Zechariah 3 · Verse 4

Zechariah 3:4

And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.
Zechariah 3:4, King James Version

Zechariah 3:4 in other translations

BSBSo the angel said to those standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes!” Then he said to Joshua, “See, I have removed your iniquity, and I will clothe you with splendid robes.”
WEBHe answered and spoke to those who stood before him, saying, “Take the filthy garments off him.” To him he said, “Behold, I have caused your iniquity to pass from you, and I will clothe you with rich clothing.”
ASVAnd he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take the filthy garments from off him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with rich apparel.
YLTAnd he answereth and speaketh unto those standing before him, saying: ‘Turn aside the filthy garments from off him.' And he saith unto him, ‘See, I have caused thine iniquity to pass away from off thee, so as to clothe thee with costly apparel.'
DARBYAnd he spoke and said unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from off him. And unto him he said, See, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I clothe thee with festival-robes.
BBEAnd he made answer and said to those who were there before him, Take the unclean robes off him, and let him be clothed in clean robes;
WebsterAnd he answered and spoke to those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And to him he said, Behold, I have caused thy iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.

What does Zechariah 3:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
4. those that stood before him--the ministering angels (compare the phrase in 1Ki 10:8; Da 1:5). Take away the filthy garments--In Zec 3:9 it is "remove the iniquity of that land"; therefore Joshua represents the land. from him--literally, "from upon him"; pressing upon him as an overwhelming burden. change of raiment--festal robes of the high priest, most costly and gorgeous; symbol of Messiah's imputed righteousness (Mt 22:11). The restoration of the glory of the priesthood is implied: first, partially, at the completion of the second temple; fully realized in the great High Priest Jesus, whose name is identical with Joshua (He 4:8), the Representative of Israel, the "kingdom of priests" (Ex 19:6); once clad in the filthy garments of our vileness, but being the chosen of the Father (Is 42:1; 44:1; 49:1-3), He hath by death ceased from sin, and in garments of glory entered the heavenly holy place as our High Priest (He 8:1; 9:24). Then, as the consequence (1Pe 2:5), realized in the Church generally (Lu 15:22; Re 19:8), and in Israel in particular (Is 61:10; compare Is 3:6; 66:21).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 4 Take away the filthy garments - The Jews wore sackcloth in times of public calamity; probably the filthy garments refer to this. Let their clothing be changed. I have turned again their captivity; I will fully restore them, and blot out all their iniquities.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Zechariah 3:1-5

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 from Jesus Christ, who is made of God to us both…

Read the full comment on Zechariah 3:1-5 →

Zechariah 3:4 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.

וַיַּ֣עַןvai.Ya.'anand he answeredH6030
וַיֹּ֗אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
אֶל\־'el-toH413
הָעֹמְדִ֤יםha.'o.me.Dimthose [who] were standingH5975
לְפָנָיו֙le.fa.Nav<to> before himH6440
לֵאמֹ֔רle.Mor<to> sayingH559
הָסִ֛ירוּha.Si.ruremoveH5493
הַבְּגָדִ֥יםha.be.ga.Dimthe garmentsH899
הַצֹּאִ֖יםha.tzo.'Im<the> filthyH6674
מֵעָלָ֑יוme.'a.Lavfrom on <the> himH5921
וַיֹּ֣אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
אֵלָ֗יו'e.Lavto himH413
רְאֵ֨הre.'EhseeH7200
הֶעֱבַ֤רְתִּיhe.'e.Var.tiI have taken awayH5674
מֵעָלֶ֙יךָ֙me.'a.Lei.khafrom on <the> youH5921
עֲוֹנֶ֔ךָ'a.vo.Ne.khainiquity yourH5771
וְהַלְבֵּ֥שׁve.hal.Beshand I will clotheH3847
אֹתְךָ֖'o.te.Kha<obj.> youH853
מַחֲלָצֽוֹת\׃ma.cha.la.TzotrobesH4254

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Zechariah 3:4

  • Isaiah 61:10

    I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

  • Luke 15:22

    But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:

  • Ezekiel 36:25

    Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.

  • Revelation 7:14

    And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

  • Revelation 19:7-8

    Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

  • Isaiah 43:25

    I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.

  • Isaiah 61:3

    To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.

  • Zechariah 3:7

    Thus saith the Lord of hosts; If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by.

  • Micah 7:18

    Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.

  • Zechariah 3:9

    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.

  • Hebrews 8:12

    For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

  • 1 Corinthians 6:11

    And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
those.
1,7; 1Ki 22:19; Isa 6:2,3; Lu 1:19; Re 5:11
Take.
Isa 43:25; Eze 36:25; Ga 3:27,28; Php 3:7-9; Re 7:14
I have.
2Sa 12:13; Ps 32:1,2; 51:9; Isa 6:5-7; Joh 1:29; Ro 6:23; Heb 8:12
and I will.
Isa 61:3,10; Lu 15:22; Ro 3:22; 1Co 6:11; 2Co 5:21; Col 3:10
Re 19:7

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Zechariah 3:3

    Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.

  • Zechariah 3:4

    And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.

  • Zechariah 3:5

    And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord stood by.

Read all of Zechariah 3

Zechariah 3:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y habló el ángel, é intimó á los que estaban delante de sí, diciendo: Quitadle esas vestimentas viles. Y á él dijo: Mira que he hecho pasar tu pecado de ti, y te he hecho vestir de ropas de gala.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et l’Ange prit la parole et parla à ceux qui se tenaient devant lui, disant: Ôtez de dessus lui les vêtements sales. Et il lui dit: Regarde, j’ai fait passer de dessus toi ton iniquité, et je te revêts d’habits de fête.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und der Engel hob an und sprach zu denen, welche vor ihm standen, und sagte: Ziehet ihm die schmutzigen Kleider aus; und zu ihm sprach er: Siehe, ich habe deine Ungerechtigkeit von dir weggenommen, und ich kleide dich in Feierkleider.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Qui respondit, et ait ad eos qui stabant coram se, dicens: Auferte vestimenta sordida ab eo. Et dixit ad eum: Ecce abstuli a te iniquitatem tuam, et indui te mutatoriis.