Zechariah · Chapter 5

V. 1. A flying roll-A volume, or book spread out at large, flying in the air, swiftly.

Verse 1. Behold a flying roll.] This was twenty cubits long, and ten cubits broad; the prophet saw it expanded, and flying. Itself was the catalogue of the crimes of the people, and the punishment threatened by the Lord. Some think the crimes were those of the Jews; others, those of the Chaldeans. The roll is mentioned in allusion to those large rolls on which the Jews write the Pentateuch. One now lying before me is one hundred and fifty-three feet long, by twenty-one inches wide, written on fine brown Basle goat-skin; some time since brought from Jerusalem, supposed to be four hundred years old.

Verse 1. Then I turned and lifted up — Or, again I lifted up, mine eyes — For the verb bwv, to return, is often used adverbially; and behold a flying roll — That is, a roll of a book, as the expression is Jeremiah 36:2; Ezekiel 2:9; the ancient way of writing being upon long scrolls of parchment, which used to be rolled up. This roll contained an account of the sins and punishments of the people, and is described as flying, both because it was open, and to denote the swiftness of God’s judgments. Hitherto, from the beginning of this prophecy, “all has been consoling, and meant to cheer the hearts of the Jewish people, by holding forth to them prospects of approaching prosperity. But, lest they should grow presumptuous and careless of their conduct, it was thought proper to warn them of the conditions on which their happiness would depend; and to let them see, that however God was at present disposed to show them favour, his judgments would assuredly fall upon them with still greater weight than before, if they should again provoke him by repeated acts of wickedness.” Accordingly, this warning and information are given them by the visions of this chapter, which are of a very different kind from the preceding ones. — Blayney.

1. The introductory formula is similar to that in Zechariah 2:1. A… roll — Among the ancients written documents were preserved in the form of rolls. LXX., omitting the final letter of the Hebrew word, reads “sickle,” which would give good sense, but the dimensions given in verse 2 favor the Hebrew text. Flying — Moving swiftly from the judgment throne above, where the destruction was decreed, to its destination upon earth.

Verses 2-4. The length thereof is twenty cubits, &c. — Such scrolls for writing were usually longer than they were broad; so this was represented as ten yards in length, and five in breadth. The roll was very large, to show what a number of curses would come upon the wicked. Then said he, This is the curse, &c. — This roll, or book, contains the curses, or judgments, due to sinners, particularly sinners of the Jews, who have been favoured with greater light and privileges than other people, and whose sins, therefore, are the more inexcusable. That goeth over the face of the whole earth — Or rather, of the whole land; for the land of Judea only seems to be here meant. Every one that stealeth shall be cut off as on this side, &c. — The roll was written on both sides, as that mentioned Ezekiel 2:10: and on one side were contained the judgments against stealing, and on the other against false swearing. These two sins are joined together, because in the Jewish courts men were compelled to purge themselves by oath, in case they were accused of theft; and they often would forswear themselves rather than discover the truth. Considering the time when Zechariah prophesied, it seems probable, that those who made use of fraud with respect to what had been dedicated to the rebuilding of the temple, and restoring the service of God, are here particularly referred to. According to Calmet, under the two names of theft and false swearing, the Hebrews and Chaldeans included all other crimes; theft denoting every injustice and violence executed against men, and perjury all crimes committed against God. Instead of on this side, and on that side, Newcome reads, from hence, namely, from the land. And instead of shall be cut off, the Vulgate reads, judicabitur, shall be judged; and Houbigant, shall be punished. It must be acknowledged, however, that the Hebrew word hqn, so rendered, rather means, carries himself as innocent, or, asserts himself to be innocent; or, is declared innocent, or, left unpunished, namely, by the magistrate. Blayney therefore translates the clause, Because, on the one hand, every one that stealeth is as he that is guiltless; and, on the other hand, every one that sweareth is as he that is guiltless. On which he observes, “The reason assigned for the curse going forth through the whole land is, that the good and the bad, the innocent and the guilty, were in every part of it looked upon and treated alike; so that it was time for the divine justice to interpose, and make the proper distinction between them.” And it shall enter, &c. — This curse shall come with commission from me; into the house of the thief — Where he had laid up that which he got by theft, thinking to enjoy it to his satisfaction. Or, by his house may be understood his family, estate, and goods: it shall take hold of him, and all that belong to him, and shall never leave them till their are utterly destroyed. And it shall remain in the midst of the house — It shall stick close to them and theirs, as Gehazi’s leprosy did to him and his posterity; or, like the leprosy that infects a house, and cannot be purged till the house itself be pulled down.

Verse 2. What seest thou? I see a flying roll. Hebrews meghilla, a parchment, a terrific scroll, twenty cubits in length, and ten in breadth, an oblong in measure like the courts of the temple. A banner which the hand of an angel only could wave and carry through the air. The writing was large, as on our flags, that the people might read the curse on the thief, and on the false-swearer. This couplet of crimes generally go together. The thief, who has carried off the wealth of the industrious, will swear to a thousand lies to cover his crimes. The Greeks swore ma dia, by Jupiter, by Hercules; the Romans by Cæsar, or by the gods; the papists swear by Jesus, by his blood and wounds, or by the holy virgin. Ah, little do they think that heaven will exact their oaths, and make the extortioner “vomit up his riches.” Job. 20:15. Better to hear the oracle of truth, “swear not at all.” Matthew 5:34. This banner is the harbinger of Theos, the allseeing God. He will bring the curse on him who swears falsely by the name of the Lord, as he did on the princes of Judah. Jeremiah 31:18. 39:6. See the case of Ruth Pearce, recited on Acts 5.

