Zechariah 5
The Message
Sixth Vision: The Flying Book
5 I looked up again and saw—surprise!—a book on the wing! A book flying!
2 The Messenger-Angel said to me, “What do you see now?”
I said, “I see a book flying, a huge book—thirty feet long and fifteen wide!”
3-4 He told me, “This book is the verdict going out worldwide against thieves and liars. The first half of the book disposes of everyone who steals; the second half takes care of everyone who lies. I launched it”—Decree of God-of-the-Angel-Armies—“and so it will fly into the house of every thief and every liar. It will land in each house and tear it down, timbers and stones.”
Seventh Vision: A Woman in a Basket
5 The Messenger-Angel appeared and said, “Look up. Tell me what you see.”
6 I said, “What in the world is that?”
He said, “This is a bushel basket on a journey. It holds the sin of everyone, everywhere.”
7 Then the lid made of lead was removed from the basket—and there was a woman sitting in it!
8 He said, “This is Miss Wickedness.” He pushed her back down into the basket and clamped the lead lid over her.
9 Then I looked up and to my surprise saw two women flying. On outstretched wings they airlifted the bushel basket into the sky.
10 I said to the Messenger-Angel, “Where are they taking the bushel basket?”
11 He said, “East to the land of Shinar. They will build a garage to house it. When it’s finished, the basket will be stored there.”
Zechariah 5
Legacy Standard Bible
A Flying Scroll
5 Then I lifted up my eyes again and saw, and behold, a flying (A)scroll. 2 And he said to me, “(B)What do you see?” And I said, “I see a flying scroll; its length is [a]twenty cubits and its width ten cubits.” 3 Then he said to me, “This is the (C)curse that is going forth over the face of the whole [b]land; surely everyone who (D)steals will be [c]purged away according to [d]the writing on one side, and everyone who (E)swears will be [e]purged away according to the writing on the other side. 4 I will (F)make it go forth,” declares Yahweh of hosts, “and it will (G)enter the house of the (H)thief and the house of the one who swears falsely by My name; and it will spend the night within that house and (I)consume it with its timber and stones.”
A Woman in an Ephah
5 Then (J)the angel who was speaking with me went out and said to me, “Lift up now your eyes and see what this is going forth.” 6 So I said, “What is it?” And he said, “This is the [f](K)ephah going forth.” Again he said, “This is their [g]appearance in all the [h]land 7 (and behold, a lead cover was lifted up); and this is a woman sitting inside the ephah.” 8 Then he said, “This is (L)Wickedness!” And he threw her down into the middle of the ephah and threw the lead weight on its [i]opening. 9 Then I lifted up my eyes and saw, and behold, two women were coming out with the wind in their wings; and they had wings like the wings of a (M)stork, and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heavens. 10 And I said to the angel who was speaking with me, “Where are they taking the ephah?” 11 Then he said to me, “To build a [j]house for her in the land of (N)Shinar; and when it is prepared, she will be set there on her own pedestal.”
Footnotes
- Zechariah 5:2 Approx. 30 ft. long and 15 ft. wide or 9 m and 4.5 m
- Zechariah 5:3 Or earth
- Zechariah 5:3 Lit free (from covenant community), cf. Gen 24:8, 41
- Zechariah 5:3 Lit it
- Zechariah 5:3 Lit free (from covenant community), cf. Gen 24:8, 41
- Zechariah 5:6 A vessel containing approx. 21 qt. or 23 l
- Zechariah 5:6 Lit eye; some ancient versions iniquity
- Zechariah 5:6 Or earth
- Zechariah 5:8 Lit mouth
- Zechariah 5:11 Or temple
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
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