✝
← Bible
ARCBLIVREKJVVBL

Zechariah 5

KJV · Chapter 5/14

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

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

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

4I 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.

5Then the angel that talked with me went forth, and said unto me, Lift up now thine eyes, and see what is this that goeth forth.

6And 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.

7And, behold, there was lifted up a talent of lead: and this is a woman that sitteth in the midst of the ephah.

8And 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.

9Then lifted I up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came out two women, and the wind was in their wings; for they had wings like the wings of a stork: and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heaven.

10Then said I to the angel that talked with me, Whither do these bear the ephah?

11And he said unto me, To build it an house in the land of Shinar: and it shall be established, and set there upon her own base.

📖 Chapter study

Summary

Zechariah sees two visions of the land's purification: a great flying scroll that represents the curse against thieves and liars, and a basket (ephah) containing the personification of wickedness being carried away to the land of Shinar.

Explanation

The flying scroll, of enormous dimensions (about nine by four meters), symbolizes a universal judicial curse that reaches both those who steal and those who swear falsely, showing that God cares as much about integrity in business dealings as He does about the sincerity of spoken words. The second vision, of the ephah (a grain measure) with a woman named 'Wickedness' being carried off to Shinar (the region of ancient Babylon), symbolizes the definitive removal of systemic sin from the promised land to its place of spiritual origin. Together, these visions prepare the moral ground for the purification necessary before the complete restoration of Jerusalem. The application for today: a community's true spiritual restoration includes both the active removal of sin and a commitment to honesty in everyday dealings.

Fun facts

  • Shinar is the ancient biblical name for the region where Babylon stood, first mentioned in Genesis 11 as the site of the Tower of Babel — using it here as the destination of 'Wickedness' creates a symbolic link between humanity's original sin of pride and the exile Judah had just endured.
  • The measurements of the scroll (twenty by ten cubits) correspond exactly to the dimensions of the porch of Solomon's temple (1 Kings 6:3), suggesting a symbolic connection between the curse on sin and the temple's own sacred space.

Verse-by-verse explanation

  1. Zechariah 5:1Fifth vision: an enormous flying scroll (about thirty feet by fifteen) representing a curse striking anyone who steals or swears falsely — the law circulating physically over the land as a visible judgment.
  2. Zechariah 5:2The scroll measures about thirty feet by fifteen — an enormous size for a scroll, reinforcing that the curse written on it reaches gigantic proportions.
  3. Zechariah 5:3The scroll's curse is written on both sides, one against thieves and the other against those who swear falsely — the two crimes that most corrode trust in a small, post-exilic community.
  4. Zechariah 5:4This curse does not stay on paper: it will literally enter the house of the thief and of the one who swears falsely, destroying the whole structure, timber and stones.
  5. Zechariah 5:5The angel draws the prophet's attention to a new scene coming into view — the sixth vision of the series.
  6. Zechariah 5:6The 'ephah' was a common grain measure used in trade; here, according to the angel, it represents the wickedness spreading through the whole land, visible to everyone.
  7. Zechariah 5:7The lead cover is lifted, revealing a woman sitting inside the measure itself — a strange scene that is only explained in the following verse.
  8. Zechariah 5:8Sixth vision: a woman representing 'wickedness' is placed inside a grain measure (an ephah) and sealed with a weight of lead — a strange personification of sin being forcibly contained.
  9. Zechariah 5:9Two women with wings like the wings of a stork appear, carrying the ephah between heaven and earth — messengers assigned to remove this personified wickedness from among the people.
  10. Zechariah 5:10The prophet asks where they are taking the container with the wickedness inside, seeking to understand the final destination of this symbolic removal.
  11. Zechariah 5:11'The land of Shinar' is another name for the region of Babylon; carrying the wickedness there symbolizes sending evil back to where it came from, removing it from the land of Judah.

Chapters

1234567891011121314

Our apps

Our apps →

Bible in Stories

The Bible told as a story, with audio and videos.

📱 Get the app

World in Stories

True stories of humanity that sound made up.

App StoreGoogle Play

Feito! Pequenas Vitórias

A light daily routine for people who lose track of the day.

App StoreGoogle Play