Zechariah 3

Zechariah · Chapter 3

Zechariah 3:1

1And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.2And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?3Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.4And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.5And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD stood by.6And the angel of the LORD protested unto Joshua, saying,7Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by.8Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH.9For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall be seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.10In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, shall ye call every man his neighbour under the vine and under the fig tree.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
1And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.Then the angel showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, with Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him.And he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of Jehovah, and Satan standing at his right hand to be his adversary.

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

This verse opens one of the eight night visions Zechariah received (1:7-6:8). Joshua the high priest stands before the angel of the LORD, and Satan stands at his right hand to accuse him. The LORD at once rebukes Satan, takes away Joshua's filthy garments, and declares his iniquity removed. Zechariah 3:1Zechariah 3:2Zechariah 3:3Zechariah 3:4Zechariah overview

SpeakingZechariah reports what "he shewed me." The one showing him the vision is not named in this verse. Zechariah 3:1Strong's H7200GZechariah overview

ToThe people of Judah back from exile in Babylon, with their leaders Zerubbabel and Joshua the high priest. Zechariah overview

Also involvedJoshua, the high priest after the return from exile, also called Jeshua in Ezra. Through him the vision speaks of the iniquity of the whole land being removed. Strong's H3091JZechariah 3:1Zechariah 3:9

In a vision, Joshua stands before the angel of the LORD, and Satan stands at his right hand to oppose and accuse him. Joshua is clothed in filthy garments, which verse 4 links to his iniquity. The LORD rebukes the accuser and gives Joshua clean clothes and a fair mitre, a priest's headdress. Zechariah 3:1Zechariah 3:2Zechariah 3:3Zechariah 3:4Zechariah 3:5Strong's H7853

Zechariah received his messages in Jerusalem among the returned exiles. The scene itself is a vision of Joshua standing before the angel of the LORD. Zechariah overviewZechariah 3:1

JUDAHMediterranean SeaJerusalemTyreSidonDamascusHamath 1GazaAshdodMegiddo

The eventsThe vision belongs to Zechariah's night visions. His dated messages fall in the second to fourth years of Darius king of Persia, about 520-518 BC, while the temple was being rebuilt. Zechariah overview

WrittenTraditional: Zechariah wrote it, about 520-518 BC. Scholarly: most scholars agree chapters 1-8, which include this verse, come from Zechariah in 520-518 BC. Zechariah overview

HereThe vision assures the returned people that their high priest, and so their worship, can be cleansed and accepted. God answers the accuser, keeps Joshua as "a brand plucked out of the fire," and promises to remove the land's iniquity in one day. Zechariah 3:2Zechariah 3:4Zechariah 3:7Zechariah 3:9Zechariah overview

In the whole of ScriptureScripture often shows Satan as an accuser who comes before the LORD (Job 1:6; 2:1), standing at a man's right hand (Psalm 109:6), and seeking to sift and devour God's people (Luke 22:31; 1 Peter 5:8). Revelation 12:10 shows the end of that work: "the accuser of our brethren is cast down." Here the chapter also points ahead to "my servant the BRANCH." Job 1:6Job 2:1Psalms 109:6Luke 22:311 Peter 5:8Revelation 12:10Zechariah 3:8

For readersThe accuser's charges are real, for Joshua's garments are truly filthy. Yet the outcome rests on the LORD who chose Jerusalem, not on Joshua's own cleanness. God himself removes the iniquity and clothes his servant anew. Zechariah 3:2Zechariah 3:3Zechariah 3:4

Christians read this differently

The text does not settle who "the angel of the LORD" is. In verse 2 "the LORD" speaks, and the lexicon lists "the theophanic angel" (an appearing of God) as one sense of the word. So some read the angel as the LORD himself appearing, and many Christians see the pre-incarnate Christ; others read him as a created angel who speaks for the LORD. Zechariah 3:1Zechariah 3:2Strong's H4397H

