Zechariah 3:9

Zechariah 3:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall be seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the Lord of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.
• New International Version (NIV)See, the stone I have set in front of Joshua! There are seven eyes on that one stone, and I will engrave an inscription on it,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will remove the sin of this land in a single day.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For behold, on the stone that I have set before Joshua, on a single stone with seven eyes, I will engrave its inscription, declares the Lord of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For behold, the stone That I have laid before Joshua: Upon the stone are seven eyes. Behold, I will engrave its inscription,’ Says the Lord of hosts, ‘And I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.

Context of Zechariah 3:9

7“The Lord who rules over all says, ‘If you live and work according to my requirements, you will be able to preside over my temple and attend to my courtyards, and I will allow you to come and go among these others who are standing by you. 8Listen now, Joshua the high priest, both you and your colleagues who are sitting before you, all of you are a symbol that I am about to introduce my servant, the Branch. As for the stone I have set before Joshua – on the one stone there are seven eyes. I am about to engrave an inscription on it,’ says the Lord who rules over all, ‘to the effect that I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day. 10In that day,’ says the Lord who rules over all, ‘everyone will invite his friend to fellowship under his vine and under his fig tree.’”

Zechariah 3:9 word by word

כִּ֣י׀ הִנֵּ֣ה הָאֶ֗בֶן אֲשֶׁ֤ר נָתַ֙תִּי֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַ עַל־אֶ֥בֶן אַחַ֖ת שִׁבְעָ֣ה עֵינָ֑יִם הִנְנִ֧י מְפַתֵּ֣חַ פִּתֻּחָ֗הּ נְאֻם֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת וּמַשְׁתִּ֛י אֶת־עֲוֹ֥ן הָאָֽרֶץ־הַהִ֖יא בְּי֥וֹם אֶחָֽד׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• For behold the stoneאֶ֫בֶן'eben · stoneH68
• that I have laidנָתַןnâthan · to give: putH5414
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• Joshuaיְהוֹשׁוּעַyehôshûa‛ yehôshûa‛ · JoshuaH3091
• upon oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
• sevenשֶׁ֫בַעsheba‛ shib‛âh · sevenH7651
• eyesעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eyeH5869
• behold, I will engraveפָּתַחpâthach · to engraveH6605
• the gravingפִּתּוּחַpittûach pittûach · engravingH6603
• thereof, saithנְאֻםne'ûm · utteranceH5002
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• of hostsצָבָאtsâbâ' tsebâ'âh · HostsH6635
• and I will removeמוּשׁmûsh · to removeH4185
• the iniquityעָוֺן‛âvôn ‛âvôn · iniquity: crimeH5771
• of that landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117

Cross-references for Zechariah 3:9

• Psalms 118:22The stone which the builders discarded has become the cornerstone.
• Isaiah 8:14He will become a sanctuary, but a stone that makes a person trip, and a rock that makes one stumble – to the two houses of Israel. He will become a trap and a snare to the residents of Jerusalem.
• Isaiah 28:16Therefore, this is what the sovereign master, the Lord, says: “Look, I am laying a stone in Zion, an approved stone, set in place as a precious cornerstone for the foundation. The one who maintains his faith will not panic.
• Matthew 21:42Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the scriptures: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?
• Acts 4:11This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, that has become the cornerstone.
• Romans 9:33just as it is written, “Look, I am laying in Zion a stone that will cause people to stumble and a rock that will make them fall, yet the one who believes in him will not be put to shame.”
• 1 Peter 2:4So as you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but chosen and priceless in God’s sight,
• Zechariah 4:10For who dares make light of small beginnings? These seven eyes will joyfully look on the tin tablet in Zerubbabel’s hand. (These are the eyes of the Lord, which constantly range across the whole earth.)
• 2 Chronicles 16:9Certainly the Lord watches the whole earth carefully and is ready to strengthen those who are devoted to him. You have acted foolishly in this matter; from now on you will have war.
• Revelation 5:6Then I saw standing in the middle of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the middle of the elders, a Lamb that appeared to have been killed. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.
• Exodus 28:11You are to engrave the two stones with the names of the sons of Israel with the work of an engraver in stone, like the engravings of a seal; you are to have them set in gold filigree settings.
• John 6:27Do not work for the food that disappears, but for the food that remains to eternal life – the food which the Son of Man will give to you. For God the Father has put his seal of approval on him.”
• 2 Corinthians 1:22who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a down payment.
• 2 Corinthians 3:3revealing that you are a letter of Christ, delivered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on stone tablets but on tablets of human hearts.
• 2 Timothy 2:19However, God’s solid foundation remains standing, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from evil.”
• Zechariah 13:1“In that day there will be a fountain opened up for the dynasty of David and the people of Jerusalem to cleanse them from sin and impurity.

Commentaries on Zechariah 3:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9For behold the stone that I have laid - Alluding no doubt to the foundation stone of the temple: but this represented Christ Jesus: "Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a Stone, a tried stone, a precious Corner Stone, a Sure Foundation," Isaiah 28:16. This means Christ, and none other; on him his whole Church rests, as a building does on its foundation. Upon one stone shall be seven eyes - This is supposed to mean the providence of God, as under it all…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9For behold the stone, that I hare laid before Joshua - This must be an expansion of what he had said, or the ground of it, being introduced by, for. It must be something future, to be done by God Himself, since God says, “I will grave the graving thereof;” something connected with the remission of sins, which follows upon that graying. The stone, then, cannot be the stone of foundation of the material temple (Rashi). For this had long before been laid…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-10Verses 6-10 All whom God calls to any office he finds fit, or makes so. The Lord will cause the sins of the believer to pass away by his sanctifying grace, and will enable him to walk in newness of life. As the promises made to David often pass into promises of the Messiah, so the promises to Joshua look forward to Christ, of whose priesthood Joshua's was a shadow. Whatever trials we pass through, whatever services we perform, our whole dependence must…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9The stone represents authority. It may refer to the last stone of the temple placed by Zerubbabel (Zechariah 4:7), the cornerstone of the rebuilt Jerusalem (Isaiah 28:16), or the precious stones on the high priests' ephod (Exodus 25:7; 35:9). The seven parts (seven eyes) of the stone suggest perfect and complete knowledge and wisdom. They might connect to the seven lamps of the golden lampstand (Zechariah 4:2) or to God’s seven spirits (Revelation 1:4)…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 8-139. For--expressing the ground for encouragement to the Jews in building the temple: I (Jehovah) have laid the (foundation) stone as the chief architect, before (in the presence of) Joshua, by "the hand of Zerubbabel" (Zec 4:10; Ezr 3:8-13), so that your labor in building shall not be vain. Antitypically, the (foundation) stone alluded to is Christ, before called "the Branch." Lest any should think from that term that His kingdom is weak, He now calls it…Read the comment

Topics related to Zechariah 3:9

• God Continued...
• Seven
• Stones

In the dictionaries

• Joshua
• Lord of Hosts
• Angel
• Carve
• Graving
• Jeshua
• Rebuke
• Atonement, Day of
• Bible, the
• Christ, Offices of

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