2. The interpreting angel calls the attention of the prophet to the new vision by means of a question (compare Zechariah 4:2, and see references there). The roll was unfolded, so that its immense size could be recognized. Length… twenty cubits… the breadth… ten cubits — The measurements of the porch of Solomon’s temple (1 Kings 6:3) and of the holy place in the tabernacle, as it may be determined from Exodus 26, and as it is given by Josephus (Antiquities, iii, 6:4). The exact figures may have been suggested by one or the other of these places, but it is not probable that they possess any special symbolic meaning; all they are intended to do is to indicate the great size of the roll. The Hebrews appear to have used two cubits, one a little longer than the other, but the data are insufficient to determine the exact length of either; the length of the common cubit is estimated at approximately eighteen inches (see Hastings’s Dictionary of the Bible, article “Weights and Measures”). The interpretation is given in verses 3, 4. This is the curse — We must think of the roll as inscribed, perhaps upon both sides, with a curse or curses, similar to those in Deuteronomy 27:15-26, and 28:15-68, though there is no reason to suppose that the prophet has in mind these curses. The whole earth — Better, R.V., “land.” Verse 6 and especially verse 11 clearly show that the reference is to Palestine or Judah, or at the most to the extended Judah (2:11). Two classes of criminals are singled out. Shall be cut off — The Hebrew verb is used ordinarily in the sense of acquit, free from guilt; in this passage most commentators take it in a physical sense, clear away — cut off, or destroy (Isaiah 3:26). On this side — R.V., “on the one side”; better, margin, “from hence,” that is, from the land. According to it — According to the curses inscribed upon the roll. Some commentators insist that the more common meaning of the verb should be retained; if that is done the text of the rest of the verse must be changed. Wellhausen reads, “For everyone that stealeth hath for long remained unpunished, and everyone that sweareth hath for long remained unpunished”; therefore Jehovah is sending his judgment. Everyone that sweareth — Must be interpreted in the light of verse 4 as equivalent to “everyone that sweareth falsely by my name.” The Old Testament does not condemn swearing per se; it condemns only false swearing (compare Hosea 4:2); Matthew 5:34ff., is on the New Testament level. I will bring it forth — Better and literally, I have caused it to go forth: it has already started on its mission of judgment. Its destination is the houses of the evil doers. Shall remain — Literally, lodge over night; but it will not sleep. Shall consume — Not only will it announce the judgment, it will execute it. It — The house, including the inhabitants. With the timber thereof and the stones thereof — That is, utterly.

Only two forms of wickedness are specified, stealing and false swearing. It is hardly likely, however, that these were the only sins recognized or prevalent in the days of Zechariah; it seems better to regard these as types of two classes of wickedness, stealing as representing all sins committed against man, false swearing by the name of Jehovah as representing all sins committed against Jehovah. Under these two heads all forms of sin may be grouped, as in the Decalogue. If this is done the vision symbolizes the destruction of sinners of every sort.

The seventh vision — the woman in the midst of the ephah, 5-11. When the prophet lifts up his eyes again he beholds an ephah, in which is sitting a woman. Its opening is securely fastened with a heavy cover. As the prophet continues to gaze he sees two women with wings lifting up the vessel and carrying it through the air. Upon inquiry he is informed that the woman is to be established in the far-distant Shinar. As the vision unfolds the interpreter points out its symbolical meaning. The woman represents wickedness, which, according to Zechariah 3:9, is to be removed from the land. It is fastened securely in the ephah, but to make practically impossible the pollution of the land it is to be removed to the distant Shinar, there to be established forever. This removal will forever free the land from wickedness. It is evident, then, that the seventh vision is a continuation and complement of the sixth.

V. 3. This-This roll or book containeth the curse, due to sinners. The whole earth-Either the whole land of Judea, or all the world, wherever these sins are found. According to it-According to the threats inscribed thereon. Sweareth-Profanely, or falsely.

Verse 3. Every one that stealeth—and every one that sweareth] It seems that the roll was written both on the front and back: stealing and swearing are supposed to be two general heads of crimes; the former, comprising sins against men; the latter, sins against God. It is supposed that the roll contained the sins and punishments of the Chaldeans.

Verses 2-4. The length thereof is twenty cubits, &c. — Such scrolls for writing were usually longer than they were broad; so this was represented as ten yards in length, and five in breadth. The roll was very large, to show what a number of curses would come upon the wicked. Then said he, This is the curse, &c. — This roll, or book, contains the curses, or judgments, due to sinners, particularly sinners of the Jews, who have been favoured with greater light and privileges than other people, and whose sins, therefore, are the more inexcusable. That goeth over the face of the whole earth — Or rather, of the whole land; for the land of Judea only seems to be here meant. Every one that stealeth shall be cut off as on this side, &c. — The roll was written on both sides, as that mentioned Ezekiel 2:10: and on one side were contained the judgments against stealing, and on the other against false swearing. These two sins are joined together, because in the Jewish courts men were compelled to purge themselves by oath, in case they were accused of theft; and they often would forswear themselves rather than discover the truth. Considering the time when Zechariah prophesied, it seems probable, that those who made use of fraud with respect to what had been dedicated to the rebuilding of the temple, and restoring the service of God, are here particularly referred to. According to Calmet, under the two names of theft and false swearing, the Hebrews and Chaldeans included all other crimes; theft denoting every injustice and violence executed against men, and perjury all crimes committed against God. Instead of on this side, and on that side, Newcome reads, from hence, namely, from the land. And instead of shall be cut off, the Vulgate reads, judicabitur, shall be judged; and Houbigant, shall be punished. It must be acknowledged, however, that the Hebrew word hqn, so rendered, rather means, carries himself as innocent, or, asserts himself to be innocent; or, is declared innocent, or, left unpunished, namely, by the magistrate. Blayney therefore translates the clause, Because, on the one hand, every one that stealeth is as he that is guiltless; and, on the other hand, every one that sweareth is as he that is guiltless. On which he observes, “The reason assigned for the curse going forth through the whole land is, that the good and the bad, the innocent and the guilty, were in every part of it looked upon and treated alike; so that it was time for the divine justice to interpose, and make the proper distinction between them.” And it shall enter, &c. — This curse shall come with commission from me; into the house of the thief — Where he had laid up that which he got by theft, thinking to enjoy it to his satisfaction. Or, by his house may be understood his family, estate, and goods: it shall take hold of him, and all that belong to him, and shall never leave them till their are utterly destroyed. And it shall remain in the midst of the house — It shall stick close to them and theirs, as Gehazi’s leprosy did to him and his posterity; or, like the leprosy that infects a house, and cannot be purged till the house itself be pulled down.