  • to resist himשָׂטַן
    Hebrew · sa.tan · H7853

    The lexicon glosses this verb as "to accuse him" and defines it as "to be or act as an adversary, resist, oppose." So Satan stands at Joshua's right hand as an opponent bringing a charge against him, which is the scene verse 2 answers. Strong's H7853Zechariah 3:2

  • Satanבְּלִיַּ֫עַל
    Hebrew · be.liy.ya.al · H7854

    Here the word is glossed "and the accuser." It fits the scene of a charge brought against Joshua, and Revelation 12:10 names "the accuser of our brethren, which accused them before our God." Strong's H7854Revelation 12:10

  • angelמַלְאָךְ
    Hebrew · ma.le.akh · H4397H

    The word means "messenger, representative." Its senses include "angel" and "the theophanic angel," an angel in whom God appears. Joshua stands before this figure, and verse 2 has the LORD speaking in the scene. Strong's H4397HZechariah 3:1Zechariah 3:2

Takeaway

Satan stands to accuse God's priest, but he does not have the last word. The LORD rebukes him, takes away the filthy garments, and removes the iniquity. Zechariah 3:1Zechariah 3:2Zechariah 3:4

Drafted by AI from the Scripture and data shown under “Show sources,” then checked automatically and by a second AI pass. Updated 2026-10-28.

The world around the text

Behind this verse

Joshua the high priest, high priest
Called Jeshua in Ezra. He stands in Zechariah's vision clothed in filthy garments, which are taken away, and later receives crowns as a sign. Zechariah 3:1-10Zechariah 6:11Haggai 1:1Ezra 3:2

About 520-518 BC. King of Persia: Darius I (522-486 BC). Where Zechariah prophesied. A small, poor community was rebuilding the temple among the ruins of the city Babylon had burned.

Who ruled
  • King of PersiaDarius I522-486 BC

    Zechariah dates his messages by the years of Darius. Darius confirmed Cyrus's decree and ordered the temple work to go on at royal expense. Zechariah 1:1Zechariah 7:1Ezra 6:1-12Haggai 1:1Behistun Inscription

  • Governor of JudahZerubbabelc. 520 BC

    A descendant of David who led the rebuilding. "The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it." Zechariah 4:6-10Haggai 1:1Ezra 3:8

  • High priestJoshua the high priestc. 520 BC

    Called Jeshua in Ezra. He stands in Zechariah's vision clothed in filthy garments, which are taken away, and later receives crowns as a sign. Zechariah 3:1-10Zechariah 6:11Haggai 1:1Ezra 3:2

  • Persian governor "on this side the river"Tattenaic. 520 BC

    The governor of the province west of the Euphrates. He asked who had allowed the building, wrote to Darius, and was told to let the work go on. Ezra 5:3-6Ezra 6:6-13

What was happening, 539 BC to 332 BC
  1. 539 BC
    WarBabylon falls to Cyrus

    Cyrus king of Persia took Babylon, ending the empire that had destroyed Jerusalem. Daniel 5:30-31Nabonidus Chronicle (ABC 7)Cyrus Cylinder

  2. 538 BC
    God's peopleThe first return

    Cyrus let the exiles go home to build the LORD's house. About fifty thousand returned with Zerubbabel and Jeshua. Ezra 1:1-4Ezra 2:1-2Ezra 2:64-65

  3. c. 536 BC
    God's peopleThe foundation is laid, then the work stops

    The returned exiles laid the temple's foundation with shouting and weeping. Opposition from their neighbors stopped the work until the second year of Darius. Ezra 3:10-13Ezra 4:4-5Ezra 4:24

  4. 525 BC
    WarPersia conquers Egypt

    Cyrus's son Cambyses invaded and took Egypt, bringing the whole region from the Nile to the Indus under one king. Herodotus, Histories 3.1-16

