Zechariah 5:7

7 And, behold, there was lifted up a talent[a] of lead: and this is a woman that sitteth in the midst of the ephah.

Zechariah 5:7 Meaning and Commentary

Zechariah 5:7

And, behold, there was lifted up a talent of lead
By the angel; since he is afterwards said to cast it upon the mouth of the "ephah". A cicar, or talent of silver, with the Jews, was equal to three thousand shekels, as may be gathered from ( Exodus 38:24-26 ) and weighed a hundred and twenty five pounds F1; or, as others, a hundred and twenty F2, and, according to the more exact account of Dr. Arbuthnot, a hundred and thirteen pounds, ten ounces, one pennyweight, and ten and two seventh grains of our Troy weight. A Babylonish talent, according to Aelianus F3, weighed seventy two Attic pounds; and an Attic mina, or pound, weighed a hundred drachmas; so that it was of the weight of seven thousand two hundred such drachmas. An Alexandrian talent was equal to twelve thousand Attic drachmas; and these the same with a hundred and twenty five Roman libras or pounds; which talent is supposed to be the same with that of Moses. The Roman talent contained seventy two Italic minas, which were the same with the Roman libras {d}. But since the Hebrew word "cicar" signifies anything plain, and what is extended like a cake, as Arias Montanus observes F5, it may here intend a plate of lead, which was laid over the mouth of the "ephah", as a lid unto it; though indeed it is afterwards called (trpwe Nba) , "a stone of lead", and so seems to design a weight. And this [is] a woman that sitteth in the midst of the ephah;
who, in ( Zechariah 5:8 ) , is called "wickedness"; and here represented by a "woman", because, say some, the woman was first in the transgression; or rather because sin is flattering and deceitful, and draws into the commission of it, and so to ruin: and this woman, wickedness, intends wicked men; all the wicked among the Jews, and even all the wicked of the world; who sit in the "ephah", very active and busy in filling up the measure of their sins, and where they sit with great pleasure and delight; very openly and visibly declare their sin, as Sodom, and hide it not; in a very proud and haughty manner, with great boldness and impudence, and in great security, without any concern about a future state, promising themselves impunity here and hereafter. This woman is a very lively emblem of the whore of Rome, sitting as a queen upon many waters; ruling over kings and princes; living deliciously, and in great ease and pleasure filling up the measure of her sins. Kimchi interprets this woman of the ten tribes, who wickedly departed from God, and were as one kingdom.


FOOTNOTES:

F1 Epiphanius de Mensuris & Ponderibus.
F2 Hebraei apud Buxtorf. Lex. Heb. in rad. (rkk) .
F3 Var. Hist. l. 1. c. 22.
F4 See Prideaux's Preface to Connexion vol. 1. p. 18, 19, &c.
F5 Ephron, sive de Siclo, prope finem.

Zechariah 5:7 In-Context

5 Then the angel that talked with me went forth, and said unto me, Lift up now thine eyes, and see what is this that goeth forth.
6 And I said, What is it? And he said, This is an ephah that goeth forth. He said moreover, This is their resemblance through all the earth.
7 And, behold, there was lifted up a talent of lead: and this is a woman that sitteth in the midst of the ephah.
8 And he said, This is wickedness. And he cast it into the midst of the ephah; and he cast the weight of lead upon the mouth thereof.
9 Then lifted I up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came out two women, and the wind was in their wings; for they had wings like the wings of a stork: and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heaven.

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. talent: or, weighty piece
The King James Version is in the public domain.