V. 4. It shall enter-This curse shall come with commission from me. It shall remain-It shall stick close to them and theirs like Gehazi’s leprosy. And the stones-Nothing shall remain, as when both the timber and stones of a house are consumed.

Verse 4. Into the house of him] Babylon, the house or city of Nebuchadnezzar, who was a public plunderer, and a most glaring idolater.

Verses 2-4. The length thereof is twenty cubits, &c. — Such scrolls for writing were usually longer than they were broad; so this was represented as ten yards in length, and five in breadth. The roll was very large, to show what a number of curses would come upon the wicked. Then said he, This is the curse, &c. — This roll, or book, contains the curses, or judgments, due to sinners, particularly sinners of the Jews, who have been favoured with greater light and privileges than other people, and whose sins, therefore, are the more inexcusable. That goeth over the face of the whole earth — Or rather, of the whole land; for the land of Judea only seems to be here meant. Every one that stealeth shall be cut off as on this side, &c. — The roll was written on both sides, as that mentioned Ezekiel 2:10: and on one side were contained the judgments against stealing, and on the other against false swearing. These two sins are joined together, because in the Jewish courts men were compelled to purge themselves by oath, in case they were accused of theft; and they often would forswear themselves rather than discover the truth. Considering the time when Zechariah prophesied, it seems probable, that those who made use of fraud with respect to what had been dedicated to the rebuilding of the temple, and restoring the service of God, are here particularly referred to. According to Calmet, under the two names of theft and false swearing, the Hebrews and Chaldeans included all other crimes; theft denoting every injustice and violence executed against men, and perjury all crimes committed against God. Instead of on this side, and on that side, Newcome reads, from hence, namely, from the land. And instead of shall be cut off, the Vulgate reads, judicabitur, shall be judged; and Houbigant, shall be punished. It must be acknowledged, however, that the Hebrew word hqn, so rendered, rather means, carries himself as innocent, or, asserts himself to be innocent; or, is declared innocent, or, left unpunished, namely, by the magistrate. Blayney therefore translates the clause, Because, on the one hand, every one that stealeth is as he that is guiltless; and, on the other hand, every one that sweareth is as he that is guiltless. On which he observes, “The reason assigned for the curse going forth through the whole land is, that the good and the bad, the innocent and the guilty, were in every part of it looked upon and treated alike; so that it was time for the divine justice to interpose, and make the proper distinction between them.” And it shall enter, &c. — This curse shall come with commission from me; into the house of the thief — Where he had laid up that which he got by theft, thinking to enjoy it to his satisfaction. Or, by his house may be understood his family, estate, and goods: it shall take hold of him, and all that belong to him, and shall never leave them till their are utterly destroyed. And it shall remain in the midst of the house — It shall stick close to them and theirs, as Gehazi’s leprosy did to him and his posterity; or, like the leprosy that infects a house, and cannot be purged till the house itself be pulled down.

Verses 5-8. The angel that talked with me went forth — Or rather, went on, as the verb axy often signifies; (see 2 Chronicles 21:19; Jeremiah 25:32;) and so it may signify at the end of this verse, and in the next, where it occurs again. And I said, What is it? — What does this signify, or, what thing is this? And he said, This is an ephah — An ephah was a measure containing somewhat less than our bushel, and consequently too small for a woman to sit in; we must therefore understand here a measure, in the form only of an ephah, but of a larger size, which was probably the reason why Zechariah did not know what it was: and being the measure whereby they bought and sold dry things, it seems to have been intended to denote the unjust dealings of the Jews in buying and selling; their fraud, deceit, and extortion in commerce, were sins abounding among them; as they are among that people at this day. He said moreover, This is their resemblance — Or, as the LXX. render it, This is their iniquity (reading µnw[, instead of µny[) through all the earth — Or, through all the land; that is, by this you may make an estimate of their unjust dealings all over the land. Besides the intimation given by this vision of the ephah, that the dealings of the Jews with each other were unjust, its largeness and its going forth corresponded with the iniquities that prevailed in the land, both as exceeding the ordinary measure, and also as continually increasing, so as already to have arisen to such a pitch as made it necessary to repress them. And behold there was lifted up a talent — Or, a huge mass; of lead — This seems to have been intended to denote the weight, or severity, of the judgments here threatened. And this is a woman, &c. — What thou seest besides, is a woman sitting carelessly upon the ephah, and fearing no evil. So Grotius, “super epha, superba et nihil mali metuens.” That she appeared at first sitting upon the ephah, is evident from what is said in the following words, namely, that the angel cast her into the midst of the ephah; which implies that she was not there before. And he said, This is wickedness — This woman denotes wickedness: or, this is iniquity itself, or corruption of heart, the mother or spring of thefts, perjuries, and all kind of crimes. Blayney renders it, This is the wicked one. Public states, or societies, are often represented by women, as the mothers of their people, as we see in the ancient coins. By the same analogy, corrupt societies are expressed by harlots, and women of lewd characters; so here, the corrupt state of the Jews is set forth by a wicked woman. And he cast it — Rather, he cast her, into the midst of the ephah — So the LXX., erriyen authn eiv meson tou metrou. So also the Vulgate. Newcome renders it, He cast her within the ephah, that is, (as he explains it,) “caused her to contract herself within the compass of the vessel, denoting the check given to her further progress.” And he cast the weight of lead upon the mouth thereof — That is, of the epah, ne quis esset exitus, says Grotius, that there might be no exit, or way of escape. Or to signify, that when a people have filled up the measure of their iniquities, they sink under the weight of their sins, and cannot escape the judgment of God, and that thus it should fare with the Jewish people.

