Zechariah 5
King James Version (1769) · Tap a verse to see it in context
About this chapter
AI-assisted, sourcedZechariah sees a flying roll twenty cubits long, which he is told is "the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth" against everyone who steals and everyone who "sweareth falsely by my name." Then "the angel that talked with me" shows him an ephah with "a woman that sitteth in the midst of the ephah," says, "This is wickedness," and shuts it under a weight of lead. Two women with wings like a stork carry the ephah away "to build it an house in the land of Shinar." Zechariah 5:1Zechariah 5:2Zechariah 5:3Zechariah 5:4Zechariah 5:5Zechariah 5:6Zechariah 5:7Zechariah 5:8Zechariah 5:9Zechariah 5:11
Who, where, when, and the key verses
Who
Zechariah; "the angel that talked with me"; the woman in the ephah, named "wickedness"; and "two women" with wings "like the wings of a stork." Zechariah 5:5Zechariah 5:7Zechariah 5:8Zechariah 5:9
Where
The curse goes "over the face of the whole earth" and into "the house of the thief." The ephah is carried to "the land of Shinar," the land of Genesis 11:2. Zechariah 5:3Zechariah 5:4Zechariah 5:11Genesis 11:2Shinar
When
No new date is given in this chapter; the book's dated messages run from the second year of Darius, about 520 BC, to his fourth year, about 518 BC. Most scholars agree that chapters 1-8 come from Zechariah in 520-518 BC, under Darius king of Persia. Zechariah overview
How it fits
After the vision of "the two anointed ones" in chapter 4, God shows that sin will be judged and wickedness removed from the land. Chapter 6 brings the vision of four chariots, the last of the night visions. Zechariah 4:14Zechariah 5:3Zechariah 5:8Zechariah 5:11Zechariah 6:1Zechariah overview
Key verses
- Verse 3
The flying roll "is the curse" against "every one that stealeth" and "every one that sweareth." Exodus 20:15 commands, "Thou shalt not steal." Zechariah 5:3Exodus 20:15
- Verse 4
The curse enters "the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name... and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof." Zechariah 5:4
- Verse 8
"This is wickedness." It is shut in the ephah under "the weight of lead," and the ephah is carried out to the land of Shinar. Zechariah 5:8Zechariah 5:9Zechariah 5:11
Takeaway
God takes stealing and false swearing seriously; he does not leave wickedness in place but judges it and carries it away. Zechariah 5:3Zechariah 5:4Zechariah 5:8Zechariah 5:11
Drafted by AI from the Scripture and data shown under “Show sources,” then checked automatically and by a separate AI reader. Updated 2026-10-29.
The flying roll
1Then I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a flying roll. 2And he said unto me, What seest thou? And I answered, I see a flying roll; the length thereof is twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof ten cubits. 3Then said he unto me, This is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth: for every one that stealeth shall be cut off as on this side according to it; and every one that sweareth shall be cut off as on that side according to it. 4I will bring it forth, saith the LORD of hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name: and it shall remain in the midst of his house, and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof.
The woman in the ephah
5Then the angel that talked with me went forth, and said unto me, Lift up now thine eyes, and see what is this that goeth forth. 6And I said, What is it? And he said, This is an ephah that goeth forth. He said moreover, This is their resemblance through all the earth. 7And, behold, there was lifted up a talent of lead: and this is a woman that sitteth in the midst of the ephah. 8And 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. 9Then 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. 10Then said I to the angel that talked with me, Whither do these bear the ephah? 11And 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.