King James Version
What Does Zechariah 5:10 Mean?
“Then said I to the angel that talked with me, Whither do these bear the ephah?”
Context
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.
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.
Commentary
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary**20. in his estate--**in Antiochus' stead: his successor, Seleucus Philopater, his son.
**in the glory of the kingdom--**that is, inheriting it by hereditary right. Maurer translates, "one who shall cause the tax gatherer (Heliodorus) to pass through the glory of the kingdom," that is, Judea, "the glorious land" (Da 11:16, 41; Da 8:9). Simon, a Benjamite, in spite against Onias III, the high priest, gave information of the treasures in the Jewish temple; and Seleucus having reunited to Syria Coelo-Syria and Palestine, the dowry formerly given by Antiochus the Great to Cleopatra, Ptolemy's wife, sent Heliodorus to Jerusalem to plunder the temple. This is narrated in 2 Maccabees 3:4, &c. Contrast Zec 9:8, "No oppressor shall pass through ... any more."
**within few days ... destroyed--**after a reign of twelve years, which were "few" compared with the thirty-seven years of Antiochus' reign. Heliodorus, the instrument of Seleucus' sacrilege, was made by God the instrument of his punishment. Seeking the crown, in the absence at Rome of Seleucus' only son and heir, Demetrius, he poisoned Seleucus. But Antiochus Epiphanes, Seleucus' brother, by the help of Eumenes, king of Pergamos, succeeded to the throne, 175 B.C.
**neither in anger, nor in battle--**not in a popular outbreak, nor in open battle.
Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset, David Brown. Public Domain.
Historical Context
This verse is found in the book of Zechariah. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.
Theological Significance
Zechariah 5:10 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.