Zechariah 5:1

Zechariah 5:1 Meaning and Explanation

Then I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a flying roll.

King James Version (KJV)

Read this verse in context with translation switching:

Read Full Chapter →

The prophet looks up again and sees a great scroll soaring through the air.

What Does Zechariah 5:1 Mean?

This opens the sixth in the night sequence of visions God gives Zechariah after the return from exile. The familiar phrase, 'I lifted up mine eyes, and looked,' signals a new scene, and what appears is startling: a scroll, normally held in the hand and read at rest, here flying open across the sky.

A written scroll in flight is a picture of God's word set loose and moving. What is recorded does not stay folded on a shelf; it goes out over the land with purpose. For the reader it is a reminder that the words God speaks are living and active, carrying His will to the very places that need to hear it.

Zechariah 5:1 in the Original Language

megillah (מְגִלָּה), 'roll' -- a rolled scroll, the ordinary form of a written document.

Frequently Asked Questions About Zechariah 5:1

What does Zechariah 5:1 mean?

The prophet looks up again and sees a great scroll soaring through the air.

Keep Studying Zechariah 5

Read the whole chapter in KJV, ASV, or WEB, or go deeper with the chapter study guide and key themes.