  5. 522-521 BC
    WarDarius crushes the revolts

    When Darius took the throne, provinces across the empire rebelled, Babylon twice. By 520 he had put them all down. Compare the riders' report in Zechariah's first vision: "all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest." Behistun InscriptionHerodotus, Histories 3.150-159Zechariah 1:11

  6. 520 BC
    God's peopleHaggai and Zechariah stir the people to build

    In Darius's second year the two prophets urged the people to take up the temple work again, and Zerubbabel and Jeshua began to build. Ezra 5:1-2Haggai 1:1-15Zechariah 1:1

  7. c. 520-519 BC
    RulersDarius confirms Cyrus's decree

    Tattenai questioned the building. A search found Cyrus's decree at Achmetha, and Darius ordered the work to continue and be paid for from royal taxes. Ezra 5:3-6:12

  8. 515 BC
    BuildingThe second temple is finished

    The temple was finished on the third day of Adar in Darius's sixth year and dedicated with joy. Ezra 6:14-18Zechariah 4:9

  9. 490-479 BC
    WarPersia's wars with Greece

    Persia invaded Greece twice and was turned back at Marathon (490), Salamis (480) and Plataea (479). Greece, which Zechariah names in 9:13, was becoming Persia's great rival. Herodotus, Histories 6.102-117Herodotus, Histories 8.40-96Herodotus, Histories 9.1-89Zechariah 9:13

  10. 445 BC
    BuildingNehemiah rebuilds Jerusalem's walls

    Under the Persian king Artaxerxes, Nehemiah came from Shushan and rebuilt the walls in fifty-two days. Nehemiah 2:1-8Nehemiah 6:15

  11. 332 BC
    WarAlexander takes Tyre and Gaza

    Alexander the Great besieged island Tyre for seven months and then Gaza for two, on his way to Egypt. Zechariah 9 speaks of Tyre's "strong hold" and of Gaza, Ashkelon, Ekron and Ashdod. Arrian, Anabasis of Alexander 2.15-27Zechariah 9:3-7

The full picture: places, culture and daily life. Scripture first, then ancient records (the Behistun Inscription, the Cyrus Cylinder, the Babylonian Chronicles) and ancient writers (Herodotus, Arrian, Josephus). Drafted by Claude and not yet reviewed by a person.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
and he showed meוַיַּרְאֵ֗נִיvai-yar-'E-niH7200G
to see: see

רָאָה (ra.ah) : see/show 1) to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to see 1a2) to see, perceive 1a3) to see, have vision 1a4) to look at, see, regard, look after, see after, learn about, observe, watch, look upon, look out, find out 1a5) to see, observe, consider, look at, give attention to, discern, distinguish 1a6) to look at, gaze at 1a7) to provide, choose 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to appear, present oneself 1b2) to be seen 1b3) to be visible 1c) (Pual) to be seen 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to cause to see, show 1d2) to cause to look intently at, behold, cause to gaze at 1e) (Hophal) …

Joshuaיְהוֹשֻׁ֙עַ֙ye-ho-SHU-a'H3091J
Joshua

יְהוֹשׁוּעַ (ye.ho.shu.a) A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Ezr.2.2; son of: Jehozadak (H3087); father of: Joiakim (H3113); also called Jeshua at Ezr.2.2; 3.2,8; 4.3; 5.2; 1x12.1,7,10,26; § Joshua or Jehoshua = "Jehovah is salvation" 1) son of Nun of the tribe of Ephraim and successor to Moses as the leader of the children of Israel; led the conquest of Canaan 2) a resident of Beth-shemesh on whose land the Ark of the Covenant came to a stop after the Philistines returned it 3) son of Jehozadak and high priest after the restoration …

the priestהַכֹּהֵ֣ןha-ko-HENH3548
priest

כֹּהֵן (ko.hen) 1) priest, principal officer or chief ruler 1a) priest-king (Melchizedek, Messiah) 1b) pagan priests 1c) priests of Jehovah 1d) Levitical priests 1e) Zadokite priests 1f) Aaronic priests 1g) the high priest Aramaic equivalent: ka.hen (כָּהֵן "priest" H3549)

