INTRODUCTION TO ZECHARIAH 5 This chapter treats of the judgments of God upon the wicked Jews for their sins and impieties, the measure of which was filled up, and of the execution of them, which are represented in two visions: the first is of a flying roll, which signifies the curse of God, and is... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN I TURNED, AND LIFT UP MINE EYES, AND LOOKED,.... The prophet turned himself from looking upon the candlestick and olive branches, having had a full and clear understanding of them, and looked another way, and saw another vision: AND BEHOLD A FLYING ROLL, a volume or book flying in the air; it... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAID UNTO ME,.... That is, the angel: WHAT SEEST THOU? AND I ANSWERED, I SEE A FLYING ROLL, THE LENGTH WHEREOF [IS] TWENTY CUBITS, AND THE BREADTH THEREOF TEN CUBITS; so that it was a very large one, a volume of a very uncommon size, especially it may so seem to us; but in other nations they... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SAID HE UNTO ME, THIS [IS] THE CURSE,.... So the law of Moses is called, because it has curses written in it, Deuteronomy 27:15 which curse is not causeless, but is according to law and justice; it is from the Lord, and is no other than the wrath of the Almighty; and, wherever it lights, it wi... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL BRING IT FORTH, SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS,.... The roll was come forth, and was flying abroad; but the curse and wrath of God, signified by it, is what God would bring forth out of his treasures, according to his purposes and declarations, and execute upon sinners; which shows the certainty of... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN THE ANGEL THAT TALKED WITH ME WENT FORTH,.... From the place where he was, and had been interpreting the vision of the flying roll, unto another more convenient for showing and explaining the following one; and, as it should seem, took the prophet along with him: AND SAID UNTO ME, LIFT UP NOW... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I SAID, WHAT [IS] IT?.... After he had lifted up his eyes and seen it, he desires to know both what it was, and what was the meaning of it: AND HE SAID, THIS [IS] AN EPHAH THAT GOETH FORTH; which was a measure much in use with the Jews, Exodus 16:36 it is the same with the "bath", and held abov... [ Continue Reading ]
AND, BEHOLD, THERE WAS LIFTED UP A TALENT OF LEAD,.... By the angel; since he is afterwards said to cast it upon the mouth of the "ephah". A cicar, or talent of silver, with the Jews, was equal to three thousand shekels, as may be gathered from Exodus 38:24 and weighed a hundred and twenty five poun... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAID, THIS [IS] WICKEDNESS,.... A representation of wicked men, who are wickedness itself, as their inward part is, Psalms 5:9 and particularly of the wicked one, the man of sin and son of perdition, the Roman antichrist and apocalyptic beast; who, though he is called by this title, "his Holi... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN LIFTED I UP MINE EYES, AND LOOKED,.... This is not a new vision, but a continuation of the former, as appears from the "ephah" seen in it: AND, BEHOLD, THERE CAME OUT TWO WOMEN; out of the same place the "ephah" did. The Targum explains these "two women" by two provinces; and Kimchi interprets... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SAID I TO THE ANGEL THAT TALKED WITH ME;.... This the prophet said after he had seen the "ephah" come forth; the woman, wickedness, cast into it, and the talent of lead upon her; and the two women lifting up the ephah between heaven and earth: WHITHER DO THESE BEAR THE EPHAH? he neither asks w... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAID UNTO ME, TO BUILD IT AN HOUSE IN THE LAND OF SHINAR,.... That is, in the province of Babylon, as the Targum paraphrases it; for Babel, or Babylon, was in the land of Shinar, Genesis 10:10 whither the Jews were carried captive, Daniel 1:2 Isaiah 11:11, and the bearing of the "ephah" thi... [ Continue Reading ]