5, 6. The interpreting angel is the first to appear. Went forth — As in Zechariah 2:3. The several visions were separated from one another by intervals of inactivity, during which the prophet meditated upon the things seen and heard. During these intervals the angel was lost sight of, but when the moment for a new vision arrived he stood forth. The expression may mean, therefore, simply that the prophet again became aware of his presence. The vision itself is presented in a manner somewhat different from the preceding. Zechariah is exhorted to look; when he does so he becomes conscious of something, but fails to understand what it is; then his companion explains. This is an ephah that goeth forth — A free translation would express the thought more clearly, “that which goeth forth (that is, appears, comes into sight) is an ephah.” It is difficult to determine the exact capacity of the ephah (see on Amos 8:5), but, speaking in general terms, it may be compared to a bushel (compare Hastings’s Dictionary of the Bible, iv, p. 912). Since a measure of the size of a bushel cannot contain a woman, the word must be used here of an ephah-shaped measure, without reference to size.

Recognizing the mysteriousness of the vision, the angel immediately proceeds to explain it. This is their resemblance through all the earth — R.V., “This is their appearance in all the land.” Of the two, R.V. is to be preferred. Much ingenuity has been expended in the interpretation of this peculiar expression. Two attempts may be mentioned. “The ephah is the shape, that is, represents the figure displayed by sinners in all the land, after the roll of the curse has gone forth over the land; that is, it shows into what condition they have come through that anathema.… Just as in a bushel the separate grains are all collected together, so will the individual sinners over the whole earth be brought into a heap, when the curse of the end goes forth over the whole earth” (Keil). A slightly different interpretation is suggested by Perowne: “This, namely, the ephah with all that you will see in the vision regarding it, is the resemblance or representation of the wicked through all the land and of what shall befall them.” These are only two out of a great number of suggested interpretations, all of which are more or less artificial and require a stretch of the text and of the imagination. The difficulty is entirely removed if we accept the LXX. reading, “their transgression,” for “their resemblance”; the whole clause, “this is their transgression in all the land.” The pronoun is explained by “in all the land,” equivalent to “the transgression of the inhabitants of all the land.” This transgression is symbolized by the ephah and its contents, though the latter have not yet been revealed to the prophet. This translation and interpretation of verses 5, 6 seem to give a satisfactory sense, though it may be admitted that the reading is not as smooth as it might be. The apparent awkwardness of the text leads Nowack and others to alter it so as to read, following Lift up now thine eyes, and see — “what is this ephah that goeth forth? And I said, What is it? And he said, That is their transgression in all the land.”

V. 6. He-The angel. An ephah-A measure which held about three bushels. Goeth forth-Out of the temple. Their resemblance-This is an emblem of this people everywhere. Thus there is limited time and measure for them, while they sin, and are filling the ephah with their sins, they will find that the ephah of wrath is filled up also, to be poured out upon them.

Verse 6. This is an ephah that goeth forth.] This, among the Jews, was the ordinary measure of grain. The woman in the ephah is supposed to represent Judea, which shall be visited for its sins; the talent of lead on the ephah, within which the woman was enclosed, the wrath of God, bending down this culprit nation, in the measure of its sins; for the angel said, “This is wickedness;” that is, the woman represents the mass of iniquity of this nation.

Verses 5-8. The angel that talked with me went forth — Or rather, went on, as the verb axy often signifies; (see 2 Chronicles 21:19; Jeremiah 25:32;) and so it may signify at the end of this verse, and in the next, where it occurs again. And I said, What is it? — What does this signify, or, what thing is this? And he said, This is an ephah — An ephah was a measure containing somewhat less than our bushel, and consequently too small for a woman to sit in; we must therefore understand here a measure, in the form only of an ephah, but of a larger size, which was probably the reason why Zechariah did not know what it was: and being the measure whereby they bought and sold dry things, it seems to have been intended to denote the unjust dealings of the Jews in buying and selling; their fraud, deceit, and extortion in commerce, were sins abounding among them; as they are among that people at this day. He said moreover, This is their resemblance — Or, as the LXX. render it, This is their iniquity (reading µnw[, instead of µny[) through all the earth — Or, through all the land; that is, by this you may make an estimate of their unjust dealings all over the land. Besides the intimation given by this vision of the ephah, that the dealings of the Jews with each other were unjust, its largeness and its going forth corresponded with the iniquities that prevailed in the land, both as exceeding the ordinary measure, and also as continually increasing, so as already to have arisen to such a pitch as made it necessary to repress them. And behold there was lifted up a talent — Or, a huge mass; of lead — This seems to have been intended to denote the weight, or severity, of the judgments here threatened. And this is a woman, &c. — What thou seest besides, is a woman sitting carelessly upon the ephah, and fearing no evil. So Grotius, “super epha, superba et nihil mali metuens.” That she appeared at first sitting upon the ephah, is evident from what is said in the following words, namely, that the angel cast her into the midst of the ephah; which implies that she was not there before. And he said, This is wickedness — This woman denotes wickedness: or, this is iniquity itself, or corruption of heart, the mother or spring of thefts, perjuries, and all kind of crimes. Blayney renders it, This is the wicked one. Public states, or societies, are often represented by women, as the mothers of their people, as we see in the ancient coins. By the same analogy, corrupt societies are expressed by harlots, and women of lewd characters; so here, the corrupt state of the Jews is set forth by a wicked woman. And he cast it — Rather, he cast her, into the midst of the ephah — So the LXX., erriyen authn eiv meson tou metrou. So also the Vulgate. Newcome renders it, He cast her within the ephah, that is, (as he explains it,) “caused her to contract herself within the compass of the vessel, denoting the check given to her further progress.” And he cast the weight of lead upon the mouth thereof — That is, of the epah, ne quis esset exitus, says Grotius, that there might be no exit, or way of escape. Or to signify, that when a people have filled up the measure of their iniquities, they sink under the weight of their sins, and cannot escape the judgment of God, and that thus it should fare with the Jewish people.

