Zechariah 5

The sixth vision of the flying roll verse 1, &c and the seventh of a woman sitting in the Epha, 5, &c. sinifying the punishments, which God would bring upon his disobedient people and which he would turn from his penitent people upon the enemies of his church and that they should remain upon them forever.

1. And I lifted up mine eyes again, [Heb. And I returned, and lifted up mine eyes; which, according to our mannaer of speaking, is the same we read in the text] and I saw, and behold, a flying roll; [which flew swiftly all the kand over, that the curse would come suddenly. By the roll is meant a certain writing rolled up, wherein stood written the judgements of God upon thieves and abusers of his name in swearing falsely: of the word roll, see Isaiah 8:1 and Ezekiel 2:10. and Luke 4:17.]

2. And he [viz. the angel of the LORD, that spake with me before, see chapter 1.8, 9.] said to me; what seeth thou? And I said, I see a flying roll whose length is of twentie ells, and its breadth of ten ells. [the great length and breadth of this roll, signifieth the great number of sins the people commited, and the great and lasting punishments, which God would inflict upon them. Compare Deut. 27 and 28 and Lev. 26.]

3. Then he said unto me, this is the curse, [i.e. in this roll the curse is described, which is ready to come upon the whole land] which shall go forth all the land over; [understand the land of Judea: or, over all the earth; understanding it of universal judgements on all the land] for, everyone that stealeth, shall be cut off hence, according to the same (curse) also every one that sweareth (falsely) [this word is inserted here from verse 4 the sense requiring it] shall be cut off from hence, according to the same curse [oth. Everyone that stealeth shall be cut off, as (it is written) on the one side of (the roll) and everyone that sweareth falsely shall be cut off, (as it is written) on the other side (of the wall) under these two sorts of grosse sins, the rest are comprehended & understood. Oth. All thieves are cut off hence, viz. out of this country according to this (roll) or everyone that stealeth holds himself guiltless, namely, by colouring his evil practices, being so impudent in justifying the same, as if God had never known anything of it: sinning thereby both against the first and second table of the law: which is exemplified in the two sins here named.]

4. I bring forh this (curse) saith the LORD of hostes, [implying that God would punish the sins of his people, according to their desert] that it shall come into [or, upon, or unto] the house, and into the house of him that sweareth falsely [Heb. For (or in) falsehood] by my name; and it shall lodge [or, remain] in the midst of his house [both the thieves and him that sweareth falsely] and it shall consume the same, with the wood thereof and with the stones thereof: [i.e. so utterly destroy and ruine the same, that there shall nothing remain entire. Compare Deuteronomy 28:30. at. 24.2. Luke 19:44.]

5. And the angel that spake with, [Or in] me, went forth [viz. from among the troop of the horsemen, that were behind him, as chapter 1. verse 8.] and said to me; lift up thine eyes now, and behold what this is, that cometh forth; [i.e. is represented to thee in a vision. Here the provident governing of God is described: as verse 6.]

6. And I said; what is that? And he said, this is an Epha [a certain measure of dry wares, see the annotate. On Exodus 16:36. here it signifies, according to some, the measure, or proportion of Gods judgements, whereby he punisheth the sines he said. This is the eye upon them in all the land. [Heb. This is their eye in all the land. i.e this is the eye that observeth them, whithersoever they move or turn themselves. By the eye must be understood here, the providence and care of God: as above chapter 3 verse 9. & chapter 4.10 and below chapter 9.1. otherwise this is the eye i.e the face, shape, or condition of all the Land.]

7. And behold, a plate of lead was lift up [Or, was elevated, or brought on, hereby is signified the heavy and insupportable judgement of God against the Jews] and there was a woman, sitting in the midst of the Epha.

8. And he said, this is the wickedness, [i.e. this woman represents the wicked people among the Jews, or the wicked members in the church, who are cooped, kept and sealed thus for the judgement of God, spoken of immediately after] and [or, when] he cast her [viz. the woman] into the midst of the Epha: and he cast the leaden weight [or lamp of lead. Heb. The stone of lead; understand such a lump of lead, as was flat and broad, so made that it just sitted for a cover upon the Epha] upon the mouth thereof, [to wit, of the Epha, so that the wickedness was, as it were, close shut up and kept therein, intimating, that the wicked should not be able to escape the judgement of God.]

9. And I lift up mine eyes and I saw, and behold, two women came forth, [by the one woman, some conceive, should be understood the mercy of God toward his people; and by the other, his severe Justice against their enemies. Both these woman take up the Epha, that is the punishment for sin, from the people of God, and carry the same into the enemies country, that those punishments may remain upon their necks] and winde was in their wings, and they had wings, as the wings of a stork: and they carried the Epha between the earth and between the heaven. [this denotes, that when the time is come once wherein God execute his judgements then the same shall be done forwith, speedily, without delay.]

10. Then said I to the angel that spake with me; whither do they carry the Epha?

11. And he said to me; for to build her an house in the land of sinear: [that is, in the land of Babylon. See Genesis 10:10 and 11.2. implying, that the punishment were constantly to abide upon the enemies] that it may be established and settled there, upon her foundation. [hereby is intimated, that under the idolatarious and vile Babylonians, both the wicked Jews and all impious people besides, are to be comprehended and punished accordingly altogether.]