What is the meaning of Zechariah 5?

Introduction to Zechariah 5

Zechariah 5 presents two remarkable visions that dramatically illustrate God’s commitment to holiness and justice. The chapter opens with the vision of a flying scroll, representing divine judgment against theft and false swearing, followed by the striking image of a woman in a basket being transported to Shinar (Babylon). These visions, while initially mysterious, carry profound implications about God’s plan to purge sin from His people and establish righteousness in preparation for the Messianic age.

Context of Zechariah 5

The fifth chapter of Zechariah appears in a series of eight night visions (Zechariah 1:7-6:15) that the prophet received in 519 BCE. These visions came at a crucial time when the Jewish people had returned from Babylonian exile and were rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem. The previous chapters focused on God’s promises of restoration and the rebuilding of the Temple, while chapter 5 shifts to address the moral and spiritual cleansing necessary for true restoration.

Within the broader biblical narrative, this chapter connects to themes found throughout Scripture regarding God’s hatred of sin and His commitment to establishing righteousness. The flying scroll vision echoes the tablets of the Law given to Moses, while the woman in the basket being taken to Babylon presents a powerful image of God removing wickedness from His people, foreshadowing themes that would later be developed in Revelation 17-18.

Ancient Key Word Study

• מְגִלָּה (megillah) – “Flying scroll”: This term carries significance beyond just a rolled document. In ancient Hebrew culture, scrolls were sacred objects containing God’s authoritative word. The flying nature suggests divine origin and universal jurisdiction, much like the scroll in Ezekiel 2:9-10.
• אָלָה (alah) – “Curse”: This powerful Hebrew word denotes a covenant-breaking curse, not just a simple malediction. It’s the same term used in Deuteronomy 29:19-20 for breaking God’s covenant.
• גָנַב (ganab) – “Steal”: Beyond physical theft, this term encompasses all forms of deception and dishonesty, including stealing through false business practices or withholding what belongs to God.
• שֶׁקֶר (sheqer) – “False”: This word represents not just lying but a fundamental opposition to truth and God’s character. It appears frequently in wisdom literature to describe those who oppose God’s ways.
• אֵיפָה (ephah) – “Basket”: A standard measure of grain (about 22 liters), symbolizing commerce and daily transactions. Its use here suggests judgment on economic injustice.
• שִׁנְעָר (Shinar) – “Babylonia”: This ancient name for Babylon carries historical weight, representing the archetypal place of human pride and rebellion against God since Genesis 11:2.
• עֹפֶרֶת (opheret) – “Lead”: The heavy metal covering symbolizes containment and permanent sealing, ensuring wickedness remains confined.
• רִשְׁעָה (rishah) – “Wickedness”: Personified as a woman, this term represents all forms of moral evil that oppose God’s righteous standard.

Compare & Contrast

• Verse 2’s specific measurements of the scroll (20 cubits by 10 cubits) mirror the dimensions of the Holy Place in Solomon’s Temple porch, suggesting divine authority and judgment emanating from God’s sanctuary. The choice of these precise measurements rather than rounded numbers emphasizes the connection to Temple worship.
• Verse 3’s pairing of theft and false swearing represents violations of both tablets of the Ten Commandments – crimes against man (theft) and God (false swearing). The Hebrew construction emphasizes both vertical and horizontal relationships.
• Verse 4’s description of the curse entering houses uses the verb “lodge” (לָנָה), suggesting permanent residence rather than temporary visitation. This specific word choice emphasizes the thoroughness and finality of divine judgment.
• Verse 6’s “ephah” could have been any container, but this specific measurement vessel was chosen to emphasize corruption in commercial dealings, a major theme in prophetic literature.
• Verse 7’s lead cover (כִּכַּר עֹפֶרֶת) uses terminology that echoes the Temple’s sacred metalwork, suggesting a divine sealing of judgment.
• Verse 9’s two women with wings like storks presents a unique image in Scripture. The Hebrew word for stork (חֲסִידָה) shares its root with חֶסֶד (chesed/lovingkindness), creating a striking contrast with their mission of removing wickedness.
• Verse 11’s mention of Shinar rather than Babylon emphasizes the ancient nature of human rebellion, connecting to Genesis 11 and the Tower of Babel.

