Zechariah 3–5

1He showed me Joshua the high priest standing before Yahweh’s angel, and Satan standing at his right hand to be his adversary.

2Yahweh said to Satan, “Yahweh rebuke you, Satan! Yes, Yahweh who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Isn’t this a burning stick plucked out of the fire?”

3Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and was standing before the angel.

4He answered and spoke to those who stood before him, saying, “Take the filthy garments off him.” To him he said, “Behold, I have caused your iniquity to pass from you, and I will clothe you with rich clothing.”

5I said, “Let them set a clean turban on his head.” So they set a clean turban on his head, and clothed him; and Yahweh’s angel was standing by.

6Yahweh’s angel solemnly assured Joshua, saying,

7“Yahweh of Armies says: ‘If you will walk in my ways, and if you will follow my instructions, then you also shall judge my house, and shall also keep my courts, and I will give you a place of access among these who stand by.

8Hear now, Joshua the high priest, you and your fellows who sit before you, for they are men who are a sign; for, behold, I will bring out my servant, the Branch.

9For, behold, the stone that I have set before Joshua: on one stone are seven eyes; behold, I will engrave its inscription,’ says Yahweh of Armies, ‘and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.

10In that day,’ says Yahweh of Armies, ‘you will invite every man his neighbor under the vine and under the fig tree.’”

1The angel who talked with me came again and wakened me, as a man who is wakened out of his sleep.

2He said to me, “What do you see?” I said, “I have seen, and behold, a lamp stand all of gold, with its bowl on the top of it, and its seven lamps on it; there are seven pipes to each of the lamps which are on the top of it;

3and two olive trees by it, one on the right side of the bowl, and the other on the left side of it.”

4I answered and spoke to the angel who talked with me, saying, “What are these, my lord?”

5Then the angel who talked with me answered me, “Don’t you know what these are?” I said, “No, my lord.”

6Then he answered and spoke to me, saying, “This is Yahweh’s word to Zerubbabel, saying, ‘Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says Yahweh of Armies.

7Who are you, great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you are a plain; and he will bring out the capstone with shouts of ‘Grace, grace, to it!’”

8Moreover Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,

9“The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house. His hands shall also finish it; and you will know that Yahweh of Armies has sent me to you.

10Indeed, who despises the day of small things? For these seven shall rejoice, and shall see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. These are Yahweh’s eyes, which run back and forth through the whole earth.”

11Then I asked him, “What are these two olive trees on the right side of the lamp stand and on the left side of it?”

12I asked him the second time, “What are these two olive branches, which are beside the two golden spouts that pour the golden oil out of themselves?”

13He answered me, “Don’t you know what these are?” I said, “No, my lord.”

14Then he said, “These are the two anointed ones who stand by the Lord of the whole earth.”

1Then again I lifted up my eyes and saw, and behold, a flying scroll.

2He said to me, “What do you see?” I answered, “I see a flying scroll; its length is twenty cubits, and its width ten cubits.”

3Then he said to me, “This is the curse that goes out over the surface of the whole land, for everyone who steals shall be cut off according to it on the one side; and everyone who swears falsely shall be cut off according to it on the other side.

4I will cause it to go out,” says Yahweh of Armies, “and it will enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him who swears falsely by my name; and it will remain in the middle of his house, and will destroy it with its timber and its stones.”

5Then the angel who talked with me came forward and said to me, “Lift up now your eyes and see what this is that is appearing.”

6I said, “What is it?” He said, “This is the ephah basket that is appearing.” He said moreover, “This is their appearance in all the land—

7and behold, a lead cover weighing one talent was lifted up—and there was a woman sitting in the middle of the ephah basket.”

8He said, “This is Wickedness;” and he threw her down into the middle of the ephah basket; and he threw the lead weight on its mouth.

9Then I lifted up my eyes and saw, and behold, there were two women; and the wind was in their wings. Now they had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the ephah basket between earth and the sky.

10Then I said to the angel who talked with me, “Where are these carrying the ephah basket?”

11He said to me, “To build her a house in the land of Shinar. When it is prepared, she will be set there in her own place.”