Zacarias 5

Zacarias 5

Pink - First, the prophet sees as “ephah” (or bath) which was the largest measure for dry goods among the Jews. It would, therefore, be the natural symbol for Commerce. Next, we note that twice over it is said that the ephah “goeth forth” (Zec. 5:5, 6). As the whole of the preceding visions concern Jerusalem and her people, this can only mean that the center of Jewish commerce is to be transferred from Palestine elsewhere. Next, we are told that there was a “woman” concealed in the midst of the ephah (Zec. 5:7). We say “concealed,” for in Zec. 5:5 and Zec. 5:6 the “woman” is not seen - the leaden cover (cf. Zec. 5:8) had to be lifted before she could be beholden. The writer (A W PINK) is satisfied that this hidden woman in the ephah is “the Woman” which is fully revealed in Revelation 17+ and Revelation 18+. Next, we are told that “wickedness” (lawlessness) was cast into the ephah, before its cover was closed again. Then, in what follows, we are shown this ephah, with the “woman” and “wickedness” shut up therein, being rapidly conveyed from Palestine to “the land of Shinar” (Zec. 5:11). The purpose for this is stated to be, “to build a house,” i.e. a settled habitation. Finally, we are assured, “it shall be established, and set there (in the land of Shinar) upon her own base.” This vision or prophecy contains the germ which is afterwards expanded and developed in such detail in Rev. 17+ and Rev 18+, where it is shown that “the house” which is established for this system of commerce is “Babylon the great.” (See Antichrist and Babylon.) Related Resource: The Shinar Effect - Dr Anthony Garland Zechariah 5:6 I said, “What is it?” And he said, “This is the ephah going forth.” Again he said, “This is their appearance in all the land Eze 44:10,11 Am 8:5 ANGEL DESCRIBES THIS AS AN EPHAH I said, “What is it?” And he said, “This is the ephah going forth.”- An ephah refers to a basket. " NET NOTE - An ephah was a liquid or solid measure of about a bushel (five gallons or just under twenty liters). By metonymy it refers here to a measuring container (probably a basket) of that quantity. Wycliffe Bible Commentary - The ephah was the largest measure in use among the Jews. It is employed here to symbolize the appearance of the wicked in the land; as grains are brought together in a measure, so the ungodly of the land will be gathered together for final disposition. (BORROW The Wycliffe Bible Commentary) Again he said, “This is their appearance in all the land - Other translations are easier to understand - NIV = "This is the iniquity of the people throughout the land." The English of the Septuagint reads " And I said, What is it? And he said, This is the measure that goes forth. And he said, This is their iniquity in all the earth" NET NOTE - The LXX and Syriac read ('avonam, "their iniquity," so NRSV; NIV similar) for the MT ('enam, "their eye"), a reading that is consistent with the identification of the woman in v. 8 as wickedness, but one that is unnecessary. In 4:10 the "eye" represented divine omniscience and power; here it represents the demonic counterfeit. Zechariah 5:7 (and behold, a lead cover was lifted up); and this is a woman sitting inside the ephah.” a lead cover was lifted up, Isa 13:1 15:1 22:11 this is a woman sitting inside the ephah Jer 3:1,2 Eze 16:1-63 23:1-49 Ho 1:1-3:5 Rev 17:1-18 A WOMAN IN THE BASKET (and behold, a lead cover was lifted up); and this is a woman sitting inside the ephah.” - The cover was lifted so Zechariah could see the contents. From the context, this was not a real woman but was a personification of sin and evil. QUESTION - Why is wickedness portrayed as a woman in Zechariah 5:7-8? ANSWER - One of the prophet Zechariah’s visions is of a measuring basket with a lead cover. In Zechariah 5:7-8 he writes, “Then the cover of lead was raised, and there in the basket sat a woman! [The angel] said, ‘This is wickedness,’ and he pushed her back into the basket and pushed the lead cover down over its mouth.” Why would God use a woman to portray wickedness in this vision? Here are a couple of things to consider: first, the Hebrew word translated “wickedness” is a feminine noun. As such, using feminine imagery throughout this section would be appropriate, from a purely grammatical standpoint. While the English language does not typically speak of non-living objects as male or female, other languages often do. For example, we would refer to “evil” as an “it”: “Evil, it is a negative thing.” In Spanish, however, evil is a masculine noun, el mal, and would be referred to as “he”: “Evil, he is a negative thing.” Likewise, in