4 I will bring it forth, H3318 saith H5002 the LORD H3068 of hosts, H6635 and it shall enter H935 into the house H1004 of the thief, H1590 and into the house H1004 of him that sweareth H7650 falsely H8267 by my name: H8034 and it shall remain H3885 in the midst H8432 of his house, H1004 and shall consume H3615 it with the timber H6086 thereof and the stones H68 thereof.
When ye be come H935 into the land H776 of Canaan, H3667 which I give H5414 to you for a possession, H272 and I put H5414 the plague H5061 of leprosy H6883 in a house H1004 of the land H776 of your possession; H272 And he that owneth the house H1004 shall come H935 and tell H5046 the priest, H3548 saying, H559 It seemeth H7200 to me there is as it were a plague H5061 in the house: H1004 Then the priest H3548 shall command H6680 that they empty H6437 the house, H1004 before the priest H3548 go H935 into it to see H7200 the plague, H5061 that all that is in the house H1004 be not made unclean: H2930 and afterward H310 the priest H3548 shall go H935 in to see H7200 the house: H1004 And he shall look H7200 on the plague, H5061 and, behold, if the plague H5061 be in the walls H7023 of the house H1004 with hollow strakes, H8258 greenish H3422 or reddish, H125 which in sight H4758 are lower H8217 than H4480 the wall; H7023 Then the priest H3548 shall go H3318 out of the house H1004 to the door H6607 of the house, H1004 and shut H5462 up the house H1004 seven H7651 days: H3117 And the priest H3548 shall come again H7725 the seventh H7637 day, H3117 and shall look: H7200 and, behold, if the plague H5061 be spread H6581 in the walls H7023 of the house; H1004 Then the priest H3548 shall command H6680 that they take H2502 away the stones H68 in which H2004 the plague H5061 is, and they shall cast H7993 H853 them into an unclean H2931 place H4725 without H2351 the city: H5892 And he shall cause the house H1004 to be scraped H7106 within H1004 round about, H5439 and they shall pour H8210 out the dust H6083 that they scrape H7096 off without H2351 the city H5892 into an unclean H2931 place: H4725 And they shall take H3947 other H312 stones, H68 and put H935 them in the place H8478 of those stones; H68 and he shall take H3947 other H312 morter, H6083 and shall plaister H2902 the house. H1004 And if the plague H5061 come again, H7725 and break H6524 out in the house, H1004 after H310 that he hath taken H2502 away the stones, H68 and after H310 he hath scraped H7096 the house, H1004 and after H310 it is plaistered; H2902 Then the priest H3548 shall come H935 and look, H7200 and, behold, if the plague H5061 be spread H6581 in the house, H1004 it is a fretting H3992 leprosy H6883 in the house: H1004 it is unclean. H2931 And he shall break down H5422 the house, H1004 the stones H68 of it, and the timber H6086 thereof, and all the morter H6083 of the house; H1004 and he shall carry them forth H3318 out H2351 of the city H5892 into an unclean H2931 place. H4725
Woe H1945 to him that coveteth H1214 an evil H7451 covetousness H1215 to his house, H1004 that he may set H7760 his nest H7064 on high, H4791 that he may be delivered H5337 from the power H3709 of evil! H7451 Thou hast consulted H3289 shame H1322 to thy house H1004 by cutting off H7096 many H7227 people, H5971 and hast sinned H2398 against thy soul. H5315 For the stone H68 shall cry out H2199 of the wall, H7023 and the beam out H3714 of the timber H6086 shall answer H6030 it.
Your G5216 riches G4149 are corrupted, G4595 and G2532 your G5216 garments G2440 are G1096 motheaten. G4598 Your G5216 gold G5557 and G2532 silver G696 is cankered; G2728 and G2532 the rust G2447 of them G846 shall be G2071 a witness G3142 against G1519 you, G5213 and G2532 shall eat G5315 your G5216 flesh G4561 as it were G5613 fire. G4442 Ye have heaped treasure together G2343 for G1722 the last G2078 days. G2250
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Zechariah 5
Commentary on Zechariah 5 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 5
Zec 5:1-4. Sixth Vision. The Flying Roll. The fraudulent and perjuring transgressors of the law shall be extirpated from Judea.
1. flying roll—of papyrus, or dressed skins, used for writing on when paper was not known. It was inscribed with the words of the curse (De 27:15-26; 28:15-68). Being written implied that its contents were beyond all escape or repeal (Eze 2:9). Its "flying" shows that its curses were ready swiftly to visit the transgressors. It was unrolled, or else its dimensions could not have been seen (Zec 5:2). Being open to all, none could say in excuse he knew not the law and the curses of disobedience. As the previous visions intimated God's favor in restoring the Jewish state, so this vision announces judgment, intimating that God, notwithstanding His favor, did not approve of their sins. Being written on both sides, "on this and on that side" (Zec 5:3) [Vatablus] connects it with the two tables of the law (Ex 32:15), and implies its comprehensiveness. One side denounced "him that sweareth falsely (Zec 5:4) by God's name," according to the third commandment of the first table, duty to God; the other side denounced theft, according to the eighth commandment, which is in the second table, duty to one's neighbor.
2. length … twenty cubits … breadth … ten cubits—thirty feet by fifteen, the dimensions of the temple porch (1Ki 6:3), where the law was usually read, showing that it was divinely authoritative in the theocracy. Its large size implies the great number of the curses contained. The Hebrew for "roll" or "volume" is used of the law (Ps 40:7).
