December 09, 2002 Copyright © by United States Conference of Catholic BishopsZechariah
Chapter 3
- 1
- Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, while Satan stood at his right hand to accuse him.
- 2
- And the angel of the LORD said to Satan, "May the LORD rebuke you, Satan; may the LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this man a brand snatched from the fire?"
- 3
- 1 Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clad in filthy garments.
- 4
- He spoke and said to those who were standing before him, "Take off his filthy garments, and clothe him in festal garments."
- 5
- He also said, "Put a clean miter on his head." And they put a clean miter on his head and clothed him with the garments. Then the angel of the LORD, standing, said, "See, I have taken away your guilt."
- 6
- The angel of the LORD then gave Joshua this assurance:
- 7
- "Thus says the LORD of hosts: If you walk in my ways and heed my charge, you shall judge my house and keep my courts, and I will give you access among these standing here.
- 8
- 2 Listen, O Joshua, high priest! You and your associates who sit before you are men of good omen. Yes, I will bring my servant the Shoot.
- 9
- 3 Look at the stone that I have placed before Joshua, one stone with seven facets. I will engrave its inscription, says the LORD of hosts, and I will take away the guilt of the land in one day.
- 10
- On that day, says the LORD of hosts, you will invite one another under your vines and fig trees."
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1 [3] Filthy garments: symbolic of mourning for the dead, or of national catastrophe, and implying acknowledgment of guilt (Zechariah 3:5).
2 [8] Men of good omen: the restoration of the priesthood is a sign of the coming of the messianic times. My servant the Shoot: identified, in the earliest form of Zechariah 6:11-12 as the prophet composed it, with Zerubbabel, direct descendant of King David and rebuilder of the temple; and, as such, a type of the Messiah; cf Jeremiah 23:5.
3 [9] One stone with seven facets: apparently the same as the select stone of Zechariah 4:7(10) which seems to be a precious gem. The seven facets are explained in Zechariah 4:7(10) as signifying the Lord's vigilance over the world. I will engrave its inscription: the same Hebrew verb for engrave is used in Exodus 28:9, 11 in regard to the inscriptions on the twelve precious stones of the priestly breastpiece.
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