A FLYING SCROLL AND A WOMAN IN A BASKET
Key verse: 3,4
NIV
The Flying Scroll
5 I looked again, and there before me was a flying scroll.(A)
2 He asked me, “What do you see?”(B)
I answered, “I see a flying scroll, twenty cubits long and ten cubits wide.[a]”
3 And he said to me, “This is the curse(C) that is going out over the whole land; for according to what it says on one side, every thief(D) will be banished, and according to what it says on the other, everyone who swears falsely(E) will be banished. 4 The Lord Almighty declares, ‘I will send it out, and it will enter the house of the thief and the house of anyone who swears falsely(F) by my name. It will remain in that house and destroy it completely, both its timbers and its stones.(G)’”
The Woman in a Basket
5 Then the angel who was speaking to me came forward and said to me, “Look up and see what is appearing.”
6 I asked, “What is it?”
He replied, “It is a basket.(H)” And he added, “This is the iniquity[b] of the people throughout the land.”
7 Then the cover of lead was raised, and there in the basket sat a woman! 8 He said, “This is wickedness,” and he pushed her back into the basket and pushed its lead cover down on it.(I)
9 Then I looked up—and there before me were two women, with the wind in their wings! They had wings like those of a stork,(J) and they lifted up the basket between heaven and earth.
10 “Where are they taking the basket?” I asked the angel who was speaking to me.
11 He replied, “To the country of Babylonia[c](K) to build a house(L) for it. When the house is ready, the basket will be set there in its place.”(M)
Footnotes
- Zechariah 5:2 That is, about 30 feet long and 15 feet wide or about 9 meters long and 4.5 meters wide
- Zechariah 5:6 Or appearance
- Zechariah 5:11 Hebrew Shinar
Cross references
- Zechariah 5:1 : S Ps 40:7; S Jer 36:4; Rev 5:1
- Zechariah 5:2 : S Jer 1:13
- Zechariah 5:3 : Isa 24:6; 34:2; 43:28; Mal 3:9; 4:6
- Zechariah 5:3 : Ex 20:15; Mal 3:8
- Zechariah 5:3 : Ex 20:7; Isa 48:1
- Zechariah 5:4 : Zec 8:17
- Zechariah 5:4 : Lev 14:34-45; S Pr 3:33; S Hab 2:9-11; Mal 3:5
- Zechariah 5:6 : Mic 6:10
- Zechariah 5:8 : Mic 6:11
- Zechariah 5:9 : Lev 11:19
- Zechariah 5:11 : S Ge 10:10
- Zechariah 5:11 : Jer 29:5, 28
- Zechariah 5:11 : S Da 1:2
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
A Vision of a Flying Scroll
5 Again I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, a flying (A)scroll! 2 And he said to me, “What do you see?” I answered, “I see a flying (B)scroll. Its length is twenty cubits, and its width ten cubits.”[a] 3 Then he said to me, “This is (C)the curse that goes out over the face of the whole land. For everyone who (D)steals shall be cleaned out according to what is on one side, and everyone who (E)swears falsely[b] shall be cleaned out according to what is on the other side. 4 I will send it out, declares the Lord of hosts, and it shall enter the house of the thief, and the house of (F)him who swears falsely by my name. And (G)it shall remain in his house and (H)consume it, both timber and stones.”
A Vision of a Woman in a Basket
5 (I)Then the angel who talked with me came forward and said to me, (J)“Lift your eyes and see what this is that is going out.” 6 And I said, “What is it?” He said, “This is (K)the basket[c] that is going out.” And he said, “This is their iniquity[d] in all the land.” 7 And behold, the leaden cover was lifted, and there was a woman sitting in the basket! 8 And he said, “This is Wickedness.” And he thrust her back into the basket, and thrust down (L)the leaden weight on its opening.
9 Then I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, two women coming forward! (M)The wind was in their wings. They had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the basket between earth and heaven. 10 Then I said to the angel who talked with me, “Where are they taking the basket?” 11 He said to me, “To the (N)land of Shinar, to build a house for it. And when this is prepared, they will set the basket down there on its base.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Zechariah 5:2 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters
- Zechariah 5:3 Hebrew lacks falsely (supplied from verse 4)
- Zechariah 5:6 Hebrew ephah; also verses 7–11. An ephah was about 3/5 bushel or 22 liters
- Zechariah 5:6 One Hebrew manuscript, Septuagint, Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts eye
Cross references
- Zechariah 5:1 : Jer. 36:2, 28
- Zechariah 5:2 : [See ver. 1 above]; Jer. 36:2, 28
- Zechariah 5:3 : [Jer. 29:18; Ezek. 2:9, 10]; See Deut. 29:27
- Zechariah 5:3 : See Ex. 20:15
- Zechariah 5:3 : Ex. 20:7; [Eccles. 5:2]
- Zechariah 5:4 : ch. 8:17; Lev. 19:12; Mal. 3:5
- Zechariah 5:4 : Prov. 3:33
- Zechariah 5:4 : [Lev. 14:45]
- Zechariah 5:5 : ch. 1:9
- Zechariah 5:5 : [ver. 1, 9; ch. 6:1]
- Zechariah 5:6 : [Ezek. 45:11]
- Zechariah 5:8 : [See ver. 6 above]; [Ezek. 45:11]
- Zechariah 5:9 : [Hos. 4:19]
- Zechariah 5:11 : See Gen. 11:2
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. The flying scroll (1-4)
Many people deliberately hindered the construction of the temple. These people had not shared in the captivity. They were full of lies and deceit. The vision of the flying scroll is a warning to those who have no truth in their hearts. It was a bold, clear message from God that God's curse is on those who lie, steal, or oppose the work of God by deceit. God's word would cleanse the land of such unrighteousness. God's word--whether a promise of blessing or curse--accomplishes the purpose for which it is sent.
2. The woman in a basket (5-11)
The woman in the basket represented the iniquity of the people who dwelt in the land. The basket of wickedness would be carried away to Babylon. So the land would be cleansed.
Prayer: Lord, don't let me be discouraged by those who oppose your work. Purge my heart and lips of all deceit and let your word dwell in me.
One Word: God will defeat his enemies