the greatהַגָּד֔וֹלha-ga-DOLH1419A
great: large

גָּדוֹל (ga.dol) adj 1) great 1a) large (in magnitude and extent) 1b) in number 1c) in intensity 1d) loud (in sound) 1e) older (in age) 1f) in importance 1f1) important things 1f2) great, distinguished (of men) 1f3) God Himself (of God) subst 1g) great things 1h) haughty things 1i) greatness Also means: ga.dol (גָּדוֹל ": old" H1419K) § Haggedolim = "the great one" (CLBL) Haggedolim, the great man?, father of Zabdiel

standingעֹמֵ֕ד'o-MEDH5975G
to stand: stand

עָמַד (a.mad) : stand/stop/establish 1) to stand, remain, endure, take one's stand 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to stand, take one's stand, be in a standing attitude, stand forth, take a stand, present oneself, attend upon, be or become servant of 1a2) to stand still, stop (moving or doing), cease 1a3) to tarry, delay, remain, continue, abide, endure, persist, be steadfast 1a4) to make a stand, hold one's ground 1a5) to stand upright, remain standing, stand up, rise, be erect, be upright 1a6) to arise, appear, come on the scene, stand forth, appear, rise up or against …

to beforeלִפְנֵ֖יlif-NEIH6440G
face: before

פָּנֶה (pa.neh) : before/to/front 1) face 1a) face, faces 1b) presence, person 1c) face (of seraphim or cherubim) 1d) face (of animals) 1e) face, surface (of ground) 1f) as adv of loc/temp 1f1) before and behind, toward, in front of, forward, formerly, from beforetime, before 1g) with prep 1g1) in front of, before, to the front of, in the presence of, in the face of, at the face or front of, from the presence of, from before, from before the face of

[the] angel ofמַלְאַ֣ךְmal-'AKHH4397H
messenger

מַלְאָךְ (ma.le.akh) : messenger 1) messenger, representative 1a) messenger 1b) angel 1c) the theophanic angel

Yahwehיְהוָ֑הYAH-wehH3068G
Lord

אֲדֹנָי (a.do.nai) Lord - a title, spoken in place of Yahweh in Jewish display of reverence Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

and the accuserוְהַשָּׂטָ֛ןve-ha-sa-TANH7854
Belial

בְּלִיַּ֫עַל (be.liy.ya.al) A name like sa.tan (שָׂטָן "Satan" H7854) This name means worthless, base, wicked

[was] standingעֹמֵ֥ד'o-MEDH5975G
to stand: stand

עָמַד (a.mad) : stand/stop/establish 1) to stand, remain, endure, take one's stand 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to stand, take one's stand, be in a standing attitude, stand forth, take a stand, present oneself, attend upon, be or become servant of 1a2) to stand still, stop (moving or doing), cease 1a3) to tarry, delay, remain, continue, abide, endure, persist, be steadfast 1a4) to make a stand, hold one's ground 1a5) to stand upright, remain standing, stand up, rise, be erect, be upright 1a6) to arise, appear, come on the scene, stand forth, appear, rise up or against …

atעַל־'al-H5921A
upon

עַל (al) prep 1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against 1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards 1b) above, beyond, over (of excess) 1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence) 1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition) 1e) over (of suspension or extension) …

right [hand] hisיְמִינ֖וֹye-mi-NOH3225G
right

יָמִין (ya.min) 1) right, right hand, right side 1a) right hand 1b) right (of direction) 1c) south (the direction of the right hand when facing East) Also means: ya.min (יָמִין ": south" H3225H)

to accuse himלְשִׂטְנֽוֹ׃le-sit-NOH7853
to oppose

שָׂטַן (sa.tan) (Qal) to be or act as an adversary, resist, oppose

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.