Zechariah 3:2-10

2 The LORD said to Satan, "1The LORD rebuke you, Satan! Indeed, the LORD who has 2chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a 3brand plucked from the fire?"
3 Now Joshua was clothed with 4filthy garments and standing before the angel.
4 He spoke and said to those who were standing before him, saying, "5Remove the filthy garments from him." Again he said to him, "See, I have 6taken your iniquity away from you and will 7clothe you with festal robes."
5 Then I said, "Let them put a clean 8turban on his head." So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments, while the angel of the LORD was standing by.
6 And the angel of the LORD admonished Joshua, saying,
7 "Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'If you will 9walk in My ways and if you will perform My service, then you will also 10govern My house and also have charge of My 11courts, and I will grant you free access among these who are standing here.

The Branch

8 'Now listen, Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who are sitting in front of you-indeed they are men who are a 12symbol, for behold, I am going to bring in My servant the 13Branch.
9 'For behold, the stone that I have set before Joshua; on one stone are 14seven eyes. Behold, I will engrave an inscription on it,' declares the LORD of hosts, 'and I will 15remove the iniquity of that land in one day.
10 'In that day,' declares the LORD of hosts, 'every one of you will invite his neighbor to sit under his 16vine and under his fig tree.' "

Zechariah 3:2-10 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ZECHARIAH 3

In this chapter, under the type of Joshua the high priest, is showed the state and condition of the priesthood, and of the church of God, in his times; and in it are various promises concerning the true High Priest, Christ, and of the efficacy and permanency of his priesthood. The vision of Joshua is in the form of a judicial process: Joshua is the person accused, and is described by his situation, standing before the Angel of the Lord; and by the filthy garments he had on, which were the ground of the charge against him, Zec 3:1,3 The accuser of him is Satan, who stood at his right hand; and his Judge is the Angel of the Lord, before whom he was, Zec 3:1. The sentence given against his accuser is by way of rebuke, enforced by the Lord's choice of Jerusalem, and merciful deliverance of this person; and, as given in his favour, is an order to take his filthy garments from him, and clothe him with change of raiment, and to put a fair mitre on his head; which were accordingly done, Zec 3:2,4,5 and a promise is made him, by way of protestation, that if he would walk in his ways, and keep his charge, he should judge his house, and keep his courts, and should have a walking place among those that stood by, Zec 3:6,7 and next Joshua, and those that were with him, are addressed as men wondered at; and are called upon to hearken to a promise of the Messiah, under the character of the Branch, Zec 3:8 and under that of a stone with seven eyes on it, and engravings in it, by whom the iniquity of God's people is removed, Zec 3:9 and the chapter is closed with an account of the prosperity, peace, and safety of the saints under the Gospel dispensation, Zec 3:10.

Cross References 16

  • 1. Mark 9:25; Jude 9
  • 2. Zechariah 2:12
  • 3. Amos 4:11; Jude 23
  • 4. Ezra 9:15; Isaiah 4:4; Isaiah 64:6
  • 5. Isaiah 43:25; Ezekiel 36:25
  • 6. Micah 7:18, 19; Zechariah 3:9
  • 7. Isaiah 52:1; Isaiah 61:10
  • 8. Job 29:14; Isaiah 3:23
  • 9. 1 Kings 3:14
  • 10. Deuteronomy 17:9, 12
  • 11. Isaiah 62:9
  • 12. Isaiah 8:18; Isaiah 20:3; Ezekiel 12:11
  • 13. Isaiah 11:1; Isaiah 53:2; Jeremiah 23:5; Jeremiah 33:15; Zechariah 6:12
  • 14. Zechariah 4:10
  • 15. Jeremiah 31:34; Jeremiah 50:20; Zechariah 3:4
  • 16. 1 Kings 4:25; Isaiah 36:16; Micah 4:4

Footnotes 3

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