God’s Word Translation
Zechariah 3:1
1Then he showed me Joshua, the chief priest, standing in front of the Messenger of the Lord. Satan the Accuser was standing at Joshua’s right side to accuse him.
Zechariah 3:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.
- New International Version (NIV)Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to oppose him.
Context of Zechariah 3:1
Then he showed me Joshua, the chief priest, standing in front of the Messenger of the Lord. Satan the Accuser was standing at Joshua’s right side to accuse him. 2The Lord said to Satan, “I, the Lord, silence you, Satan! I, the Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, silence you! Isn’t this man like a burning log snatched from a fire?” 3Joshua was wearing filthy clothes and was standing in front of the Messenger.
Read all of Zechariah 3Zechariah 3:1 word by word
וַיַּרְאֵ֗נִי אֶת־יְהוֹשֻׁ֙עַ֙ הַכֹּהֵ֣ן הַגָּד֔וֹל עֹמֵ֕ד לִפְנֵ֖י מַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהוָ֑ה וְהַשָּׂטָ֛ן עֹמֵ֥ד עַל־יְמִינ֖וֹ לְשִׂטְנֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And he shewedרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- me Joshuaיְהוֹשׁוּעַyehôshûa‛ yehôshûa‛ · JoshuaH3091
- the highגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
- priestכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
- standingעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- the angelמַלְאָךְmal'âk · messenger: angelH4397
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- and Satanשָׂטָןώâţân · SatanH7854
- at his right handיָמִיןyâmîyn · rightH3225
- to resistשָׂטַןώâţan · to opposeH7853
Cross-references for Zechariah 3:1
- Zechariah 1:9“What do these horses mean, sir?” I asked. The angel who was speaking with me answered, “I will show you what they mean.”
- Zechariah 2:3Then the angel who was speaking with me left. Another angel came out to meet him
- Zechariah 2:8This is what the Lord of Armies says: Afterwards, the Glory sent me to the nations who looted you. Whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye.
- Zechariah 6:11Take the silver and gold, make a crown, and put it on the head of Chief Priest Joshua, son of Jehozadak.
- Ezra 5:2Then Zerubbabel, who was Shealtiel’s son, and Jeshua, who was Jozadak’s son, began to rebuild God’s temple in Jerusalem. God’s prophets were with them and supported them.
- Haggai 1:1On the first day of the sixth month in Darius’ second year as king, the Lord spoke his word through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel (who was the son of Shealtiel and was governor of Judah) and to the chief priest Joshua (who was the son of Jehozadak). He said,
- Haggai 2:4“But now, Zerubbabel, be strong,” declares the Lord. “Chief Priest Joshua (son of Jehozadak), be strong. Everyone in the land, be strong,” declares the Lord. “Work, because I am with you,” declares the Lord of Armies.
- Deuteronomy 10:8At that time the Lord set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the Lord’s promise, to stand in the Lord’s presence when they serve him as priests, and to praise his name, as they still do today.
- Deuteronomy 18:15The Lord your God will send you a prophet, an Israelite like me. You must listen to him.
- 1 Samuel 6:20The people of Beth Shemesh asked, “Who can stand before the Lord, this holy God? And to which people will he go when he leaves us?”
- 2 Chronicles 29:11Don’t be negligent, my sons. The Lord has chosen you to stand in front of him, serve him, be his servants, and burn sacrifices.”
- Psalms 106:23God said he was going to destroy them, but Moses, his chosen one, stood in his way to prevent him from exterminating them.
- Jeremiah 15:19This is what the Lord says: If you will return, I will take you back. If you will speak what is worthwhile and not what is worthless, you will stand in my presence. The people will return to you, but you will not return to them.
- Ezekiel 44:11They could have served in my holy place. They could have guarded the gates of the temple. They could have served in the temple by slaughtering the animals for the burnt offerings and the sacrifices for the people. They could have stood in front of the people and served them.
- Luke 21:36Be alert at all times. Pray so that you have the power to escape everything that is about to happen and to stand in front of the Son of Man.”
- Genesis 48:16may the Messenger, who has rescued me from all evil, bless these boys. May they be called by my name and by the names of my grandfather Abraham and my father Isaac. May they have many children on the earth.”
Commentaries on Zechariah 3:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1And he showed me Joshua the high priest - The Angel of the Lord is the Messiah, as we have seen before; Joshua, the high priest, may here represent the whole Jewish people; and Satan, the grand accuser of the brethren. What the subject of dispute was, we perhaps learn from Judges 1:9. Michael and Satan disputed about the body of Moses. This could not refer to the natural body of the Jewish lawgiver, which had been dead about owe thousand years; it must…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1And He - God, (for the office of the attendant angel was to explain, not to show the visions) “showed me Joshua the high priest, standing before the Angel of the Lord;” probably to be judged by him; as in the New Testament, “to stand before the Son of Man;” for although “standing before,” whether in relation to man or God,, expresses attendance upon, yet here it appears only as a condition, contemporaneous with that of Satan‘s, to accuse him. Although…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1The restoration of the church. (1-5) A promise concerning the Messiah. (6-10) Verses 1-5 The angel showed Joshua, the high priest, to Zechariah, in a vision. Guilt and corruption are great discouragements when we stand before God. By the guilt of the sins committed by us, we are liable to the justice of God; by the power of sin that dwells in us, we are hateful to the holiness of God. Even God's Israel are in danger on these accounts; but they have relief…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1Jeshua was the high priest and the religious leader among those who returned to Judah from exile in Babylon (Ezra 2:2). Jeshua worked with Zerubbabel, the governor of the restored community. They worked together to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem (Ezra 5:2; Haggai 2:1–5). Satan (literally The satan) is a member of the heavenly court. His role is to bring charges against human beings for wrongdoing. He speaks against them before God (see Job 1:6). This…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-101. Joshua as high priest (Hag 1:1) represents "Jerusalem" (Zec 3:2), or the elect people, put on its trial, and "plucked" narrowly "out of the fire." His attitude, "standing before the Lord," is that of a high priest ministering before the altar erected previously to the building of the temple (Ezr 3:2, 3, 6; Psa 135:2). Yet, in this position, by reason of his own and his people's sins, he is represented as on his and their trial (Nu 35:12). he showed…Read the comment
Topics related to Zechariah 3:1
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Zechariah 3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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