Zechariah 5:8

And 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.

And he said {H559}, This is wickedness {H7564}. And he cast {H7993} it into the midst {H8432} of the ephah {H374}; and he cast {H7993} the weight {H68} of lead {H5777} upon the mouth {H6310} thereof.

He said, "This is Evil." He threw her down into the eifah and pressed the lead weight over its opening.

“This is Wickedness,” he said. And he shoved her down into the basket, pushing down the lead cover over its opening.

And he said, This is Wickedness: and he cast her down into the midst of the ephah; and he cast the weight of lead upon the mouth thereof.

Zechariah 5:8 is a pivotal moment in the fifth of Zechariah's eight night visions, vividly illustrating God's active stance against sin. Following the revelation that the woman inside the ephah represents "Wickedness," this verse describes the decisive action taken to contain and remove her.

Context of the Vision

This vision unfolds during a critical period for the Jewish exiles who had returned to Judah, tasked with rebuilding the temple and their society. The previous verses (Zechariah 5:5-7) introduce a large measuring basket, an ephah, with a woman sitting inside it. The angel explicitly identifies this woman as "Wickedness" (Hebrew: rish'ah), personifying the moral and spiritual corruption that had plagued Israel and led to their exile. The ephah, a common commercial measure, might also subtly allude to dishonest practices and social injustice prevalent in society, which are forms of wickedness.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Divine Judgment and Purity: The primary message is God's unwavering commitment to confront and remove wickedness from among His people and their land. The act of casting "Wickedness" back into the ephah and sealing it with a lead weight signifies a definitive and irreversible judgment.
  • Containment of Evil: The heavy lead weight serves as a powerful symbol of finality and containment. It ensures that this personified evil is not merely hidden but securely imprisoned, preventing its spread and influence. This offers a powerful assurance of God's ability to deal with sin decisively.
  • Hope for a Clean Community: For the post-exilic community, this vision offered hope. It assured them that God Himself was actively purifying the land of Judah, removing the very sins that had previously led to divine judgment and exile. This purification was essential for establishing a holy community dedicated to God.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew term for "wickedness," rish'ah (רִשְׁעָה), encompasses a broad range of moral and ethical evil, including unrighteousness, guilt, and rebellion against God's commands. Its personification as a woman makes the abstract concept of sin tangible and emphasizes its pervasive and corrupting nature. The "ephah" (Hebrew: ephah, אֵיפָה) was a standard dry measure, roughly equivalent to 22 liters. Its use here grounds the vision in everyday life, connecting abstract sin to concrete societal practices. The "weight of lead" (Hebrew: kikkar ophereth) signifies its immense heaviness and permanence, ensuring the wickedness is irrevocably sealed away.

Related Scriptures

Practical Application

Zechariah 5:8 offers profound insights for believers today. It reminds us that God is not passive concerning sin; He is actively engaged in its removal and containment. This vision encourages believers to likewise participate in putting away wickedness from their own lives and communities, recognizing that God desires a holy people. Just as "Wickedness" was sealed away, Christians are called to "put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry" (Colossians 3:5). The vision ultimately points to God's ultimate victory over all evil and His desire for a purified people.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Psalms 38:4

    For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.

  • Micah 6:11

    Shall I count [them] pure with the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights?

  • Amos 9:1

    ¶ I saw the Lord standing upon the altar: and he said, Smite the lintel of the door, that the posts may shake: and cut them in the head, all of them; and I will slay the last of them with the sword: he that fleeth of them shall not flee away, and he that escapeth of them shall not be delivered.

  • Amos 9:4

    And though they go into captivity before their enemies, thence will I command the sword, and it shall slay them: and I will set mine eyes upon them for evil, and not for good.

  • Zechariah 5:7

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

  • 1 Thessalonians 2:16

    Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.

  • Genesis 15:16

    But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites [is] not yet full.

Add TrulyRandomVerse to your Home Screen for quick access!

← Back