Zechariah 3 · Verse 9

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.

Zechariah 3:9, King James Version

Zechariah 3:9 in other translations

BSB	See the stone I have set before Joshua; on that one stone are seven eyes. Behold, I will engrave on it an inscription, declares the LORD of Hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day.
WEB	For, behold, the stone that I have set before Joshua: on one stone are seven eyes; behold, I will engrave its inscription,’ says the LORD of Armies, ‘and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.
ASV	For, behold, the stone that I have set before Joshua; upon one stone are seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith Jehovah of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.
YLT	For lo, the stone that I put before Joshua, On one stone are seven eyes, Lo, I am graving its graving, An affirmation of Jehovah of Hosts, And I have removed the iniquity of that land in one day.
DARBY	For behold, the stone that I have laid before Joshua — upon one stone are seven eyes; behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith Jehovah of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of this land in one day.
BBE	For see, the stone which I have put before Joshua; on one stone are seven eyes: see, the design cut on it will be my work, says the Lord of armies, and I will take away the sin of that land in one day.
Webster	For behold, the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall be seven eyes; behold, I will engrave the graving of it saith the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.

What does Zechariah 3:9 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

9. 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 "the stone," because of its solidity and strength whereby it is to be the foundation of the Church, and shall crush all the world kingdoms (Psa 118:22; compare Is 28:16; Da 2:45; Mt 21:42; 1Co 3:11; 1Pe 2:6, 7). The angel pointing to the chief stone lying before Him, intimates that a deeper mystery than the material temple is symbolized. Moore thinks the "stone" is the Jewish Church, which Jehovah engages watchfully to guard. The temple, rather, is that symbolically. But the antitype of the foundation-stone is Messiah. upon one stone shall be seven eyes--namely, the watchful "eyes" of Jehovah's care ever fixed "upon" it (Zec 4:10) [Maurer]. The eye is the symbol of Providence: "seven," of perfection (Re 5:6; compare 2Ch 16:9; Psa 32:8). Antitypically, "the seven eyes upon the stone" are the eyes of all angels (1Ti 3:16), and of all saints (Joh 3:14, 15; 12:32), and of the patriarchs and prophets (Joh 8:56; 1Pe 1:10, 11), fixed on Christ; above all, the eyes of the Father ever rest with delight on Him. Calvin (perhaps better) considers the seven eyes to be carved on the stone, that is, not the eyes of the Father and of angels and saints ever fixed on Him, but His own sevenfold (perfect) fullness of grace, and of gifts of the Spirit (Is 11:2, 3; Joh 1:16; 3:34; Col 1:19; 2:9), and His watchful providence now for the Jews in building the temple, and always for His Church, His spiritual temple. Thus the "stone" is not as other stones senseless, but living and full of eyes of perfect intelligence (1Pe 2:4, "a living stone"), who not only attracts the eyes (Joh 12:32) of His people, but emits illumination so as to direct them to Him. engrave ... graving--implying Messiah's exceeding beauty and preciousness; alluding to the polished stones of the temple: Christ excelled them, as much as God who "prepared His body" (He 10:5; compare Joh 2:21) is superior to all human builders. remove ... iniquity of that land in one day--that is, the iniquity and its consequences, namely the punishment to which the Jews heretofore had been subjected (Hag 1:6, 9-11). The remission of sin is the fountain of every other blessing. The "one day" of its removal is primarily the day of national atonement celebrated after the completion of the temple (Le 23:27) on the tenth day of the seventh month. Antitypically, the atonement by Messiah for all men, once for all ("one day") offered, needing no repetition like the Mosaic sacrifices (He 10:10, 12, 14).

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 9 For 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," Isa 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 the work should be completed. There may be an allusion to the seven counsellors, which stood always about the persons of the Asiatics sovereigns; and those who were the governors of provinces were termed the eyes of the king. To this there is an allusion in Rev 1:4. In Christ there is a plentitude of wisdom, power, goodness, mercy, truth, love, and compassion, to direct, protect, save, uphold, purify, govern, and preserve all the souls that trust in him. I will engrave the graving thereof - This is an allusion to engraving precious stones, in which the ancients greatly excelled. Heads, animals, and various devices were the subjects of those engravings. But what was this engraving? Was it not the following words? I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day;" and was not this when Jesus Christ expired upon the cross? This was the grand, the only atonement, satisfaction, and sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. Does not our Lord refer to this place, Joh 6:27 (note)? Him hath God thy Father sealed; and on the inscription there was, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." See the note on the above passage.

