Zechariah 5:9
King James Version (1769)
Other translations
| Verse | KJV | BSB | ASV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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. | Then I lifted up my eyes and saw two women approaching, with the wind in their wings. Their wings were like those of a stork, and they lifted up the basket between heaven and earth. | Then lifted I up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there came forth two women, and the wind was in their wings; now they had wings like the wings of a stork; and they lifted up the ephah between earth and heaven. |
In context
AI-assisted, sourcedThis verse belongs to the night visions of Zechariah 1:7 to 6:8. A woman the angel calls 'wickedness' has been shut inside an ephah, a measuring basket, under a lid of lead (5:7-8). Now two winged women lift the basket into the air to carry it away to the land of Shinar (5:10-11). Zechariah 5:7Zechariah 5:8Zechariah 5:9Zechariah 5:10Zechariah 5:11Zechariah overview
SpeakingZechariah the prophet tells what he saw. He is the son of Berechiah, and Ezra names him as a prophet in Jerusalem while the temple was being rebuilt. Zechariah overviewZechariah 5:9
ToThe people of Judah who had come back from exile, with their leaders Zerubbabel and Joshua. Zechariah overview
Also involvedThe ephah holds the woman the angel calls 'wickedness.' The two women carry her away to Shinar. The text does not say who the two women are. Zechariah 5:8Zechariah 5:9Zechariah 5:11
Zechariah looks up and sees two women come out with wind in wings like a stork's. They lift the sealed ephah between earth and sky. When he asks where they are taking it, the angel says to Shinar, to build it a house and set it on its own base. Zechariah 5:9Zechariah 5:10Zechariah 5:11
Zechariah wrote among the returned people in Jerusalem. In the vision the ephah is carried up between the earth and the heaven, headed for the land of Shinar. Zechariah overviewZechariah 5:9Zechariah 5:11
The eventsThe scene is a vision, one of eight night visions in 1:7-6:8. The book's dated messages begin in the second year of Darius king of Persia, about 520 BC. Zechariah overview
WrittenTraditional: written by Zechariah, with dated messages from about 520 to 518 BC. Scholarly: most scholars agree that chapters 1-8, which hold this vision, come from Zechariah in 520-518 BC. Zechariah overview
HereThe vision shows wickedness being shut up and carried out of the land. It follows the flying roll, the curse that cuts off thieves and false swearers (5:3-4). Zechariah 5:3Zechariah 5:4Zechariah 5:8Zechariah 5:9Zechariah 5:11
In the whole of ScriptureZechariah calls the people to return to the LORD and promises that God will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Removing wickedness from the land fits that promise. Zechariah overviewZechariah 5:11
For readersThe vision shows that God does not leave sin sitting among his people. He confines it and removes it. Readers can trust him to deal with wickedness and should turn from it themselves, as 1:3 urges. Zechariah 5:4Zechariah 5:8Zechariah 5:9Zechariah overview
Christians read this differently
No cited Scripture says who the two women are. Some read them as agents serving God's purpose, with the wind in their wings carrying out his removal of sin. Others note that the stork is listed among unclean birds (Leviticus 11:19) and see them as unclean powers carrying wickedness to its own house in Shinar. Zechariah 5:9Zechariah 5:11Leviticus 11:19Strong's H7307HLeviticus 11:13
- ephahאֵיפָה
An ephah is a dry measure and also the container that holds that amount. Wickedness is pictured shut inside this measuring container, and this is what the women carry off. Strong's H0374Zechariah 5:6Zechariah 5:8
- windרוּחַ
The word means wind, breath, or spirit. Here it is the wind in the women's wings that carries the ephah aloft. Strong's H7307HZechariah 5:9
- storkחֲסִידָה
The women's wings are like a stork's. The same bird is named among the birds Israel was not to eat in Leviticus 11:19. Strong's H2624Leviticus 11:19Leviticus 11:13
Takeaway
In this vision wickedness does not stay in God's land. It is sealed up and flown away to Shinar. God removes the evil from among the people he means to dwell with. Zechariah 5:8Zechariah 5:9Zechariah 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 lifted up | וָאֶשָּׂ֨א | va-'e-SA' | H5375M | to lift: raiseנָשָׂא (na.sa) : raise/take_up 1) to lift, bear up, carry, take 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to lift, lift up 1a2) to bear, carry, support, sustain, endure 1a3) to take, take away, carry off, forgive 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be lifted up, be exalted 1b2) to lift oneself up, rise up 1b3) to be borne, be carried 1b4) to be taken away, be carried off, be swept away 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to lift up, exalt, support, aid, assist 1c2) to desire, long (fig.) 1c3) to carry, bear continuously 1c4) to take, take away 1d) (Hithpael) to lift oneself up, exalt oneself 1e) (Hiphil) 1e1) to cause one to bear (iniquity) … |
