Zechariah 3:9 Meaning and Explanation
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →God points to a single stone with seven eyes that He will engrave, promising to remove the land's iniquity in one day.
What Does Zechariah 3:9 Mean?
Alongside the BRANCH, God sets a second image: a single stone laid before Joshua, marked with seven eyes, which the LORD Himself will engrave. The stone is His own work, and the number seven speaks of fullness and complete sight. Then comes the great promise, that He will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.
Cleansing the whole land in a single day is far more than one priest's garments being changed; it is the iniquity of an entire people lifted at once by God's own act. Christians hear in this the work of Christ, whose finished offering accomplished in one decisive day what no repeated ritual could. The stone, engraved and watched over by God, becomes a quiet promise that He intends not partial relief but a full and lasting removal of guilt.
Zechariah 3:9 in the Original Language
avon (עָוֹן), 'iniquity' -- guilt together with its weight and consequence, the very thing God promises to remove.
Frequently Asked Questions About Zechariah 3:9
What does Zechariah 3:9 mean?
God points to a single stone with seven eyes that He will engrave, promising to remove the land's iniquity in one day.