God’s Word Translation
Zechariah 5:4
4I will send out a curse, declares the Lord of Armies, and it will enter the houses of thieves and the houses of those who take oaths in my name. It will stay in their houses and destroy the timber and stone.”
Zechariah 5:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)I 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.
- New International Version (NIV)The Lord Almighty declares, ‘I will send it out, and it will enter the house of the thief and the house of anyone who swears falsely by my name. It will remain in that house and destroy it completely, both its timbers and its stones.’ ”
- English Standard Version (ESV)I will send it out, declares the Lord of hosts, and it shall enter the house of the thief, and the house of him who swears falsely by my name. And it shall remain in his house and consume it, both timber and stones."
- New King James Version (NKJV)“I will send out the curse,” says the Lord of hosts; “It shall enter the house of the thief And the house of the one who swears falsely by My name. It shall remain in the midst of his house And consume it, with its timber and stones.”
Context of Zechariah 5:4
2The angel asked me, “What do you see?” “I see a flying scroll,” I answered. “It’s 30 feet long and 15 feet wide.” 3Then he said to me, “This is a curse that will go out all over the earth. The one side of the scroll says that every thief will be forced away. The other side of the scroll says that everyone who takes an oath will be forced away. I will send out a curse, declares the Lord of Armies, and it will enter the houses of thieves and the houses of those who take oaths in my name. It will stay in their houses and destroy the timber and stone.” 5The angel who was speaking with me came forward. He said, “Look up, and see what’s coming.” 6“What is it?” I asked. “A basket is coming,” he said. Then he added, “This is what the people’s sins look like all over the earth.”
Read all of Zechariah 5Zechariah 5:4 word by word
הוֹצֵאתִ֗יהָ נְאֻם֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת וּבָ֙אָה֙ אֶל־בֵּ֣ית הַגַּנָּ֔ב וְאֶל־בֵּ֛ית הַנִּשְׁבָּ֥ע בִּשְׁמִ֖י לַשָּׁ֑קֶר וְלָ֙נֶה֙ בְּת֣וֹךְ בֵּית֔וֹ וְכִלַּ֖תּוּ וְאֶת־עֵצָ֥יו וְאֶת־אֲבָנָֽיו׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- I will bring it forthיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: sendH3318
- saithנְאֻםne'ûm · utteranceH5002
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- of hostsצָבָאtsâbâ' tsebâ'âh · HostsH6635
- and it shall enterבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- into the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
- of the thiefגַּנָּבgannâb · thiefH1590
- of him that swearethשָׁבַעshâba‛ · to swearH7650
- falselyשֶׁ֫קֶרsheqer · deceptionH8267
- by my nameשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
- and it shall remainלוּןlûn lîyn · to lodgeH3885
- in the midstתָּ֫וֶךְtâvek · midstH8432
- and shall consumeכָּלָהkâlâh · to end: destroyH3615
- it with the timberעֵץ‛êts · tree: woodH6086
- thereof and the stonesאֶ֫בֶן'eben · stoneH68
Cross-references for Zechariah 5:4
- Leviticus 14:34“When you come to Canaan that I am going to give to you, mildew may appear in a house.
- Deuteronomy 7:26Never bring a disgusting idol into your house. If you do, you and the idol will be destroyed. Consider it detestable and disgusting. It must be destroyed.”
- Job 18:15Fire lives in his tent. Sulfur is scattered over his home.
- Job 20:26Total darkness waits in hiding for his treasure. A fire that no one fans will burn him. Whatever is left in his tent will be devoured.
- Proverbs 3:33The Lord curses the house of wicked people, but he blesses the home of righteous people.
- Habakkuk 2:9“ ‘How horrible it will be for the one who uses violence to get things for his own household in order to set his nest up high and save himself from disaster.’
- James 5:2Your riches have decayed, and your clothes have been eaten by moths.
Commentaries on Zechariah 5:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Into the house of him - Babylon, the house or city of Nebuchadnezzar, who was a public plunderer, and a most glaring idolater.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4I will bring it forth - Out of the treasure-house, as it were; as he says, “He bringeth forth the wind out of His treasures” Jeremiah 10:13; Jeremiah 51:16; and, “Is not this laid up in store with Me, sealed up among My treasures?” To Me belongeth “vengeance and recompense” Deuteronomy 32:34-35. And it shall remain, literally, “lodge for the night,” until it has accomplished that for which it was sent, its utter destruction. Lap.: “So we have seen and see…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4This curse acts like a law officer to punish those who break God's covenant (see Psalm 147:15; Isaiah 55:11).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. The "theft" immediately meant is similar sacrilege to that complained of in Ne 13:10; Mal 3:8. They robbed God by neglecting to give Him His due in building His house, while they built their own houses, forswearing their obligations to Him; therefore, the "houses" they build shall be "consumed" with God's "curse." Probably literal theft and perjury accompanied their virtual theft and perjury as to the temple of God (Mal 3:5). Stealing and perjury go…Read the comment
Topics related to Zechariah 5:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Zechariah 5
- 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
Commentaries