Zechariah 5:1-8

1 Then I turned, and lifted up mine eyes and looked, and behold, a flying scroll.

2 And he said unto me, "What seest thou?" And I answered, "I see a flying scroll. The length thereof is twenty cubits and the breadth thereof ten cubits."

3 Then said he unto me, "This is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth; for every one who stealeth shall be cut off as on this side according to it, and every one who sweareth shall be cut off as on that side according to it.

4 `I will bring it forth,' saith the LORD of hosts, `and it shall enter into the house of the thief and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by My name. And it shall remain in the midst of his house and shall consume it, with the timber thereof and the stones thereof.'"

5 Then the angel who 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 weighty piece of lead, and this is a woman who 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.

Zechariah 5:1-8 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.