Zechariah 3 - New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)

Chapter 3

Prophetic Vision: Joshua the High Priest. 1 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, while the adversary[a] stood at his right side to accuse him.(A) 2 And the angel of the Lord said to the adversary, “May the Lord rebuke you, O adversary; may the Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you!(B) Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?”(C)

3 [b]Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clad in filthy garments. 4 Then the angel said to those standing before him, “Remove his filthy garments.”(D) And to him he said, “Look, I have taken your guilt from you,(E) and I am clothing you in stately robes.” 5 Then he said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” And they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with the garments while the angel of the Lord was standing by. 6 Then the angel of the Lord charged Joshua: 7 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: If you walk in my ways and carry out my charge, you will administer my house and watch over my courts;[c] and I will give you access to those standing here.”

Supplementary Oracle. 8 “Hear, O Joshua, high priest! You and your associates who sit before you! For they are signs of things to come![d](F) I will surely bring my servant the Branch. 9 Look at the stone(G) that I have placed before Joshua. On this one stone with seven facets[e](H) I will engrave its inscription—oracle of the Lord of hosts—and I will take away the guilt of that land in one day. 10 On that day—oracle of the Lord of hosts—you will invite one another under your vines and fig trees.”(I)

Footnotes

  1. 3:1 Adversary: Hebrew satan, here, the prosecuting attorney, a figure in the Lord’s heavenly courtroom. Cf. Jb 1:6–2:7. Later tradition understands this figure to be Satan.
  2. 3:3–4 The filthy garments of Joshua symbolized the guilt of the Israelite people who have become unclean by going into exile. The angel of the Lord purifies the high priest by the removal of his garments.
  3. 3:7 If you walk…watch over my courts: four components of priestly activity: (1) following God’s commandments and teaching them to the people, (2) carrying out cultic functions, (3) participating in the judicial system in certain difficult cases, and (4) administering the laborers and lands in the Temple’s domain.
  4. 3:8 Signs of things to come: the restoration of the priesthood is a sign of the expected restoration of the Davidic line. The Branch: a tree metaphor for the expected future ruler as a descendant of the Davidic dynasty. This imagery also appears in Is 11:1, 10; Jer 23:5; 33:15; and Zec 6:12.
  5. 3:9 Stone with seven facets: represents both the precious stones that were part of the high priest’s apparel and the building stone (see 4:7, 10) that initiated a major construction project. The seven facets (or “eyes”) indicate the totality of its role as an instrument of God’s vigilance and action. Inscription: can refer both to words engraved on the high priest’s apparel (Ex 28:9, 11) and to words chiseled on a cornerstone.

Cross references

  1. 3:1 : Jb 1:6–2:7; 1 Chr 21:1.
  2. 3:2 : Jude 9.
  3. 3:2 : Am 4:11.
  4. 3:4 : Lk 15:22; Rev 19:8.
  5. 3:4 : Is 6:7; Jer 31:34; Ez 36:33.
  6. 3:8 : Is 8:18.
  7. 3:9 : Zec 4:7, 10; Is 28:16.
  8. 3:9 : Rev 5:6.
  9. 3:10 : 1 Kgs 5:5; Mi 4:4.

You Might Also Like:

Zechariah 3 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

3 And he sheweth me Joshua the high priest standing before the messenger of Jehovah, and the Adversary standing at his right hand, to be an adversary to him. 2 And Jehovah saith unto the Adversary: `Jehovah doth push against thee, O Adversary, Yea, push against thee doth Jehovah, Who is fixing on Je...
Read More

Zechariah 3 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

3 And the Lord showed to me the great priest Joshua, standing before the angel of the Lord; and Satan stood on his right half, that he should be adversary to him. (And the Lord showed me Joshua, the High Priest, standing before the angel of the Lord; and Satan stood at his right hand/and the Adversa...
Read More

Zechariah 3 - World English Bible (WEB)

3 He showed me Joshua the high priest standing before Yahweh’s angel, and Satan standing at his right hand to be his adversary. 2 Yahweh said to Satan, “Yahweh rebuke you, Satan! Yes, Yahweh who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Isn’t this a burning stick plucked out of the fire?” 3 Now Joshua was c...
Read More

Zechariah 3 - The Voice (VOICE)

3 Then the heavenly messenger showed me a fourth vision: Joshua, the high priest, was standing in front of the Eternal’s Special Messenger who was presiding over a heavenly council meeting. Standing to Joshua’s right was the one called the Accuser.[a] He was ready to argue that Joshua was unworthy t...
Read More

Zechariah 3 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Joshua the Kohen Gadol3 Then he showed me Joshua the kohen gadol standing before the angel of Adonai and the satan[a], standing at his right hand to accuse him. [b] 2 Adonai said to the satan, ‘Adonai rebukes you, the satan. Indeed Adonai, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebukes you.[c] Is not this man a ...
Read More

Zechariah 3 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Fourth Vision: Joshua and Satan3 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. 2 And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, O Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this a brand plucked...
Read More

Zechariah 3 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Fourth Vision: Joshua and Satan3 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. 2 And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, O Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this a brand plucked...
Read More

Zechariah 3 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Fourth Vision: Joshua and Satan3 Then he showed me the high priest Joshua standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan[a] standing at his right hand to accuse him. 2 And the Lord said to Satan,[b] ‘The Lord rebuke you, O Satan![c] The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this man a ...
Read More

Zechariah 3 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Fourth Vision: Joshua and Satan3 Then he showed me the high priest Joshua standing before the angel of the Lord and the accuser[a] standing at his right hand to accuse him.(A)2 And the Lord said to the accuser,[b] “The Lord rebuke you, O accuser![c] The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is n...
Read More

Zechariah 3 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Cleansing for the High Priest3 Then the angel showed me Jeshua[a] the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord. The Accuser, Satan,[b] was there at the angel’s right hand, making accusations against Jeshua. 2 And the Lord said to Satan, “I, the Lord, reject your accusations, Satan. Yes, the...
Read More

Zechariah 3 - New Life Version (NLV)

Zechariah Sees a Religious Leader3 Then he showed me Joshua the head religious leader standing before the angel of the Lord. And Satan was standing at his right side to blame him. 2 The Lord said to Satan, “May the Lord’s Word be sharp against you, Satan! May the Lord who has chosen Jerusalem speak...
Read More

Zechariah 3 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Vision of the High Priest3 Then he showed me (A)Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the Lord, and (B)Satan[a] standing at his right hand to oppose him. 2 And the Lord said to Satan, (C)“The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord who (D)has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! (E)Is this not a bra...
Read More

Zechariah 3 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Clean garments for the high priest3 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan[a] standing at his right side to accuse him. 2 The Lord said to Satan, ‘The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning...
Read More

Zechariah 3 - New International Version (NIV)

Clean Garments for the High Priest3 Then he showed me Joshua(A) the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan[a](B) standing at his right side to accuse him. 2 The Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you,(C) Satan! The Lord, who has chosen(D) Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this ma...
Read More

Zechariah 3 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

A Vision of the High Priest Dressed in Fine Clothes3 Then the Lord showed me Joshua the high priest. He was standing in front of the angel of the Lord. Satan was standing to the right of Joshua. He was there to bring charges against the high priest. 2 The Lord said to Satan, “May the Lord correct y...
Read More

Zechariah 3 - New English Translation (NET)

Vision Four: The Priest3 Next I saw Joshua the high priest[a] standing before the angel of the Lord, with Satan[b] standing at his right hand to accuse him. 2 The Lord[c] said to Satan, “May the Lord rebuke you, Satan! May the Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Isn’t this man like a burnin...
Read More