Zechariah Chapter 5 — Visions of the Scroll and the Basket
Zechariah sees a flying scroll of judgment against dishonesty and a woman representing wickedness being transported to the land of Shinar.
1Then again I lifted up my eyes and saw, and behold, a flying scroll.
2He said to me, “What do you see?”
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 the LORD 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?”
7and behold, a lead cover weighing one talent‡A talent is about 30 kilograms or 66 pounds. was lifted up—and there was a woman sitting in the middle of the ephah§1 ephah is about 22 liters or about 2/3 of a bushel 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.”
WEB Translation
Notable Verses
Zechariah 5:3
“Then 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.”
This verse establishes the scroll as a divine instrument of justice against specific moral failings within the community.
Zechariah 5:8
“He 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.”
This vivid imagery personifies wickedness and shows it being contained and prepared for removal from the people's presence.
Chapter Summary
In Zechariah Chapter 5, the prophet records two distinct visions centered on the purification of the land. First, he sees a massive flying scroll, which an angel explains is a curse upon those who steal or swear falsely by God’s name. This scroll enters the homes of the dishonest to bring complete destruction, signifying that individual sins have real consequences. In the second vision, Zechariah sees an ephah basket containing a woman identified as 'Wickedness.' A heavy lead cover is placed over the basket to keep her inside, and two winged women carry it away between the earth and the sky. The angel explains they are taking the basket to the land of Shinar to build a permanent house for it. This symbolizes the physical removal of sin and corporate guilt from the community of Israel, relocating it to a distant place so the land can be made holy.
Frequently Asked Questions
The flying scroll represents a divine curse or judgment that goes out over the entire land. It specifically targets those who steal and those who swear falsely by God's name, signifying that moral and religious integrity are required of the community as they rebuild.
The angel identifies the woman in the basket as 'Wickedness.' She represents the collective sin and rebellion of the people, which is being gathered up and sealed away so it can be removed from the land.
The basket is carried by two winged women to the land of Shinar, a region often associated with Babylon. The text states it is taken there to have a permanent house built for it, symbolizing the total removal of evil from Israel's borders to a place far away.
Study Note
The dimensions of the flying scroll in this chapter (twenty cubits by ten cubits) match the dimensions of the porch of Solomon’s Temple.
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