3. curse … earth—(Mal 4:6). The Gentiles are amenable to the curse of the law, as they have its substance, so far as they have not seared and corrupted conscience, written on their hearts (Ro 2:15).
cut off—literally, "cleared away."
as on this side … as on that side—both sides of the roll [Vatablus]. From this place … from this place (repeated twice, as "the house" is repeated in Zec 5:4) [Maurer]; so "hence" is used, Ge 37:17 (or, "on this and on that side," that is, on every side) [Henderson]. None can escape, sin where he may: for God from one side to the other shall call all without exception to judgment [Calvin]. God will not spare even "this place," Jerusalem, when it sins [Pembellus]. English Version seems to take Vatablus' view.
according to it—according as it is written.
4. The "theft" immediately meant is similar sacrilege to that complained of in Ne 13:10; Mal 3:8. They robbed God by neglecting to give Him His due in building His house, while they built their own houses, forswearing their obligations to Him; therefore, the "houses" they build shall be "consumed" with God's "curse." Probably literal theft and perjury accompanied their virtual theft and perjury as to the temple of God (Mal 3:5). Stealing and perjury go together; for the covetous and fraudulent perjure themselves by God's name without scruple (see Pr 30:9).
enter … the house—In vain they guard and shut themselves up who incur the curse; it will inevitably enter even when they think themselves most secure.
consume … timber … stones—not leaving a vestige of it. So the "stones" and "timber" of the house of a leper (type of the sinner) were to be utterly removed (Le 14:15; compare 1Ki 18:38).
Zec 5:5-11. Seventh Vision. The Woman in the Ephah. Wickedness and idolatry removed from the Holy Land to Babylon, there to mingle with their kindred elements.
The ephah is the Hebrew dry measure containing about a bushel, or seven and a half gallons. Alluding to the previous vision as to theft and perjury: the ephah which, by falsification of the measure, they made the instrument of defrauding, shall be made the instrument of their punishment [Grotius]. Compare "this is their resemblance" (Zec 5:6), that is, this is a representation of what the Jews have done, and what they shall suffer. Their total dispersion ("the land of Shinar" being the emblem of the various Gentile lands of their present dispersion) is herein fortetold, when the measure (to which the ephah alludes) of their sins should be full. The former vision denounces judgment on individuals; this one, on the whole state: but enigmatically, not to discourage their present building [Pembellus]. Rather, the vision is consolatory after the preceding one [Calvin]. Idolatry and its kindred sins, covetousness and fraud (denounced in the vision of the roll), shall be removed far out of the Holy Land to their own congenial soil, never to return (so Zec 3:9; Isa 27:9; 52:1; 60:21; Jer 50:20; Zep 3:13). For more than two thousand years, ever since the Babylonian exile, the Jews have been free from idolatry; but the full accomplishment of the prophecy is yet future, when all sin shall be purged from Israel on their return to Palestine, and conversion to Christ.
5. went forth—The interpreting angel had withdrawn after the vision of the roll to receive a fresh revelation from the Divine Angel to communicate to the prophet.
6. This is their resemblance—literally, "eye" (compare Eze 1:4, 5, 16). Hengstenberg translates, "Their (the people's) eye" was all directed to evil. But English Version is better. "This is the appearance (that is, an image) of the Jews in all the land" (not as English Version, "in all the earth"), that is, of the wicked Jews.
This—Here used of what was within the ephah, not the ephah itself.
7. lifted up—The cover is lifted off the ephah to let the prophet see the female personification of "wickedness" within, about to be removed from Judea. The cover being "of lead," implies that the "woman" cannot escape from the ponderous load which presses her down.
talent—literally, "a round piece": hence a talent, a weight of one hundred twenty-five pounds troy.
woman—for comparison of "wickedness" to a woman, Pr 2:16; 5:3, 4. In personifying abstract terms, the feminine is used, as the idea of giving birth to life is associated with woman.
8. wickedness—literally, "the wickedness": implying wickedness in its peculiar development. Compare "the man of sin," 2Th 2:3.
cast it—that is, her, Wickedness, who had moved more freely while the heavy lid was partially lifted off.
weight—literally, "stone," that is, round mass.
9. The agents to carry away the "woman" are, consistently with the image, "women." God makes the wicked themselves the agents of punishing and removing wickedness. "Two" are employed, as one is not enough to carry such a load [Maurer]. Or, the Assyrians and Babylonians, who carried away idolatry in the persons, respectively, of Israel and Judah [Henderson]. As two "anointed ones" (Zec 4:14) stand by the Lord as His ministers, so two winged women execute His purpose here in removing the embodiment of "wickedness": answering to the "mystery of iniquity" (the Septuagint here in Zechariah uses the same words as Paul and "the man of sin," whom the Lord shall destroy with the spirit of His mouth and the brightness of His coming, 2Th 2:3, 7, 8). Their "wings" express velocity. The "stork" has long and wide wings, for which reason it is specified; also it is a migratory bird. The "wind" helps the rapid motion of the wings. The being "lifted up between heaven and earth" implies open execution of the judgment before the eyes of all. As the "woman" here is removed to Babylon as her own dwelling, so the woman in the Apocalypse of St. John is Babylon (Re 17:3-5).
11. To build … house in … Shinar—Babylonia (Ge 10:10), the capital of the God-opposed world kingdoms, and so representing in general the seat of irreligion. As the "building of houses" in Babylon (Jer 29:5, 28) by the Jews themselves expressed their long exile there, so the building of an house for "wickedness" there implies its permanent stay.
set … upon her own base—fixed there as in its proper place. "Wickedness" being cast out of Judah, shall for ever dwell with the antichristian apostates (of whom Babylon is the type), who shall reap the fruit of it, which they deserve.