshua, high priest, you and your colleagues who are seated here in attendance before you. For they are an omen of things to come. I will now bring in my servant, the Branch. 9 Gaze upon the stone that I have set before Joshua, a single stone with seven facets. I will engrave its inscription, says the Lord of hosts, and I will remove the guilt of this land in a single day. 10 On that day, says the Lord of hosts, you will invite each other to come under your vines and your fig trees.”
Footnotes
- Zechariah 3:1 Although they have been set free, the Jews do not enjoy political independence. Zerubbabel, a descendant of David, is only the high commissioner of the king of Persia. The Jews still hope to see him invested with the royal dignity and seated on the throne of David; this is a dream that will soon fade. The high priest Joshua, who had been repatriated with the others, occupies a position of the first importance. Since the people have no real political autonomy, they attach themselves to the high priest, the one leader who can do something about their religious destiny. He is the one who will inherit the royal power, and under his influence the religious aspect of Israel’s life will take precedence over the political. The two visions that follow shed light on this situation.
- Zechariah 3:1 The new garments in which Joshua is robed signify that, after the Exile, he has to be reinstated in his office as high priest of the new temple; at the same time, the garments convey the idea that in his person the entire forgiven people will experience prosperity, each individual (according to the traditional image) under his own vine and his own fig tree. The mysterious rock with seven eyes (v. 9) doubtless symbolizes the coming Messiah, whose knowledge will be complete and who is foretold under the name Branch because he must come from the royal line of David.
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
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
