Focused Passage

Zechariah 5:5-11

The Flying Scroll and Wickedness Removed

From a flying scroll of covenant curse, to judgment entering the houses of thieves and false swearers, to wickedness shut in a basket and carried to Shinar, the chapter shows that the LORD’s restored community must be cleansed from covenant-breaking sin.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

5Then the angel who was speaking with me came forward and told me, “Now lift up your eyes and see what is approaching.”

6“What is it?” I asked. And he replied, “A measuring basket is going forth.” Then he continued, “This is their iniquity in all the land.”

7And behold, the cover of lead was raised, and there was a woman sitting inside the basket.

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

9Then I lifted up my eyes and saw two women approaching, with the wind in their wings. Their wings were like those of a stork, and they lifted up the basket between heaven and earth.

10“Where are they taking the basket?” I asked the angel who was speaking with me.

11“To build a house for it in the land of Shinar,” he told me. “And when it is ready, the basket will be set there on its pedestal.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 5

Original words

Then the angelהַמַּלְאָ֖ךְH4397Article | Noun - masculine singularwho was speakingהַדֹּבֵ֣רH1696Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularwith meבִּ֑יPreposition | first person common singularcame forwardוַיֵּצֵ֕אH3318Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularand toldוַיֹּ֣אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularmeאֵלַ֔יH413Preposition | first person common singularNowנָ֤אH4994Interjectionlift upשָׂ֣אH5375Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularyour eyesעֵינֶ֙יךָ֙H5869Noun - cdc | second person masculine singularand seeוּרְאֵ֔הH7200Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularwhatמָ֖הH4100Interrogative-הַזֹּֽאת׃H2063Article | Pronoun - feminine singularis approachingהַיּוֹצֵ֥אתH3318Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular
Verse 6

Original words

Whatמַה־H4100Interrogativeis itהִ֑יאH1931Pronoun - third person feminine singularI askedוָאֹמַ֖רH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singularAnd he repliedוַיֹּ֗אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular-זֹ֤אתH2063Pronoun - feminine singularA measuring basketהָֽאֵיפָה֙H374Article | Noun - feminine singularis going forthהַיּוֹצֵ֔אתH3318Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singularThen he continuedוַיֹּ֕אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularThisזֹ֥אתH2063Pronoun - feminine singularis their iniquityעֵינָ֖םH5869Noun - common singular construct | third person masculine pluralin allבְּכָל־H3605Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructthe landהָאָֽרֶץ׃H776Article | Noun - feminine singular

BSB notes

  • Or An ephah
  • One Hebrew manuscript, LXX, and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts their appearance or (literally) their eye
Verse 7

Original words

And beholdוְהִנֵּ֛הH2009Conjunctive waw | Interjectionthe coverכִּכַּ֥רH3603Noun - feminine singular constructof leadעֹפֶ֖רֶתH5777Noun - feminine singularwas raisedנִשֵּׂ֑אתH5375Verb - Nifal - Participle - feminine singular. . .וְזֹאת֙H2063Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - feminine singularand there wasאַחַ֔תH259Number - feminine singulara womanאִשָּׁ֣הH802Noun - feminine singularsittingיוֹשֶׁ֖בֶתH3427Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singularinsideבְּת֥וֹךְH8432Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructthe basketהָאֵיפָֽה׃H374Article | Noun - feminine singular
Verse 8

Original words

Thisזֹ֣אתH2063Pronoun - feminine singularis Wickednessהָרִשְׁעָ֔הH7564Article | Noun - feminine singularhe saidוַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙H559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularAnd he shoved her downוַיַּשְׁלֵ֥ךְH7993Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular-אֹתָ֖הּH853Direct object marker | third person feminine singularintoאֶל־H413Preposition. . .תּ֣וֹךְH8432Noun - masculine singular constructthe basketהָֽאֵיפָ֑הH374Article | Noun - feminine singularpushing downוַיַּשְׁלֵ֛ךְH7993Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthe leadהָעֹפֶ֖רֶתH5777Article | Noun - feminine singularcoverאֶ֥בֶןH68Noun - feminine singular constructoverאֶל־H413Prepositionits openingפִּֽיהָ׃סH6310Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Verse 9

Original words

Then I liftedוָאֶשָּׂ֨אH5375Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singularup my eyesעֵינַ֜יH5869Noun - cdc | first person common singularand sawוָאֵ֗רֶאH7200Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular. . .וְהִנֵּה֩H2009Conjunctive waw | Interjectiontwoשְׁתַּ֨יִםH8147Number - fdwomenנָשִׁ֤יםH802Noun - feminine pluralapproachingיֽוֹצְאוֹת֙H3318Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine pluralwith the windוְר֣וּחַH7307Conjunctive waw | Noun - common singularin their wingsבְּכַנְפֵיהֶ֔םH3671Preposition-b | Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine pluralTheirוְלָהֵ֥נָּהConjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Pronoun - third person feminine pluralwingsכְנָפַ֖יִםH3671Noun - fdwere like thoseכְּכַנְפֵ֣יH3671Preposition-k | Noun - feminine plural constructof a storkהַחֲסִידָ֑הH2624Article | Noun - feminine singularand they lifted upוַתִּשֶּׂ֙אנָה֙H5375Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthe basketהָ֣אֵיפָ֔הH374Article | Noun - feminine singularbetweenבֵּ֥יןH996Prepositionheavenהַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃H8064Article | Noun - masculine pluralandוּבֵ֥יןH996Conjunctive waw | Prepositionearthהָאָ֖רֶץH776Article | Noun - feminine singular
Verse 10

Original words

Whereאָ֛נָהH575Interrogativeare theyהֵ֥מָּהH1992Pronoun - third person masculine pluraltakingמֽוֹלִכ֖וֹתH1980Verb - Hifil - Participle - feminine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthe basketהָאֵיפָֽה׃H374Article | Noun - feminine singularI askedוָאֹמַ֕רH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular. . .אֶל־H413Prepositionthe angelהַמַּלְאָ֖ךְH4397Article | Noun - masculine singularwho was speakingהַדֹּבֵ֣רH1696Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularwith meבִּ֑יPreposition | first person common singular
Verse 11

Original words

To buildלִבְנֽוֹת־H1129Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructa houseבַ֖יִתH1004Noun - masculine singularfor itלָ֥הֿPreposition | third person feminine singularin the landבְּאֶ֣רֶץH776Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular constructof Shinarשִׁנְעָ֑רH8152Noun - proper - feminine singularhe toldוַיֹּ֣אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularmeאֵלַ֔יH413Preposition | first person common singularAnd when it is readyוְהוּכַ֛ןH3559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hofal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularthe basket will be setוְהֻנִּ֥יחָהH5117Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hofal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singularthereשָּׁ֖םH8033Adverbonעַל־H5921Prepositionits pedestalמְכֻנָתָֽהּ׃סH4369Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular

BSB notes

  • That is, Babylonia

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.