Ver. 6. This is an ephah, the short bushel, that goeth forth. Exodus 29:40. The bowl of Poland, the amphora of the Romans, and this dry measure of the Hebrews were nearly alike, and adapted to labour and trade. This ephah was to be seen in the air, so magnified as to hold a woman, the feminine representative of the jewish nation. Mythology has mostly preferred a goddess as a titular deity, Pallas for Athens, and Britannia for our Island. The vision designates the merchant accumulating a fortune by various unlawful gains, and then spreading his wings to fly away from a character that will not bear inspection: but he takes with him the talent of lead at the bottom of the bushel, which sinks his soul lower than the grave.

5, 6. The interpreting angel is the first to appear. Went forth — As in Zechariah 2:3. The several visions were separated from one another by intervals of inactivity, during which the prophet meditated upon the things seen and heard. During these intervals the angel was lost sight of, but when the moment for a new vision arrived he stood forth. The expression may mean, therefore, simply that the prophet again became aware of his presence. The vision itself is presented in a manner somewhat different from the preceding. Zechariah is exhorted to look; when he does so he becomes conscious of something, but fails to understand what it is; then his companion explains. This is an ephah that goeth forth — A free translation would express the thought more clearly, “that which goeth forth (that is, appears, comes into sight) is an ephah.” It is difficult to determine the exact capacity of the ephah (see on Amos 8:5), but, speaking in general terms, it may be compared to a bushel (compare Hastings’s Dictionary of the Bible, iv, p. 912). Since a measure of the size of a bushel cannot contain a woman, the word must be used here of an ephah-shaped measure, without reference to size.

Recognizing the mysteriousness of the vision, the angel immediately proceeds to explain it. This is their resemblance through all the earth — R.V., “This is their appearance in all the land.” Of the two, R.V. is to be preferred. Much ingenuity has been expended in the interpretation of this peculiar expression. Two attempts may be mentioned. “The ephah is the shape, that is, represents the figure displayed by sinners in all the land, after the roll of the curse has gone forth over the land; that is, it shows into what condition they have come through that anathema.… Just as in a bushel the separate grains are all collected together, so will the individual sinners over the whole earth be brought into a heap, when the curse of the end goes forth over the whole earth” (Keil). A slightly different interpretation is suggested by Perowne: “This, namely, the ephah with all that you will see in the vision regarding it, is the resemblance or representation of the wicked through all the land and of what shall befall them.” These are only two out of a great number of suggested interpretations, all of which are more or less artificial and require a stretch of the text and of the imagination. The difficulty is entirely removed if we accept the LXX. reading, “their transgression,” for “their resemblance”; the whole clause, “this is their transgression in all the land.” The pronoun is explained by “in all the land,” equivalent to “the transgression of the inhabitants of all the land.” This transgression is symbolized by the ephah and its contents, though the latter have not yet been revealed to the prophet. This translation and interpretation of verses 5, 6 seem to give a satisfactory sense, though it may be admitted that the reading is not as smooth as it might be. The apparent awkwardness of the text leads Nowack and others to alter it so as to read, following Lift up now thine eyes, and see — “what is this ephah that goeth forth? And I said, What is it? And he said, That is their transgression in all the land.”

V. 7. And behold-Here is another part of this vision. Lifted up-Brought thither to cover it. A talent-A piece of lead of a talent weight, as large as the mouth of the ephah. A woman-A woman, the third in the vision. Perhaps this vision was purposely obscure, least a plain denunciation of the second overthrow of the state and temple, might discourage them from going forward in the present restoration of them.

Verses 5-8. The angel that talked with me went forth — Or rather, went on, as the verb axy often signifies; (see 2 Chronicles 21:19; Jeremiah 25:32;) and so it may signify at the end of this verse, and in the next, where it occurs again. And I said, What is it? — What does this signify, or, what thing is this? And he said, This is an ephah — An ephah was a measure containing somewhat less than our bushel, and consequently too small for a woman to sit in; we must therefore understand here a measure, in the form only of an ephah, but of a larger size, which was probably the reason why Zechariah did not know what it was: and being the measure whereby they bought and sold dry things, it seems to have been intended to denote the unjust dealings of the Jews in buying and selling; their fraud, deceit, and extortion in commerce, were sins abounding among them; as they are among that people at this day. He said moreover, This is their resemblance — Or, as the LXX. render it, This is their iniquity (reading µnw[, instead of µny[) through all the earth — Or, through all the land; that is, by this you may make an estimate of their unjust dealings all over the land. Besides the intimation given by this vision of the ephah, that the dealings of the Jews with each other were unjust, its largeness and its going forth corresponded with the iniquities that prevailed in the land, both as exceeding the ordinary measure, and also as continually increasing, so as already to have arisen to such a pitch as made it necessary to repress them. And behold there was lifted up a talent — Or, a huge mass; of lead — This seems to have been intended to denote the weight, or severity, of the judgments here threatened. And this is a woman, &c. — What thou seest besides, is a woman sitting carelessly upon the ephah, and fearing no evil. So Grotius, “super epha, superba et nihil mali metuens.” That she appeared at first sitting upon the ephah, is evident from what is said in the following words, namely, that the angel cast her into the midst of the ephah; which implies that she was not there before. And he said, This is wickedness — This woman denotes wickedness: or, this is iniquity itself, or corruption of heart, the mother or spring of thefts, perjuries, and all kind of crimes. Blayney renders it, This is the wicked one. Public states, or societies, are often represented by women, as the mothers of their people, as we see in the ancient coins. By the same analogy, corrupt societies are expressed by harlots, and women of lewd characters; so here, the corrupt state of the Jews is set forth by a wicked woman. And he cast it — Rather, he cast her, into the midst of the ephah — So the LXX., erriyen authn eiv meson tou metrou. So also the Vulgate. Newcome renders it, He cast her within the ephah, that is, (as he explains it,) “caused her to contract herself within the compass of the vessel, denoting the check given to her further progress.” And he cast the weight of lead upon the mouth thereof — That is, of the epah, ne quis esset exitus, says Grotius, that there might be no exit, or way of escape. Or to signify, that when a people have filled up the measure of their iniquities, they sink under the weight of their sins, and cannot escape the judgment of God, and that thus it should fare with the Jewish people.