| eyes my | עֵינַ֜י | 'ei-NAI | H5869A | eyeעַ֫יִן (a.yin) : eye 1) eye 1a) eye 1a1) of physical eye 1a2) as showing mental qualities 1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.) |
| and I saw | וָאֵ֗רֶא | va-'E-re' | H7200G | to see: seeרָאָה (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) … |
| and there! | וְהִנֵּה֩ | ve-hi-NEH | H2009 | beholdהִנֵּה (hin.neh) behold, lo, see, if |
| two | שְׁתַּ֨יִם | she-TA-yim | H8147 | twoשְׁנַ֫יִם (she.na.yim) 1) two 1a) two (the cardinal number) 1a1) two, both, double, twice 1b) second (the ordinal number) 1c) in combination with other numbers 1d) both (a dual number) |
| women | נָשִׁ֤ים | na-SHIM | H0802G | womanאִשָּׁה (ish.shah) : woman 1) woman, wife, female 1a) woman (opposite of man) 1b) wife (woman married to a man) 1c) female (of animals) 1d) each, every (pronoun) |
| [were] going forth | יֽוֹצְאוֹת֙ | yotz-'OT | H3318G | to come out: comeיָצָא (ya.tsa) : come/go_out/escape 1) to go out, come out, exit, go forth 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to go or come out or forth, depart 1a2) to go forth (to a place) 1a3) to go forward, proceed to (to or toward something) 1a4) to come or go forth (with purpose or for result) 1a5) to come out of 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out 1b2) to bring out of 1b3) to lead out 1b4) to deliver 1c) (Hophal) to be brought out or forth |
| and a wind | וְר֣וּחַ | ve-RU-ach | H7307H | spiritרוּחַ (ru.ach) : spirit 1) wind, breath, mind, spirit 1a) breath 1b) wind 1b1) of heaven 1b2) quarter (of wind), side 1b3) breath of air 1b4) air, gas 1b5) vain, empty thing 1c) spirit (as that which breathes quickly in animation or agitation) 1c1) spirit, animation, vivacity, vigour 1c2) courage 1c3) temper, anger 1c4) impatience, patience 1c5) spirit, disposition (as troubled, bitter, discontented) 1c6) disposition (of various kinds), unaccountable or uncontrollable impulse 1c7) prophetic spirit 1d) spirit (of the living, breathing being in man and animals) … |
| [was] in wings their | בְּכַנְפֵיהֶ֔ם | be-khan-fei-HEM | H3671 | wingכָּנָף (ka.naph) 1) wing, extremity, edge, winged, border, corner, shirt 1a) wing 1b) extremity 1b1) skirt, corner (of garment) |
| wings | כְנָפַ֖יִם | khe-na-FA-yim | H3671 | wingכָּנָף (ka.naph) 1) wing, extremity, edge, winged, border, corner, shirt 1a) wing 1b) extremity 1b1) skirt, corner (of garment) |
| like [the] wings of | כְּכַנְפֵ֣י | ke-khan-FEI | H3671 | wingכָּנָף (ka.naph) 1) wing, extremity, edge, winged, border, corner, shirt 1a) wing 1b) extremity 1b1) skirt, corner (of garment) |
| the stork | הַחֲסִידָ֑ה | ha-cha-si-DAH | H2624 | storkחֲסִידָה (cha.si.dah) stork |
| and they lifted up | וַתִּשֶּׂ֙אנָה֙ | va-ti-SE-nah | H5375M | to lift: raiseנָשָׂא (na.sa) : raise/take_up 1) to lift, bear up, carry, take 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to lift, lift up 1a2) to bear, carry, support, sustain, endure 1a3) to take, take away, carry off, forgive 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be lifted up, be exalted 1b2) to lift oneself up, rise up 1b3) to be borne, be carried 1b4) to be taken away, be carried off, be swept away 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to lift up, exalt, support, aid, assist 1c2) to desire, long (fig.) 1c3) to carry, bear continuously 1c4) to take, take away 1d) (Hithpael) to lift oneself up, exalt oneself 1e) (Hiphil) 1e1) to cause one to bear (iniquity) … |
| the ephah | הָ֣אֵיפָ֔ה | 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 |
| between | בֵּ֥ין | bein | H0996G | betweenבַּ֫יִן (ba.yin) : between between, among, in the midst of (with other preps), from between |
| the earth | הָאָ֖רֶץ | ha-'A-retz | H0776G | land: country/planetאֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) : country/field 1) land, earth 1a) earth 1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part) 1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven) 1a3) earth (inhabitants) 1b) land 1b1) country, territory 1b2) district, region 1b3) tribal territory 1b4) piece of ground 1b5) land of Canaan, Israel 1b6) inhabitants of land 1b7) Sheol, land without return, (under) world 1b8) city (-state) 1c) ground, surface of the earth 1c1) ground 1c2) soil 1d) (in phrases) 1d1) people of the land 1d2) space or distance of country (in measurements of distance) 1d3) level or plain country 1d4) land of the living 1d5) end(s) of the earth … |
| and between | וּבֵ֥ין | u-VEIN | H0996G | betweenבַּ֫יִן (ba.yin) : between between, among, in the midst of (with other preps), from between |
| the heavens | הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ | ha-sha-MA-yim | H8064 | heavenשָׁמַיִם (sha.ma.yim) 1) heaven, heavens, sky 1a) visible heavens, sky 1a1) as abode of the stars 1a2) as the visible universe, the sky, atmosphere, etc 1b) Heaven (as the abode of God) Aramaic equivalent: sha.ma.yin (שָׁמַ֫יִן "heaven" H8065) |
Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.