Zechariah 3:1
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.
Zechariah 3:1 in other translations
| BSB | Then the angel showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, with Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. |
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| WEB | He showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the LORD’s angel, and Satan standing at his right hand to be his adversary. |
| ASV | And he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of Jehovah, and Satan standing at his right hand to be his adversary. |
| YLT | 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. |
| DARBY | And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of Jehovah, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. |
| BBE | And he let me see Joshua, the high priest, in his place before the angel of the Lord, and the Satan at his right hand ready to take up a cause against him. |
| Webster | And he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. |
What does Zechariah 3:1 mean?
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
Zec 3:1-10. Fourth Vision. Joshua the high priest before the angel of Jehovah; accused by Satan, but justified by Jehovah through Messiah the coming Branch.
1. 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 me--"He" is the interpreting angel. Jerusalem's (Joshua's) "filthy garments" (Zec 3:3) are its sins which had hitherto brought down God's judgments. The "change of raiment" implies its restoration to God's favor. Satan suggested to the Jews that so consciously polluted a priesthood and people could offer no acceptable sacrifice to God, and therefore they might as well desist from the building of the temple. Zechariah encourages them by showing that their demerit does not disqualify them for the work, as they are accepted in the righteousness of another, their great High Priest, the Branch (Zec 3:8), a scion of their own royal line of David (Is 11:1). The full accomplishment of Israel's justification and of Satan the accuser's being "rebuked" finally, is yet future (Re 12:10). Compare Re 11:8, wherein "Jerusalem," as here, is shown to be meant primarily, though including the whole Church in general (compare Job 1:9). Satan--the Hebrew term meaning "adversary" in a law court: as devil is the Greek term, meaning accuser. Messiah, on the other hand, is "advocate" for His people in the court of heaven's justice (1Jo 2:1). standing at his right hand--the usual position of a prosecutor or accuser in court, as the left hand was the position of the defendant (Psa 109:6). The "angel of the Lord" took the same position just before another high priest was about to beget the forerunner of Messiah (Lu 1:11), who supplants Satan from his place as accuser. Some hence explain Jude 9 as referring to this passage: "the body of Moses" being thus the Jewish Church, for which Satan contended as his by reason of its sins; just as the "body of Christ" is the Christian Church. However, Jude 9 plainly speaks of the literal body of Moses, the resurrection of which at the transfiguration Satan seems to have opposed on the ground of Moses' error at Meribah; the same divine rebuke, "the Lord rebuke thee," checked Satan in contending for judgment against Moses' body, as checked him when demanding judgment against the Jewish Church, to which Moses' body corresponds.Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain
Adam Clarke's Commentary
Introduction
While the Jews were rebuilding their temple, their adversaries endeavored to stop the work, Ezra 5. This vision is therefore calculated to give them the strongest encouragement that God, after plucking them as brands out of the fire (or captivity of Babylon), would not now give them up, but would continue to prosper and favor them; and that notwithstanding the interruptions they should meet with, the work should be finished under the gracious superintendence of Providence; and their high priest, clothed in his pontifical robes, would soon officiate in the holy of holies, Zac 3:1-7. The subject is then, by an easy transition, applied to a much greater future deliverance and restoration, of which Joshua and his companions, delivered now, are declared to be figures or types; for that the Messiah or Branch, the great high priest typified by Joshua, would be manifested; and, like the principal stone represented in the vision, become the chief corner stone of his Church; that the all-seeing eye of God would constantly guard it; and that by his atonement he would procure for it peace and pardon, Zac 3:8-10. Verse 1 And 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 Jde 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 therefore refer to that body of laws given to the Jews by Moses, for the breach of which Satan, who was their tempter to disobedience, now comes forward as their accuser; that, exciting the justice of God against them, they may be all brought to perdition. There is a paronomasia here: - Satan standing at his right hand to resist him - שטן Satan signifies an adversary. לשטנו lesiteno, to be his adversary, or accuser.Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Zechariah 3:1-5
Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain
Zechariah 3:1 in the original Hebrew
Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.
Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).
Cross references for Zechariah 3:1
- Luke 22:31
And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:
- 1 Peter 5:8
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
- Revelation 12:9-10
And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
- Psalms 109:6
Set thou a wicked man over him: and let Satan stand at his right hand.
- Job 2:1-8
Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the Lord. And the Lord said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause. And Satan answered the Lord, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. …
- Job 1:6-12
Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them. And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? …
- Haggai 1:1
In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet unto Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, saying,
- 1 Chronicles 21:1
And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.
- Luke 21:36
Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
- 2 Chronicles 29:11
My sons, be not now negligent: for the Lord hath chosen you to stand before him, to serve him, and that ye should minister unto him, and burn incense.
- Zechariah 6:11
Then take silver and gold, and make crowns, and set them upon the head of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest;
- Haggai 2:4
Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the Lord; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the Lord, and work: for I am with you, saith the Lord of hosts:
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Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
6 and a covenant of promise,
8 Christ the Branch and Corner Stone is promised.
he.
1:9,13,19; 2:3
Joshua.
8; 6:11; Ezr 5:2; Hag 1:1,12; 2:4
standing.
De 10:8; 18:15; 1Sa 6:20; 2Ch 29:11; Ps 106:23; Jer 15:19
Eze 44:11,15; Lu 21:36
the angel.
Ge 48:16; Ex 3:2-6; 23:20,21; Ho 12:4,5; Mal 3:1; Ac 7:30-38
Satan. that is, an adversary.
Job 1:6-12; 2:1-8; Ps 109:6; *marg:
Lu 22:31; 1Pe 5:8; Re 12:9,10
resist him. Heb. be his adversary.
Ge 3:15
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain
Context
- Zechariah 3:1
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.
- Zechariah 3:2
And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?
Zechariah 3:1 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | Y MOSTRÓME á Josué, el gran sacerdote, el cual estaba delante del ángel de Jehová; y Satán estaba á su mano derecha para serle adversario. |
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| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | *Et il me fit voir Joshua, le grand sacrificateur, debout devant l’Ange de l’ Éternel, et Satan se tenant à sa droite pour s’opposer à lui. |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | Und er ließ mich den Hohenpriester Josua sehen, der vor dem Engel Jehovas stand; und der Satan stand zu seiner Rechten, ihm zu widerstehen. |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | Et ostendit mihi Dominus Jesum sacerdotem magnum, stantem coram angelo Domini: et Satan stabat a dextris ejus ut adversaretur ei. |