7. While the interpreter was still speaking, the cover was lifted from the top of the ephah. A talent of lead — Literally, a circle; margin, “a round piece” (of lead). The ephah is pictured as round. Now the prophet beholds the contents. And this is a woman that sitteth in the midst of the ephah — If the first part of verse 7 is taken as a parenthetical clause (so R.V.), these words are a continuation of verse 6, dependent on “He said moreover.” If verse 7 is taken by itself as describing the sight which met the prophet’s eyes, a better rendering would be, “And, behold! a round piece of lead was lifted up; and (behold) this! one (lone) woman sitting in the midst of the ephah”; one woman is in apposition to this (G.-K., 136d, note). It says not “a woman,” but “one woman”; the numeral is used to indicate that nothing else was in the ephah.

V. 8. This-This woman represents the wickedness of the Jews. He cast it-The angel cast down this woman. On the mouth-And so shut her up, to suffer the punishment of all her sins.

Verses 5-8. The angel that talked with me went forth — Or rather, went on, as the verb axy often signifies; (see 2 Chronicles 21:19; Jeremiah 25:32;) and so it may signify at the end of this verse, and in the next, where it occurs again. And I said, What is it? — What does this signify, or, what thing is this? And he said, This is an ephah — An ephah was a measure containing somewhat less than our bushel, and consequently too small for a woman to sit in; we must therefore understand here a measure, in the form only of an ephah, but of a larger size, which was probably the reason why Zechariah did not know what it was: and being the measure whereby they bought and sold dry things, it seems to have been intended to denote the unjust dealings of the Jews in buying and selling; their fraud, deceit, and extortion in commerce, were sins abounding among them; as they are among that people at this day. He said moreover, This is their resemblance — Or, as the LXX. render it, This is their iniquity (reading µnw[, instead of µny[) through all the earth — Or, through all the land; that is, by this you may make an estimate of their unjust dealings all over the land. Besides the intimation given by this vision of the ephah, that the dealings of the Jews with each other were unjust, its largeness and its going forth corresponded with the iniquities that prevailed in the land, both as exceeding the ordinary measure, and also as continually increasing, so as already to have arisen to such a pitch as made it necessary to repress them. And behold there was lifted up a talent — Or, a huge mass; of lead — This seems to have been intended to denote the weight, or severity, of the judgments here threatened. And this is a woman, &c. — What thou seest besides, is a woman sitting carelessly upon the ephah, and fearing no evil. So Grotius, “super epha, superba et nihil mali metuens.” That she appeared at first sitting upon the ephah, is evident from what is said in the following words, namely, that the angel cast her into the midst of the ephah; which implies that she was not there before. And he said, This is wickedness — This woman denotes wickedness: or, this is iniquity itself, or corruption of heart, the mother or spring of thefts, perjuries, and all kind of crimes. Blayney renders it, This is the wicked one. Public states, or societies, are often represented by women, as the mothers of their people, as we see in the ancient coins. By the same analogy, corrupt societies are expressed by harlots, and women of lewd characters; so here, the corrupt state of the Jews is set forth by a wicked woman. And he cast it — Rather, he cast her, into the midst of the ephah — So the LXX., erriyen authn eiv meson tou metrou. So also the Vulgate. Newcome renders it, He cast her within the ephah, that is, (as he explains it,) “caused her to contract herself within the compass of the vessel, denoting the check given to her further progress.” And he cast the weight of lead upon the mouth thereof — That is, of the epah, ne quis esset exitus, says Grotius, that there might be no exit, or way of escape. Or to signify, that when a people have filled up the measure of their iniquities, they sink under the weight of their sins, and cannot escape the judgment of God, and that thus it should fare with the Jewish people.

8. The interpreter proceeds to explain the significance of the woman. This is wickedness — The wickedness of the whole land (verse 6) is personified in the one woman. As the cover is lifted up she begins to rise, but the angel throws her back and makes escape impossible by replacing the lid upon the mouth, that is, the opening of the ephah. Weight of lead — Literally, the stone of lead; synonymous with “round piece of lead” in verse 7.

V. 9. There came out-From the same place whence the ephah came. Their wings-They had wings, like the wings of storks, large and strong, and flew before the wind with great swiftness. The judgments came thus flying, and so bore away with them those that were incorrigible.

Verse 9. There came out two women] As the one woman represented the impiety of the Jewish nation; so these two women who were to carry the ephah, in which the woman INIQUITY was shut up, under the weight of a talent of lead, may mean the desperate UNBELIEF of the Jews in rejecting the Messiah; and that IMPIETY, or universal corruption of manners, which was the consequence of their unbelief, and brought down the wrath of God upon them. The strong wings, like those of a stork, may point out the power and swiftness with which Judea was carried on to fill up the measure of her iniquity, and to meet the punishment which she deserved. Between the earth and the heaven.] Sins against GOD and MAN, sins which heaven and earth contemplated with horror.

Or the Babylonians and Romans may be intended by the two women who carried the Jewish ephah to its final punishment. The Chaldeans ruined Judea before the advent of our Lord; the Romans, shortly after.