Hebrew, wickedness, is a feminine noun, referred to as “she.” Second, the use of “woman” in verse 7 parallels the mention of “two women” in verse 9. The woman in the basket represented widespread wickedness (verse 6); after the prophet sees what’s inside, two women pick up the basket and fly away with it to Babylonia, where it finds a home (5:11). The basket’s destination also gives us a clue as to the presence of a woman in Zechariah’s vision: Babylon is the name of the evil world system in the final days. Revelation 17 pictures this system as a woman, called “the great prostitute” (verse 1). So, the woman in Zechariah’s vision is let out of the basket in order to ride the scarlet beast in John’s vision. In other words, the wickedness that was previously kept in check will be unconfined and wreaking havoc in the last days. In summary, the entity in the basket is a woman for grammatical reasons and also for consistency with later prophecies. Other passages symbolize worldwide sin with similar imagery; for example, Revelation pictures the spiritual adultery of the last days as a prostitute. Thus, Zechariah’s prophecy dovetails nicely with John’s apocalyptic vision of the future. Zechariah 5:8 Then he said, “This is Wickedness!” And he threw her down into the middle of the ephah and cast the lead weight on its opening. This is Wickedness: Ge 15:16 Mt 23:32 1Th 2:16 cast the lead weight : Zec 5:7 Ps 38:4 Pr 5:22 La 1:14 Am 9:1-4 A BASKET OF WICKEDNESS Then he said, “This is Wickedness!” - The woman in the ephah symbolized wickedness. The Septuagint translates wickedness with anomia which means a general state of wrong and thus lawlessness, wickedness, iniquity (e.g., "sin is lawlessness" 1Jn 3:4). THOUGHT - Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could throw "wickedness" into a basket and put a heavy lead cover over it? That's of course rhetorical, but in a sense is that not what Jesus did for us on the Cross when He bore our sins in His body (1 Peter 2:24+) and broke the yoke of the power of sin (Ro 6:11+)? That's also rhetorical! And, beloved of God (1Th 1:4+) the best is yet to come, because in that great coming day when we are glorified, the basket will not only be eternally covered, it will not even be present! Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved (and daily saves) a wretch like me from the havoc wreaked by wickedness in my life. And dear Father by the Spirit of the Living God, enable us daily to "put wickedness in the basket," continually "putting to death the deeds of the body, (so that we) will live." (Ro 8:13+) Thank You Jesus for so great a salvation (Heb 2:3+). Amen. And he threw her down into the middle of the ephah and cast the lead weight on its opening - Why does the angel throw her down? Clearly she is trying to escape! Figuratively trapping the woman/wickedness in the basket so it would not get out. Wickedness (07564)(rishah) - The feminine form of the noun rasha', "guilt," rishʿāh seems to be used in a more abstract and general sense of "wickedness" and "guilt" (Deut. 9:4; Prov. 11:5). In Deut. 25:2, rishʿāh refers to the guilt for a specific crime of an individual. Ezekiel 18:20 uses it of the practices of a person who is not living according to the covenantal law of the Lord. TWOT (ONLINE) - Guilt, wickedness. This feminine noun appears fifteen times, mostly in the abstract sense of wickedness or act of wickedness. Moses explained to his people that the wickedness of Canaan was the reason Israel could enter Canaan. The conquest was to be a judgment, not a demonstration of Israel's greatness (Deut. 9:4-5). Moses also told the civil judges to beat those who commited rishʿâ. Twice the wise men contrasted rishʿâ with righteousness (Proverbs 11:5; Proverbs 13:6). In Malachi 3:15 those who do wickedly are said to be arrogant enemies of God (cf. Ezekiel 5:6) with dire results (see Isaiah 9:18; Malachi 1:4; Malachi 4:1). An angel showed Zech. a woman (wickedness) trapped in an ephah. Ezekiel 18, 30 also sets forth the alternatives facing man. A person may turn to rishʿâ and die, or turn from it to God and live. Baker - A feminine noun meaning wickedness, guilt. This word for immorality refers to a wide range of evil. It indicates a crime worthy of punishment (Deut. 25:2); the unrestrained evil that lurks in the human heart (Isa. 9:18[17]); the vileness of surrounding enemies (Mal. 1:4); the breach of a religious expectation (Mal. 4:1[3:19]); or an unlawful act in general (Ezek. 33:19). (The Complete Word Study Dictionary – Old Testament) Strong's adds "1) wickedness, guilt 1a) wickedness (in civil relations) 