Zechariah 3 · Verse 8

Zechariah 3:8

Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH.
Zechariah 3:8, King James Version

Zechariah 3:8 in other translations

BSBHear now, O high priest Joshua, you and your companions seated before you, who are indeed a sign. For behold, I am going to bring My servant, the Branch.
WEBHear now, Joshua the high priest, you and your fellows who sit before you, for they are men who are a sign; for, behold, I will bring out my servant, the Branch.
ASVHear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou and thy fellows that sit before thee; for they are men that are a sign: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the Branch.
YLTHear, I pray thee, Joshua, the high priest, Thou and thy companions sitting before thee, (For men of type are they,) For lo, I am bringing in My servant--a Shoot.
DARBYHear now, Joshua the high priest, thou and thy fellows that sit before thee — for they are men of portent — for behold, I will bring forth my servant the Branch.
BBEGive ear now, O Joshua, the high priest, you and your friends who are seated before you; for these are men who are a sign: for see, I will let my servant the Branch be seen.
WebsterHear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH.

What does Zechariah 3:8 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
8. Hear--On account of the magnitude of what He is about to say, He at once demands solemn attention. thy fellows that sit before thee--thy subordinate colleagues in the priesthood; not that they were actually then sitting before him; but their usual posture in consultations was on chairs or benches before him, while he sat on an elevated seat as their president. they are--From speaking to Joshua He passes to speaking of him and them, in the third person, to the attendant angels (compare Zec 3:9). men wondered at--Hebrew, "men of wonder," that is, having a typical character (Is 8:18; 20:3; Eze 12:11; 24:24). Joshua the high priest typifies Messiah, as Joshua's "fellows" typify believers whom Messiah admits to share His Priesthood (1Pe 2:5; Re 5:10). This, its typical character, then, is a pledge to assure the desponding Jews that the priesthood shall be preserved till the great Antitype comes. There may be also an indirect reproof of the unbelief of the multitude who "wonder" at God's servants and even at God's Son incredulously (Psa 71:7; Is 8:18; 53:1, &c.). behold--marking the greatness of what follows. my servant--the characteristic title of Messiah (Is 42:1; 49:3; 50:10; 52:13; 53:11; Eze 34:23, 24). the Branch--Messiah, a tender branch from the almost extinct royal line of David (Zec 6:12; Is 4:2; 11:1; Jr 23:5; 33:15). Lu 1:78, where for "day spring," "branch" may be substituted (Mal 4:2, however, favors English Version). The reference cannot be to Zerubbabel (as Grotius thinks), for he was then in the full discharge of his office, whereas "the Branch" here is regarded as future.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 8 O Joshua - thou, and thy fellows - Thy countrymen, who have now returned from your captivity, in a very wonderful manner. אנשי מופת anshey mopheth, figurative men, men whose office and ministration prefigured the Lord Jesus Christ; and therefore it is immediately added, "I will bring forth my servant The Branch." Abp. Newcome thinks this means Zerubbabel, so called because he was the grandson of Jehoiakim, or Jeconiah, king of Judah, Mat 1:12, and heir to the throne of Judah. The Chaldee has, "My servant the Messiah." See the note on Isa 4:2 (note). I think the word cannot apply to Zerubbabel, except as a type of Christ; in that sense it may be understood of him. See Zac 6:11, Zac 6:12.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Zechariah 3:6-10

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…

Read the full comment on Zechariah 3:6-10 →

Zechariah 3:8 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.

שְֽׁמַֽע\־she.ma'-hearH8085
נָ֞אna'pleaseH4994
יְהוֹשֻׁ֣עַ\׀ye.ho.Shu.a'O JoshuaH3091
הַכֹּהֵ֣ןha.ko.Henthe priestH3548
הַגָּד֗וֹלha.ga.Dol<the> greatH1419
אַתָּה֙'a.TahyouH859
וְרֵעֶ֙יךָ֙ve.re.'Ei.khaand companions yourH7453
הַיֹּשְׁבִ֣יםhai.yo.she.Vimwho sitH3427
לְפָנֶ֔יךָle.fa.Nei.kha<to> before youH6440
כִּֽי\־ki-forH3588
אַנְשֵׁ֥י'an.Shei[are] men ofH582
מוֹפֵ֖תmo.FetsignH4159
הֵ֑מָּהHe.mahtheyH1992
כִּֽי\־ki-forH3588
הִנְנִ֥יhi.Nihere IH2005
מֵבִ֛יאme.Vi'[am] about to bringH935
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
עַבְדִּ֖י'av.Diservant myH5650
צֶֽמַח\׃Tze.machbranchH6780

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

Cross references for Zechariah 3:8

  • Isaiah 11:1

    And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:

  • Jeremiah 23:5

    Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.

  • Zechariah 6:12

    And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord:

  • Isaiah 42:1

    Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.

  • Jeremiah 33:15

    In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land.

  • Isaiah 53:2

    For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

  • Isaiah 4:2

    In that day shall the branch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel.

  • Isaiah 20:3

    And the Lord said, Like as my servant Isaiah hath walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and wonder upon Egypt and upon Ethiopia;

  • Isaiah 49:5

    And now, saith the Lord that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, and my God shall be my strength.

  • Isaiah 8:18

    Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the Lord of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion.

  • Isaiah 53:11

    He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

  • Ezekiel 17:22-24

    Thus saith the Lord God; I will also take of the highest branch of the high cedar, and will set it; I will crop off from the top of his young twigs a tender one, and will plant it upon an high mountain and eminent: In the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it: and it shall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a goodly cedar: and under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing; in the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell. And all the trees of the field shall know that I the Lord have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish: I the Lord have spoken and have done it.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
for.
Ps 71:7; Isa 8:18; 20:3; 1Co 4:9-13
wondered at. Heb. of wonder, or sign, as.
Eze 12:11; 24:24
my.
Isa 42:1; 49:3,5; 52:13; 53:11; Eze 34:23,24; 37:24; Php 2:6-8
the Branch.
6:12; Isa 4:2; 11:1; 53:2; Jer 23:5; 33:15; Eze 17:22-24; 34:29
Lu 1:78; *marg:

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

Context

  • 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.

  • Zechariah 3:8

    Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH.

  • 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.

Read all of Zechariah 3

Zechariah 3:8 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Escucha pues ahora, Josué gran sacerdote, tú, y tus amigos que se sientan delante de ti; porque son varones simbólicos: He aquí, yo traigo á mi siervo, el Pimpollo.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Écoute, Joshua, grand sacrificateur, toi et tes compagnons qui sont assis devant toi, car ce sont des hommes qui servent de signes; car voici, je ferai venir mon serviteur, le Germe.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Höre doch, Josua, du Hoherpriester, du und deine Genossen, die vor dir sitzen-denn Männer des Wunders sind sie; denn siehe, ich will meinen Knecht, Sproß genannt, kommen lassen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Audi, Jesu sacerdos magne, tu et amici tui, qui habitant coram te, quia viri portendentes sunt: ecce enim ego adducam servum meum Orientem.