Verses 9-11. Then lifted I up mine eyes, &c. — Great difficulties attend the interpretation of this part of the vision, and commentators are much divided upon it. According to Calmet, the woman enclosed in the ephah denoted the iniquity of Babylon; the mass of lead which fell down upon her was the vengeance of the Lord; and the two women who lifted her up into the air were the Medes and Persians, who destroyed the empire of Babylon. Houbigant, however, observes, “that nobody has yet found out, nor ever will find out, why these women should carry the ephah into the land of Shinar, or of the Chaldees, if Shinar be understood literally, and not metaphorically. The Jews were not again carried captive into the land of the Chaldeans, after the rebuilding of the temple by Zerubbabel; nor can the Chaldeans be understood by the ephah which is carried into the land of Shinar with the woman, who abused it to fraudulent purposes; for the ephah is a Hebrew measure; and this woman, who is kept shut up in the ephah, is carried into a land not her own. Shinar will be more properly understood, as spoken metaphorically of the last captivity, under which the Jews now live; being, in the several kingdoms of the world, in the same state of servitude as they lived in under, the kings of the Chaldeans; having their dwelling everywhere, with the deceitful ephah, to denote their usury and fraud. There is no necessity to be anxious about explaining why the ephah was to be carried by two women, and not by one only, or more, for the empire of the Greeks and Romans is not denoted hereby, but two women pertain only to the parable; as it might have seemed too much for one to have carried into a distant country an ephah burdened with lead, and with a woman shut up in it.” Archbishop Newcome understands the words in this sense: considering the two women as “mere agents in the symbolical vision;” the meaning of which, he says, seems to be, “that the Babylonish captivity had happened on account of the wickedness committed by the Jews; and that a like dispersion would befall them, if they relapsed into like crimes. Thus the whole chapter would be an awful admonition that multiplied curses, and particularly that dispersion and captivity, would be the punishment of national guilt.” Blayney interprets the vision in a similar way. “These, [namely, two women,] and the other circumstances mentioned verse 9, seem to indicate nothing more particular, than that Providence would make use of quick and forcible means to effect its purpose.” Hence these women are said to have had wings like the wings of a stork; the stork, like other birds of passage, being provided with strong wings. Though the land of Shinar signifies, as he observes, the land of Babylon, (see Genesis 11:2,) yet “this does not necessarily imply that Babylon would be the scene of the next captivity; but only that the people, in case of fresh transgression, might expect another severe captivity, like that in Babylon, but of still longer duration. In this manner Egypt is used proverbially for any grievous calamity, inflicted by the judgment of God: see Deuteronomy 28:68; Hosea 8:13, and 9:3.”

Ver. 9. There came out two women, and the wind was in their wings. The LXX, “my fury was in their wings.” The woman imprisoned in the ephah was the jewish nation. The two women that bore her away to Shinar, the country about Babylon, seem to be emblematical of the double deportation of the jews; that of Jehoiakim fourteen years before that of Zedekiah, which followed after. Their wings were not like those of the eagle, but the more slow and heavy ones of the stork, the swan or the kite. The prophets were very exact and ingenious in the use of figures.— Building the house in the provinces of Babylon denotes the long duration of the captivity. Jeremiah wrote to the jews to build houses and plant gardens: Jeremiah 29:5.

Verses 9, 10 describe the removal of the ephah from the land. Then lifted I up mine eyes — This phrase introduces not a new vision, but a new phase of the same vision. Looking up from the ephah, he beholds two new figures appearing upon the scene. Two women — These women have no special symbolical significance; they appear only as the agents appointed to remove the ephah. Women are selected rather than men because a woman is in the ephah, two women because one alone could not have carried the burden. Wings — To enable the women to move more quickly, they were supplied with wings. The air would offer fewer obstacles than the land; besides, the wind of heaven might assist creatures flying through the air in their movements. Like the wings of a stork — The stork is introduced not because he is an unclean bird (Leviticus 11:19), but on account of the great size of his wings. The wind was in their wings — That they might proceed with greater swiftness. Between the earth and the heaven — That is, in the air. Thus the women began their journey. As they move away the prophet inquires where they are going, to which the angel makes answer. 11. To build it [“her”] a house — The pronoun refers primarily to the ephah, but includes the contents, the woman, for houses are built ordinarily for human beings. The building of a house implies that the stay is to be permanent. In the land of Shinar — Babylonia (Genesis 10:10; 11:2); the home of the long-time enemy of the people of God, the land of exile. Sin, which had brought serious disaster upon Judah, is to be removed to the land of the enemy, there to cause distress and destruction. That the stay is to be permanent is further indicated in the second half of the verse. R.V. is to be preferred: “and when it is prepared, she shall be set there in her own place.” When it is prepared (R.V.) — That is, the house. She shall be set there (R.V.) — The woman (and the ephah). In her own place (R.V.) — In the house erected for her use.

Verses 9-11. Then lifted I up mine eyes, &c. — Great difficulties attend the interpretation of this part of the vision, and commentators are much divided upon it. According to Calmet, the woman enclosed in the ephah denoted the iniquity of Babylon; the mass of lead which fell down upon her was the vengeance of the Lord; and the two women who lifted her up into the air were the Medes and Persians, who destroyed the empire of Babylon. Houbigant, however, observes, “that nobody has yet found out, nor ever will find out, why these women should carry the ephah into the land of Shinar, or of the Chaldees, if Shinar be understood literally, and not metaphorically. The Jews were not again carried captive into the land of the Chaldeans, after the rebuilding of the temple by Zerubbabel; nor can the Chaldeans be understood by the ephah which is carried into the land of Shinar with the woman, who abused it to fraudulent purposes; for the ephah is a Hebrew measure; and this woman, who is kept shut up in the ephah, is carried into a land not her own. Shinar will be more properly understood, as spoken metaphorically of the last captivity, under which the Jews now live; being, in the several kingdoms of the world, in the same state of servitude as they lived in under, the kings of the Chaldeans; having their dwelling everywhere, with the deceitful ephah, to denote their usury and fraud. There is no necessity to be anxious about explaining why the ephah was to be carried by two women, and not by one only, or more, for the empire of the Greeks and Romans is not denoted hereby, but two women pertain only to the parable; as it might have seemed too much for one to have carried into a distant country an ephah burdened with lead, and with a woman shut up in it.” Archbishop Newcome understands the words in this sense: considering the two women as “mere agents in the symbolical vision;” the meaning of which, he says, seems to be, “that the Babylonish captivity had happened on account of the wickedness committed by the Jews; and that a like dispersion would befall them, if they relapsed into like crimes. Thus the whole chapter would be an awful admonition that multiplied curses, and particularly that dispersion and captivity, would be the punishment of national guilt.” Blayney interprets the vision in a similar way. “These, [namely, two women,] and the other circumstances mentioned verse 9, seem to indicate nothing more particular, than that Providence would make use of quick and forcible means to effect its purpose.” Hence these women are said to have had wings like the wings of a stork; the stork, like other birds of passage, being provided with strong wings. Though the land of Shinar signifies, as he observes, the land of Babylon, (see Genesis 11:2,) yet “this does not necessarily imply that Babylon would be the scene of the next captivity; but only that the people, in case of fresh transgression, might expect another severe captivity, like that in Babylon, but of still longer duration. In this manner Egypt is used proverbially for any grievous calamity, inflicted by the judgment of God: see Deuteronomy 28:68; Hosea 8:13, and 9:3.”