Zechariah 5 Unique Insights

The flying scroll’s dimensions (20 by 10 cubits) exactly match the size of the Holy Place in Solomon’s Temple porch, suggesting that divine judgment proceeds from the very presence of God. This architectural correlation would have been immediately recognized by the original audience, conveying that God’s judgment is as precise and measured as His sanctuary’s dimensions.

Ancient Jewish commentary in the Talmud (Sanhedrin 37a) notes that the woman in the ephah represents the yetzer hara (evil inclination) being removed from Israel. This interpretation aligns with the prophetic hope of national purification and the promise in Ezekiel 36:26 of God removing the heart of stone and giving His people a heart of flesh.

The imagery of two women with stork wings carries deep significance in ancient Near Eastern symbolism. While some interpreters have seen these as agents of evil, the Hebrew word for stork (חֲסִידָה) shares its root with חֶסֶד (chesed/lovingkindness), suggesting these may be agents of divine mercy carrying away wickedness. This paradoxical image illustrates how God’s judgment can simultaneously demonstrate His mercy.

Zechariah 5 Connections to Yeshua

The flying scroll’s judgment against sin prefigures the Messiah’s role as the righteous judge. Yeshua’s cleansing of the Temple (John 2:13-22) demonstrates His commitment to purifying worship and commerce, directly paralleling the themes in Zechariah’s vision.

The removal of wickedness to Babylon foreshadows the Messiah’s ultimate victory over evil systems opposed to God’s kingdom. This theme finds its culmination in Revelation 18, where Babylon (representing systemic evil) falls through divine judgment, preparing the way for the New Jerusalem.

Zechariah 5 Scriptural Echoes

The vision connects powerfully to earlier scriptural themes:

• The flying scroll recalls the tablets of the Law (Exodus 32:15-16)
• The ephah basket echoes Amos’s visions of corrupt commerce (Amos 8:4-6)
• Shinar links to humanity’s first organized rebellion against God (Genesis 11:2)
• The woman in the basket prefigures apocalyptic imagery in Revelation 17-18

This chapter also anticipates future scriptural themes:

• The purification of God’s people (Malachi 3:2-3)
• The removal of wickedness from God’s presence (Revelation 20:11-15)
• The establishment of perfect justice (Isaiah 9:7)

Zechariah 5 Devotional

This chapter challenges us to examine our own lives in light of God’s holiness. The flying scroll reminds us that God’s Word actively judges our thoughts and actions, particularly in areas of truthfulness and integrity. We must ask ourselves: Are we living honestly in all our dealings, both with God and others?

The vision of wickedness being removed to Shinar encourages us that God is actively working to separate His people from sin. Just as He provided atonement through Yeshua, He continues to sanctify us, removing wickedness from our midst. This should give us hope in our daily battle against sin, knowing that God’s plan includes not just forgiveness but complete purification.

Did You Know

• The dimensions of the flying scroll (20 by 10 cubits) would make it approximately 30 feet long by 15 feet wide, making it an imposing sight in Zechariah’s vision.
• The ephah basket mentioned was the largest standard measure in ancient Israel, equivalent to about 22 liters or 5.8 gallons.
• Storks were considered clean birds in Jewish law and were known for their faithfulness to their young, making their appearance in this vision particularly significant.
• The lead weight mentioned weighs approximately 75 pounds, emphasizing the permanence of wickedness’s containment.
• Shinar (Babylon) was located in modern-day Iraq, about 50 miles south of Baghdad.
• The two women with wings flying at “wind speed” suggests supernatural intervention in the removal of wickedness.
• Ancient Jewish tradition saw the ephah vision as a promise that the tendency to idolatry would be permanently removed from Israel.
• The flying scroll’s curse against theft and false swearing particularly targeted sins that were difficult to prosecute in human courts.
• The Hebrew word for “wickedness” (רִשְׁעָה) appears in feminine form, explaining its personification as a woman in the vision.
• The vision of the ephah being taken to Babylon reverses the historical flow of exile, suggesting God’s control over the forces that once punished Israel.