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The Prophets · Old Testament

Zechariah 3

Zechariah 3: Joshua the high priest reclothed, and the servant called the BRANCH

General context

Zechariah is shown Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, with Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. The Lord says, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan, and asks whether this is not a brand plucked out of the fire. Joshua is standing in filthy garments. The order is given to those standing by to take the filthy garments away, and Joshua is told that his iniquity has been caused to pass from him and that he will be clothed with change of raiment. Zechariah himself speaks at this point, asking that a fair mitre be set on Joshua's head, and it is done while the angel of the Lord stands by. The angel of the Lord then protests to Joshua with a conditional charge from the Lord of hosts: if Joshua will walk in the Lord's ways and keep his charge, he will judge the Lord's house, keep his courts, and be given places to walk among those standing by. Joshua and the fellows that sit before him are called men wondered at, and the Lord announces, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH. A stone is set before Joshua with seven eyes upon it, its engraving to be cut by the Lord, and the Lord says he will remove the iniquity of that land in one day. The chapter ends with a promise that in that day every man will call his neighbour under the vine and under the fig tree.

Cited passages: Zechariah 3:1, Zechariah 3:2, Zechariah 3:3, Zechariah 3:4, Zechariah 3:5, Zechariah 3:6, Zechariah 3:7, Zechariah 3:8, Zechariah 3:9, Zechariah 3:10

Zechariah 3 (KJV)

1And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.

2And 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?

3Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.

4And 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.

5And 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.

6And the angel of the Lord protested unto Joshua, saying,

7Thus 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.

8Hear 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.

9For 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.

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

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Historical context

Joshua is identified in this chapter only as "Joshua the high priest." Haggai 1:1 names "Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest" alongside Zerubbabel, and Zechariah 6:11 uses the same full form; Ezra 5:2 spells the name "Jeshua the son of Jozadak." He is not Joshua the son of Nun. The scene has no date and no place beyond standing "before the angel of the Lord." Satan is named as one standing at Joshua's right hand "to resist him"; the text gives him no speech and no further description. Verse 2 says "the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee," so the rebuke is spoken in the third person about the Lord by a speaker the verse calls the Lord. The one who orders the filthy garments removed in verse 4 is not named in that verse. The words about "my servant the BRANCH" are spoken to Joshua and his fellows, and the chapter does not say who the BRANCH is or when he comes. The stone with seven eyes is left unexplained here; chapter 4 speaks of "those seven; they are the eyes of the Lord," in a different vision, and the text does not join the two. No sin of Joshua is specified, and the filthy garments are described without a cause.

Cited passages: Zechariah 3:1, Zechariah 3:2, Zechariah 3:3, Zechariah 3:4, Zechariah 3:8, Zechariah 3:9, Haggai 1:1, Zechariah 6:11, Ezra 5:2, Zechariah 4:10

Literary context

The chapter is staged as a court scene and turns on clothing. Joshua stands accused without speaking a word anywhere in the chapter; the resistance is answered before it is stated. The rebuke arrives as a doubled sentence with the reason attached, a brand plucked out of the fire, which puts rescue rather than merit at the centre. The removal of the filthy garments and the giving of change of raiment are matched by the plain statement, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, so the act and its meaning stand side by side. Zechariah breaks into his own vision here, the one place in these visions where he asks for something instead of asking what a thing means, and the mitre is set on at his request. The charge that follows is the chapter's only condition, built on two ifs and three thens. The last three verses move outward from one man to a land and a day: a servant named the BRANCH, a stone the Lord will engrave, iniquity removed in one day, and neighbours calling each other under the vine and the fig tree.

Cited passages: Zechariah 3:1, Zechariah 3:2, Zechariah 3:3, Zechariah 3:4, Zechariah 3:5, Zechariah 3:7, Zechariah 3:8, Zechariah 3:9, Zechariah 3:10

Key moments

  1. Joshua accused (Zechariah 3:1). Joshua the high priest stands before the angel of the Lord with Satan at his right hand.
  2. A brand plucked from the fire (Zechariah 3:2). The Lord rebukes Satan and calls Joshua a brand plucked out of the fire.
  3. Filthy garments taken away (Zechariah 3:4). The order is given to strip the filthy garments and clothe Joshua with change of raiment.
  4. A fair mitre (Zechariah 3:5). Zechariah asks for a mitre to be set on Joshua’s head and it is done.
  5. The conditional charge (Zechariah 3:7). Joshua is promised rule of the house and courts if he walks in the Lord’s ways.
  6. My servant the BRANCH (Zechariah 3:8). The Lord announces that he will bring forth his servant the BRANCH.
  7. Iniquity removed in one day (Zechariah 3:9). A stone with seven eyes is set before Joshua and the land’s iniquity is to be removed in one day.

For reflection

Joshua never speaks in this chapter; everything said about his guilt and his cleansing is said over him by others. What does that silence do to the way the scene reads?

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