Verses 9, 10 describe the removal of the ephah from the land. Then lifted I up mine eyes — This phrase introduces not a new vision, but a new phase of the same vision. Looking up from the ephah, he beholds two new figures appearing upon the scene. Two women — These women have no special symbolical significance; they appear only as the agents appointed to remove the ephah. Women are selected rather than men because a woman is in the ephah, two women because one alone could not have carried the burden. Wings — To enable the women to move more quickly, they were supplied with wings. The air would offer fewer obstacles than the land; besides, the wind of heaven might assist creatures flying through the air in their movements. Like the wings of a stork — The stork is introduced not because he is an unclean bird (Leviticus 11:19), but on account of the great size of his wings. The wind was in their wings — That they might proceed with greater swiftness. Between the earth and the heaven — That is, in the air. Thus the women began their journey. As they move away the prophet inquires where they are going, to which the angel makes answer. 11. To build it [“her”] a house — The pronoun refers primarily to the ephah, but includes the contents, the woman, for houses are built ordinarily for human beings. The building of a house implies that the stay is to be permanent. In the land of Shinar — Babylonia (Genesis 10:10; 11:2); the home of the long-time enemy of the people of God, the land of exile. Sin, which had brought serious disaster upon Judah, is to be removed to the land of the enemy, there to cause distress and destruction. That the stay is to be permanent is further indicated in the second half of the verse. R.V. is to be preferred: “and when it is prepared, she shall be set there in her own place.” When it is prepared (R.V.) — That is, the house. She shall be set there (R.V.) — The woman (and the ephah). In her own place (R.V.) — In the house erected for her use.

V. 11. To build-Not in mercy, but in judgment. Of Shinar-Of Babylon whither many of the Jews fled, and others of them were forced by the Romans. Set there-There they shall be confined without hope of release. Her own base-They are settled upon the lees of their own unbelief: their wickedness is established on its own bases.

Verse 11. To build it a house in the land of Shinar] The land of Shinar means Babylon; and Babylon means Rome, in the Apocalypse. The building the house for the woman imprisoned in the ephah may signify, that there should be a long captivity under the Romans, as there was under that of Shinar or Babylon, by which Rome may here be represented. That house remains to the present day: the Jewish woman is still in the ephah; it is set on its own base—continues still as a distinct nation; and the talent of lead—God’s displeasure—is still on the top. O Lord, save thy people, the remnant of Israel!

ZECHARIAH

Verses 9-11. Then lifted I up mine eyes, &c. — Great difficulties attend the interpretation of this part of the vision, and commentators are much divided upon it. According to Calmet, the woman enclosed in the ephah denoted the iniquity of Babylon; the mass of lead which fell down upon her was the vengeance of the Lord; and the two women who lifted her up into the air were the Medes and Persians, who destroyed the empire of Babylon. Houbigant, however, observes, “that nobody has yet found out, nor ever will find out, why these women should carry the ephah into the land of Shinar, or of the Chaldees, if Shinar be understood literally, and not metaphorically. The Jews were not again carried captive into the land of the Chaldeans, after the rebuilding of the temple by Zerubbabel; nor can the Chaldeans be understood by the ephah which is carried into the land of Shinar with the woman, who abused it to fraudulent purposes; for the ephah is a Hebrew measure; and this woman, who is kept shut up in the ephah, is carried into a land not her own. Shinar will be more properly understood, as spoken metaphorically of the last captivity, under which the Jews now live; being, in the several kingdoms of the world, in the same state of servitude as they lived in under, the kings of the Chaldeans; having their dwelling everywhere, with the deceitful ephah, to denote their usury and fraud. There is no necessity to be anxious about explaining why the ephah was to be carried by two women, and not by one only, or more, for the empire of the Greeks and Romans is not denoted hereby, but two women pertain only to the parable; as it might have seemed too much for one to have carried into a distant country an ephah burdened with lead, and with a woman shut up in it.” Archbishop Newcome understands the words in this sense: considering the two women as “mere agents in the symbolical vision;” the meaning of which, he says, seems to be, “that the Babylonish captivity had happened on account of the wickedness committed by the Jews; and that a like dispersion would befall them, if they relapsed into like crimes. Thus the whole chapter would be an awful admonition that multiplied curses, and particularly that dispersion and captivity, would be the punishment of national guilt.” Blayney interprets the vision in a similar way. “These, [namely, two women,] and the other circumstances mentioned verse 9, seem to indicate nothing more particular, than that Providence would make use of quick and forcible means to effect its purpose.” Hence these women are said to have had wings like the wings of a stork; the stork, like other birds of passage, being provided with strong wings. Though the land of Shinar signifies, as he observes, the land of Babylon, (see Genesis 11:2,) yet “this does not necessarily imply that Babylon would be the scene of the next captivity; but only that the people, in case of fresh transgression, might expect another severe captivity, like that in Babylon, but of still longer duration. In this manner Egypt is used proverbially for any grievous calamity, inflicted by the judgment of God: see Deuteronomy 28:68; Hosea 8:13, and 9:3.”