Zechariah5

Zechariah beholds a vision of a large flying roll, which an angel explains represents a curse against all who steal and swear falsely, destined to consume their houses. Subsequently, he sees an ephah containing a woman, identified as wickedness, which is sealed with a lead weight. This ephah is then carried by two winged women to the land of Shinar, where it is to be established.

The Vision of the Flying Scroll

1
Then again I lifted up my eyes, and saw, and behold, a flying scroll. ​
2
He said to me, “What do you see?” I answered, “I see a flying scroll; its length is twenty cubits, and its breadth ten cubits.” ​
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. ​
4
I will cause it to go out,” says the LORD of Hosts, “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 midst of his house, and will destroy it with its timber and its stones.” ​

The Vision of the Woman in the Ephah

5
Then the angel who talked with me came forward, and said to me, “Lift up now your eyes, and see what is this that is appearing.”
6
I said, “What is it?” He said, “This is the efah basket that is appearing.” He said moreover, “This is their appearance in all the land ​
7
(and behold, a talent of lead was lifted up); and this is a woman sitting in the midst of the efah basket.” ​
8
He said, “This is Wickedness”; and he threw her down into the midst of the efah basket; and he threw the weight of lead on its mouth. ​
9
Then lifted I 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 efah basket between earth and the sky. ​
10
Then I said to the angel who talked with me, “Where are these carrying the efah basket?”
11
He 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.” ​

Study Notes for Zechariah 5

Verse 1

The 'flying roll' (or scroll) likely represents a divine decree or the written Mosaic Law. Its appearance signifies the swift and comprehensive nature of God's judgment against covenant breakers.

Verse 2

The dimensions (20 cubits long, 10 cubits wide—approximately 30 x 15 feet) are immense. These dimensions may intentionally mirror the porch or the Holy Place of the Temple, suggesting the judgment is weighty and covers the area of God's dwelling/people.

Verse 3

This scroll is identified as the 'curse' promised in the Law (Deut. 27–28). Stealing (violation of human relationships) and false swearing (violation of relationship with God) represent the two major categories of covenant transgression being addressed in the post-exilic community.

Verse 4

The judgment is portrayed as an active, consuming force that enters the house itself. This emphasizes that God’s curse is unavoidable and brings total destruction to the sinner’s dwelling, symbolizing the removal of sin and its effects from the land.

Verse 6

An *ephah* was a standard dry measure, often used in commerce. Here, it likely symbolizes economic life and perhaps the accumulation of unjust gain, indicating that the wickedness being judged involves commercial corruption.

Verse 7

A heavy 'talent of lead' is used to seal the ephah. The woman inside personifies the moral corruption. The lead ensures that the wickedness is contained and cannot escape before its removal from the land.

Verse 8

The woman is explicitly named 'Wickedness' (Hebrew *rish'ah*). This vision concerns the definitive and physical separation of moral corruption from the purified community of Judah.

Verse 9

The two women, possibly angelic agents, have stork-like wings, suggesting rapid movement. The stork was an unclean bird (Lev. 11:19), fitting for agents carrying away impurity and sin.

Verse 11

Shinar is the ancient name for Babylon (Gen. 10:10), the traditional source of idolatry and opposition to God. Relocating wickedness there symbolizes the definitive separation of sin from the restored holy community in Jerusalem, returning sin to its origin.

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