1.
Then I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a flying roll.
(1) Then I turned . . . eyes.—Better, And I again lifted up my eyes. (Comp. Zechariah 4:1.)
Flying roll.—A scroll floating in the air. The form of the vision seems to be suggested by Ezekiel 2:9-10. LXX., omitting the final ah of the word for “scroll,” render δρέπανον, “sickle.”
2.
And he said unto me, What seest thou? And I answered, I see a flying roll; the length thereof is twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof ten cubits.
(2) He.—The angel-interpreter. (Comp. Zechariah 5:5.)
The length . . . and the breadth . . .—These were the dimensions of the holy place of the Mosaic Tabernacle, also of the porch of Solomon’s Temple. If, then, we are to consider the measurement of the scroll as symbolical, we may regard it as indicating that the measure of the sanctuary is the measure of sin: that is, the sinner must not say, “I am not worse than my neighbour,” but should measure his conduct by the standard: “Become ye holy, for I am holy” (Leviticus 11:44; comp. Matthew 5:48).
3.
Then said he unto me, This is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth: for every one that stealeth shall be cut off as on this side according to it; and every one that sweareth shall be cut off as on that side according to it.
(3) The whole earth.—Better, the whole land: viz., of Israel.
For every one . . . on this side . . . on that side according to it—i.e., according to the curse written on this side and on that side of the scroll. But the Hebrew will hardly bear this interpretation. Koehler proposes to render, instead of “on this side” and “on that side,” “from hence” in both cases—viz., from the land. (Comp. Exodus 11:1). But the contrast, which is evidently implied here, precludes this interpretation. We prefer to render, For every one that stealeth, on the one hand, shall, in accordance therewith, be certainly destroyed; and every one that sweareth [falsely], on the other hand, shall, in accordance therewith, be certainly destroyed. Thieves are mentioned as a specimen of sinners against the second table of the Decalogue: viz., as false to man; and false swearers as sinners against the first table: viz., as false to God.
4.
I will bring it forth, saith the LORD of hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name: and it shall remain in the midst of his house, and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof.
(4) It.—The curse, as borne on the scroll.
Bring forth.—As it were, from His treasure-house, where all pre-ordained events are stored up (Deuteronomy 32:34-35).
And shall consume it.—In Herodotus (Book vi:86) there is an interesting parallel to this verse. A Milesian had deposited with Glaucus a sum of money on trust. When the sons of the depositor came to claim it, Glaucus consulted the oracle of Delphi whether he might perjure himself and keep the money. The priestess told him that it was best for the present to do as he desired, for that death was the common lot of the honest and the dishonest. “Yet,” added she, “Oath hath a son, nameless, handless, footless, but swift he pursues, until he seize and destroy the whole race and house.”
5.
Then the angel that talked with me went forth, and said unto me, Lift up now thine eyes, and see what is this that goeth forth.
(5) Angel . . . went forth.—The first scene of the vision disappears, and with it, apparently, the angel-interpreter, who now “went forth,” i.e., appeared again (see Note on Zechariah 2:3); so, too, “that goeth forth” means, that emerges from the region of the invisible into that of the visible.
6.
And I said, What is it? And he said, This is an ephah that goeth forth. He said moreover, This is their resemblance through all the earth.
(6) What is it?—i.e., What does it symbolise? For, of course, he could see that it was an ephah.
This is an ephah . . . all the earth.—Better, This, the ephah that cometh forth, this, continued he, is their resemblance throughout the whole lands: i.e., this is a symbol of the sinners mentioned above. (For “resemblance” the LXX., by the change of one letter, read iniquity.) The nature of the comparison is seen by some to be as follows. As in an ephah the separate grains are all collected together, so will the individual sinners over the whole length and breadth of the land be brought into one confused heap. (Comp. Matthew 13:30.) It is not mentioned till later that they are to be carried away.
7.
And, behold, there was lifted up a talent of lead: and this is a woman that sitteth in the midst of the ephah.
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.
9.
Then lifted I up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came out two women, and the wind was in their wings; for they had wings like the wings of a stork: and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heaven.
(9) Behold . . .—Here commences the third scene of the vision. We need not enter into the minute details of the verse, as they are, probably, introduced merely to give greater distinctness to the picture. (Comp. Note on Zechariah 1:8.) The wings of the woman seem, however, to be represented as filled with the wind to enable them to carry their burden with greater ease and velocity through the air. The prophet, perhaps, borrowed his imagery from some of the grotesque figures he had seen in Babylon.
10.
Then said I to the angel that talked with me, Whither do these bear the ephah?
11.
And he said unto me, To build it an house in the land of Shinar: and it shall be established, and set there upon her own base.
(11) Land of Shinar.—Where mankind had first organised a rebellion against God (Genesis 12:2); it was also the land of the Captivity of the Jews (Babylonia).
This vision is a circumstantial symbolisation of the promise given in Zechariah 3:9 : “I will remove the iniquity of the land in one day.” While it is a promise of the remission of the punishment of their iniquity (for in Hebrew, “iniquity” often means punishment), it serves also as an exhortation to the returned exiles to leave in Babylon the iniquity which had been the cause of their being transported thither.