Zecharyah 5:5-11

5 Then the malach that spoke with me came forward, and said unto me, Lift up now thine eyes, and see what is this that cometh into view.

6 And I said, What is it? And he said, This is the eifah (measuring basket) going out. He said moreover, This is their [i.e., that of ganavim and perjurors] appearance throughout kol ha’aretz.

7 And, hinei, there was lifted up a lead cover; and there was an isha (woman) yoshevet (sitting) inside the eifah (measuring basket)!

8 And he said, This is HaRishah (The Wickedness). And he pushed her inside the eifah; and he pushed the lead cover over the mouth of the eifah.

9 Then lifted I up mine eyes, and looked, and, hinei, there came forth two nashim (women), and the ruach (wind) was in their kenafayim (wings); for they had kenafayim (wings) like the kenafayim of a stork: and they lifted up the eifah between ha’aretz and HaShomayim.

10 Then said I to the malach that spoke with me, Whither are these taking the eifah?

11 And he said unto me, To build it a bais [i.e., ziggurat] in Eretz Shinar (Babylon); and it is shall be placed there and set upon its own base.

Zecharyah 5:5-11 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ZECHARIAH 5

This chapter treats of the judgments of God upon the wicked Jews for their sins and impieties, the measure of which was filled up, and of the execution of them, which are represented in two visions: the first is of a flying roll, which signifies the curse of God, and is described by its measure, the length being twenty cubits, and the breadth ten; and by the extent of it, it reaching to the whole earth, and particularly to thieves and false swearers, who shall be cut off by it; and by the certainty of its coming into the houses of such, and the utter desolation it should there make, Zec 5:1-4 and the other is the vision of an ephah, and a woman sitting in it, and a talent of lead cast upon the mouth of it, which signified wickedness, Zec 5:5-8 this "ephah" is seen to be lifted up between earth and heaven by two women, who are said to have wings like the wings of storks, and the wind to be in them; and who are said by the angel to carry the "ephah" into the land of Shinar, to build it a house, that it might be established and settled upon its own base, Zec 5:9-11.