Zechariah 5:10
King James Version (1769)
Other translations
| Verse | KJV | BSB | ASV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | Then said I to the angel that talked with me, Whither do these bear the ephah? | “Where are they taking the basket?” I asked the angel who was speaking with me. | Then said I to the angel that talked with me, Whither do these bear the ephah? |
In context
AI-assisted, sourcedIn one of his night visions, Zechariah sees wickedness, pictured as a woman, shut inside an ephah (a measuring basket) under a lid of lead. Two winged women lift the ephah between earth and heaven. In this verse Zechariah asks the angel where they are carrying it, and the angel answers that it goes to a house built for it in the land of Shinar. Zechariah 5:7Zechariah 5:8Zechariah 5:9Zechariah 5:10Zechariah 5:11
SpeakingZechariah the prophet speaks, asking a question of the angel who has been explaining the visions to him. Zechariah 5:10Zechariah 5:5Zechariah overview
ToThe question is put to 'the angel that talked with me.' The book as a whole was given to the people of Judah who had come back from exile, with Zerubbabel and Joshua. Zechariah 5:10Zechariah overview
Also involvedThe ephah holding the woman called 'wickedness' is what is being carried away. It is borne off by the two winged women. Zechariah 5:8Zechariah 5:9
Zechariah asks, 'Whither do these bear the ephah?' His question sets up the angel's answer that wickedness is being taken away to Shinar, to be set on its own base there. The text does not say who the two winged women are. Zechariah 5:10Zechariah 5:11Zechariah 5:9
Zechariah received and wrote his messages in Jerusalem among the returned exiles. In the vision, the ephah is carried between earth and heaven toward the land of Shinar. Zechariah overviewZechariah 5:9Zechariah 5:11
The eventsThis is part of the eight night visions in 1:7-6:8. The book's dated messages fall in the reign of Darius king of Persia, about 520-518 BC, while the temple was being rebuilt. Zechariah overview
WrittenTraditional: written by Zechariah, about 520-518 BC. Scholarly: most scholars agree chapters 1-8, which include this vision, come from Zechariah in 520-518 BC. Zechariah overview
HereThe question draws out the meaning of the vision: wickedness is shut up and taken away from God's people to another land. This follows the flying roll, the curse that cuts off the thief and the false swearer. Zechariah 5:10Zechariah 5:11Zechariah 5:3Zechariah 5:4
In the whole of ScriptureThe book calls the people to return to the LORD and promises that he will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Removing wickedness from the land fits that promise of a cleansed people with God among them. Zechariah overviewZechariah 5:8Zechariah 5:11
For readersGod does not leave sin in the midst of his people. He judges it and removes it, as the curse on the thief's house in 5:4 and the carrying away of wickedness in 5:11 both show. Zechariah 5:4Zechariah 5:8Zechariah 5:11
- ephahאֵיפָה
An ephah is a dry measure, and also the basket or container that holds that amount. The vision uses an everyday measuring container as the vessel that holds wickedness. Strong's H0374Zechariah 5:6Zechariah 5:8
- the angelמַלְאָךְ
The word means a messenger or representative, and also an angel. Here he is the one who explains the visions to Zechariah. Strong's H4397HZechariah 5:5Zechariah 5:10
Takeaway
Zechariah's question shows where wickedness goes in God's plan: it is shut up and carried away from his people to Shinar. God promises to dwell among a cleansed people. Zechariah 5:10Zechariah 5:11Zechariah overview
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
- The ephah
- An ephah was the basket or vessel used to measure grain. The law required "a just ephah," and Amos condemns sellers "making the ephah small." Zechariah 5:6Leviticus 19:36Amos 8:5
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
- 539 BCWarBabylon 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
- 538 BCGod'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
- c. 536 BCGod'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
- 525 BCWarPersia 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
- 522-521 BCWarDarius 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
- 520 BCGod'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
- c. 520-519 BCRulersDarius 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
- 515 BCBuildingThe 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
- 490-479 BCWarPersia'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
- 445 BCBuildingNehemiah 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
- 332 BCWarAlexander 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
| English | Hebrew | Say it | Strong's | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| and I said | וָאֹמַ֕ר | va-'o-MAR | H0559 | to sayאָמַר (a.mar) 1) to say, speak, utter 1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend 1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called 1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly 1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560) |
| to | אֶל־ | 'el- | H0413 | to(wards)אֶל (el) 1) to, toward, unto (of motion) 2) into (limit is actually entered) 2a) in among 3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion) 4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character) 5) in addition to, to 6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of 7) according to (rule or standard) 8) at, by, against (of one's presence) 9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to) |
| the angel | הַמַּלְאָ֖ךְ | ha-mal-'AKH | H4397H | messengerמַלְאָךְ (ma.le.akh) : messenger 1) messenger, representative 1a) messenger 1b) angel 1c) the theophanic angel |
| who was speaking | הַדֹּבֵ֣ר | ha-do-VER | H1696G | to speak: speakדָבַר (da.var) : speak/tell/command 1) to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing 1a) (Qal) to speak 1b) (Niphal) to speak with one another, talk 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to speak 1c2) to promise 1d) (Pual) to be spoken 1e) (Hithpael) to speak 1f) (Hiphil) to lead away, put to flight |
| where? | אָ֛נָה | 'A-nah | H0575 | where?אָן (an) 1) where?, whither? (of place) 2) when?, until when?, how long? (of time) |
| [are] they | הֵ֥מָּה | HE-mah | H1992 | theyאִנּוּן (in.nun) these, those, they Aramaic of hem.mah (הֵ֫מָּה "they(masc.)" H1992) |
| taking | מֽוֹלִכ֖וֹת | mo-li-KHOT | H1980J | to go: wentהָלַךְ (ha.lakh) : went/go[away] 1) to go, walk, come 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away 1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.) 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to walk 1b2) to walk (fig.) 1c) (Hithpael) 1c1) to traverse 1c2) to walk about 1d) (Niphal) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk |
| the ephah | הָאֵיפָֽה׃ | ha-'ei-FAH | H0374 | ephahאֵיפָה (e.phah) 1) ephah 1a) a dry measure of quantity, equal to 3 seahs, 10 omers; the same as the liquid measure bath; (about 9 imperial gallons (40 l), rabbinical writings give sizes of one-half this amount) 1b) the receptacle for measuring or holding that amount |
Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.