1b) wickedness (of enemies) 1c) wickedness (ethical and religious). Rishah - 14v - evildoer*(1), guilt(1), wickedly(1), wickedness(11). Deut. 9:4; Deut. 9:5; Deut. 25:2; Prov. 11:5; Prov. 13:6; Isa. 9:18; Ezek. 5:6; Ezek. 18:20; Ezek. 18:27; Ezek. 33:12; Ezek. 33:19; Zech. 5:8; Mal. 3:15; Mal. 4:1 Lead (05777) ophereth - Possibly a loanword from Sumerian (NIDOTTE) that is unrelated to the Hebrew root ʿāphar (HED #6311), the noun ʿōphereth refers to "lead." It is mentioned in biblical contexts with other metals (Num. 31:22; Ezek. 22:18, 20; 27:12). It also refers to a lead cover (Zech. 5:7) or weight (Exo. 15:10; Zech. 5:8), and it denotes lead in a state of flux (Jer. 6:29). Finally, it refers to lead that was poured into engravings made with an iron pen on a rock. The lead made the record more imperishable than merely engraving the rock with a pen (Job 19:24). (Complete Biblical Library Hebrew-English Dictionary – Nun-Ayin) Baker adds on opherah (operet) - A feminine noun referring to lead. It indicates a heavy metal. It was a scarce but useful metal (Ezek. 27:12). It was used as a weight (Zech. 5:8). It is used figuratively of the way the Egyptians sank in the Red Sea, like lead (Ex. 15:10). It was used in some engraving processes (Job 19:24). It is used figuratively of the impurity of God's people (Jer. 6:29). It needed to be heated to remove its dross, as did God's people (Ezek. 22:18; 22:20). Complete Word Study Dictionary, The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary – Old Testament. Opherah - 9v - lead (9x) - Exod. 15:10; Num. 31:22; Job 19:24; Jer. 6:29; Ezek. 22:18; Ezek. 22:20; Ezek. 27:12; Zech. 5:7; Zech. 5:8 Zechariah 5:9 Then I lifted up my eyes and looked, and there two women were coming out with the wind in their wings; and they had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heavens. and they had wings like the wings: De 28:49 Da 9:26,27 Ho 8:1 Mt 24:28 WOMEN TRANSPORT THE EPHAH Then I lifted up my eyes and looked, and there two women were coming out with the wind in their wings; and they had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heavens - God "airlifts" the woman "wickedness" using two winged women. Note that wings of a stork refer to an unclean bird. NET NOTE - Here two women appear as the agents of the LORD because the whole scene is feminine in nature. The Hebrew word for "wickedness" in v. 8 is grammatically feminine, so feminine imagery is appropriate throughout. David Baron (see below) thinks the wickedness that was removed was idolatry - Idolatry, into which they were so liable to fall, was forever left behind in Babylon; but a godless commercialism, with its temptations " to make the ephah small and the shekel great, and to deal falsely with balances of deceit" (Amos viii. 5), eventually becomes not less hateful to God not only because it has too often been supported by theft and perjury, which, as we have seen, are transgressions of the central commands of both tables of the Law, but because it was destined to develop a new system in which all iniquity would finally be summed up." Zechariah 5:10 I said to the angel who was speaking with me, “Where are they taking the ephah?” I said to the angel who was speaking with me, “Where are they taking the ephah - Zechariah desires to know the destination of basket of "wickedness." Zechariah 5:11 Then he said to me, “To build a temple for her in the land of Shinar; and when it is prepared, she will be set there on her own pedestal.” Then he said to me: De 28:59 Jer 29:28 Ho 3:4 Lu 21:24 in the land of Shinar: Ge 10:10 11:2 14:1 Isa 11:11 Da 1:2 Related Passages: Genesis 10:8-11+ Now Cush became the father of Nimrod; he became a mighty one on the earth. 9He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; therefore it is said, “Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the LORD.” The beginning of his kingdom was Babel and Erech and Accad and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. 11 From that land he went forth into Assyria, and built Nineveh and Rehoboth-Ir and Calah, Genesis 11:2+ It came about as they journeyed east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. A TEMPLE FOR THE WOMAN WICKEDNESS IN SHINAR Then he said to me, “To build a temple for her in the land of Shinar - NET - "To build a temple for her in the land of Babylonia." Temple is bayith which refers to a fixed, established structure made from some kind of material and can mean house. It is often coupled with And when it is prepared, she will be set there on her own pedestal - NIV = "When it is ready, the basket will be set there in its place." Henry