Lange Commentary - Zechariah 5:1 - 5:4

Online Resource Library

Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | Download

Lange Commentary - Zechariah 5:1 - 5:4


(Show All Books | Show All Chapters)

This Chapter Verse Commentaries:

VISION 6. THE FLYING ROLL

Zec_5:1-4

A. A large Roll flying over the Land (Zec_5:1-2). B. It contains and executes a destructive Curse (Zec_5:3-4).

1      And I lifted up my eyes again, and saw, and behold a flying roll. 2And he said to me, What seest thou? And I said, I see a flying roll; its length twenty cubits and its breadth ten cubits. 3 And he said to me, This is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole land; for every one that stealeth shall be cut off on this side according to it, and every one that sweareth shall be cut off on that side, according 4to it. I have brought it forth, saith Jehovah of Hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth by my name to a falsehood, and it shall lodge in the midst of his house and consume it, both its wood and its stones.

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL

The series of visions here takes a sharp turn. All that preceded were of a consolatory character, setting forth the overthrow of Zion’s foes, the forgiveness of the people, their illumination and exaltation by the Spirit of God, and consequently the sure and speedy completion of the Temple, Now, however, the prophet is directed to show his countrymen that Jehovah is a holy God, and wickedness cannot dwell with Him. There is no toleration for sinners while they continue such. As many as still remain impenitent, or reject God’s provision of mercy, shall be visited with an exterminating judgment, or experience a captive exile far longer and more dreary even than that which their fathers had suffered in Babylon. This is set forth vividly and plainly in the two visions which follow, which, although entirely distinct in form and manifestation, yet are closely allied in subject and bearing.

The former of the two borrows the groundwork of its striking symbolism from the Mosaic Law (“curse,” “roll”), and sets forth with fearful energy the retributive consequences of sin.

(a.) The Flying Roll (Zec_5:1-2). Zec_5:1. I lifted up … again. This implies an interval, longer or shorter, since the last vision. What he saw is described fully in the next verse.

Zec_5:2. And he said. That is, the interpreting angel said, as is obvious from what precedes. “Roll”=book-scroll or parchment; of course one so large as this must have been composed of many skins fastened together. It is seen flying over the earth unrolled, so that its size could be discerned. Its dimensions are ten yards long by five broad. Some (Köhler, Henderson, et al.) consider these measurements as intended only to state that it was of considerable size. But as that could be so easily expressed in a simpler way, it is better regard the dimensions as significant. But of what? Hengstenberg, Hoffman, Umbreit, following Kimchi, assume a reference to the porch of the Temple which was of the same size (1Ki_6:3),and infer that the intention was to represent the judgment as “a consequence of the theocracy,” to which, however, it is justly objected that the temple-porch in itself had no symbolic significance, nor was it a meeting-place for Israel. Keil and Kliefoth say that the dimensions were taken from those of the holy place of the tabernacle (twenty cubits by ten), and explain, “the measure by which this curse upon sinners will be meted out will be the measure of the holy place,” i. e., it will act so as to cut them off from the congregation of the Lord which appeared before God in the holy place. I should prefer to take the dimensions as a suggestion of the scope of the impending judgment, namely, the covenant people.

(b.) Meaning of the Roll (Zec_5:3-4). Zec_5:3. This is the curse. Henderson compares our Lord’s words, “This is (represents) my body.” “The whole land,” i. e., of Israel, as the analogy of the preceding and following visions shows. The curse hovers over the entire region, ready to fall upon its destined objects. These are the thief and the false swearer, who are taken as examples, one from each table of the law; and therefore stand for all sinners. Such are to be cut off=driven out of the fellowship of God’s people, with the usual implication, in that phrase, of destruction. On this side, on that side, refer to the two sides of the roll (Exo_32:15), on one of which was the curse against one class of sinners, and on the other that against the other class. Then according to it (i. e., according to its terms) refers respectively to these two sides.

Zec_5:4. I have brought. To render this in the future, as E. V., is a needless departure from the original. God has caused it to come forth, as the prophet sees. He proceeds now to tell him what it will do. It will enter the house of the sinner, and come to stay. Lodge, literally, pass the night, and hence dwell permanently. Nor will it remain idle, but destroy until not only the contents but even the most durable parts of the house were consumed. Cf. 1Ki_18:38.

Footnotes:

Zec_5:1.—Again. For this meaning of ùׁåּá , cf. 2Ki_1:11.

Zec_5:3.— ðִ÷ָּä =emptied, exhausted, here manifestly=destroyed.

Zec_5:4.— äåֹöֵàúִéäָ cannot he rendered, “I will bring it forth.

Zec_5:4.— ìָðֶä irregular for ìָðָä . It means, to pass the night, h. abide.