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 3:9 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.

כִּ֣י\׀kiforH3588

הִנֵּ֣הhi.Nehthere!H2009

הָאֶ֗בֶןha.'E.venthe stoneH68

אֲשֶׁ֤ר'a.SherwhichH834

נָתַ֙תִּי֙na.Ta.tiI have setH5414

לִפְנֵ֣יlif.Nei<to> beforeH6440

יְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַye.ho.Shu.a'JoshuaH3091

עַל\־'al-[are] onH5921

אֶ֥בֶן'E.vena stoneH68

אַחַ֖ת'a.ChatoneH259

שִׁבְעָ֣הshiv.'AhsevenH7651

עֵינָ֑יִם'ei.Na.yimeyesH5869

הִנְנִ֧יhi.Nihere IH2005

מְפַתֵּ֣חַme.fa.Te.ach[am] about to engraveH6605

פִּתֻּחָ֗הּpi.tu.Chahengraving itsH6603

נְאֻם֙ne.'Um[the] utterance ofH5002

יְהוָ֣הYah.wehYahwehH3068

צְבָא֔וֹתtze.va.'otof hostsH6635

וּמַשְׁתִּ֛יu.mash.Tiand I will removeH4185

אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853

עֲוֹ֥ן'a.Von[the] iniquity ofH5771

הָאָֽרֶץ\־ha.'a.retz-the landH776

הַהִ֖יאha.Hi'<the> thatH1931

בְּי֥וֹםbe.Yomin a dayH3117

אֶחָֽד\׃'e.ChadoneH259

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

Cross references for Zechariah 3:9

Zechariah 4:10
For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through the whole earth.
Jeremiah 50:20
In those days, and in that time, saith the Lord, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I reserve.
Revelation 5:6
And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
Isaiah 28:16
Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.
Jeremiah 31:34
And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
Psalms 118:22
The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.
1 Peter 2:4-8
To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, …
Romans 9:33
As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Matthew 21:42-44
Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.
Hebrews 9:25-26
Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
2 Timothy 2:19
Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
Micah 7:18-19
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. He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

the stone.
Ps 118:22; Isa 8:14,15; 28:16; Mt 21:42-44; Ac 4:11; Ro 9:33
1Pe 2:4-8
seven.
4:10; 2Ch 16:9; Re 5:6
I will engrave.
Ex 28:11,21,36; Joh 6:27; 2Co 1:22; 3:3; 2Ti 2:19
remove.
13:1; Isa 53:4-12; Jer 31:34; 50:20; Da 9:24-27; Mic 7:18,19
Joh 1:29; Eph 2:16,17; Col 1:20,21; 1Ti 2:5,6; Heb 7:27; 9:25,26
Heb 10:10-18; 1Jo 2:2

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

Context

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.
Zechariah 3:10
In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, shall ye call every man his neighbour under the vine and under the fig tree.

Read all of Zechariah 3

Zechariah 3:9 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Porque he aquí aquella piedra que puse delante de Josué; sobre esta única piedra hay siete ojos: he aquí, yo grabaré su escultura, dice Jehová de los ejércitos, y quitaré el pecado de la tierra en un día.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Car voici, la pierre que j’ai placée devant Joshua; sur cette seule pierre, il y aura sept yeux; voici, j’en graverai la gravure, dit l’ Éternel des armées; et j’ôterai l’iniquité de ce pays en un seul jour.
German Elberfelder 1871	Denn siehe, der Stein, den ich vor Josua gelegt habe, -auf einem Steine sieben Augen siehe, ich will seine Eingrabung eingraben, spricht Jehova der Heerscharen, und will die Ungerechtigkeit dieses Landes hinwegnehmen an einem Tage.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Quia ecce lapis quem dedi coram Jesu: super lapidem unum septem oculi sunt: ecce ego cælabo sculpturam ejus, ait Dominus exercituum, et auferam iniquitatem terræ illius in die una.