Zechariah 5:3 Meaning and Explanation
“Then said he unto me, This is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth: for every one that stealeth shall be cut off as on this side according to it; and every one that sweareth shall be cut off as on that side according to it.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The scroll is the curse going out over the land against thieves and false swearers.
What Does Zechariah 5:3 Mean?
The messenger now explains the vision. The flying scroll is a curse, the sentence of God's broken covenant, advancing over the whole land. Two sins are named as representative: theft, an offense against one's neighbor, and false swearing, an offense that misuses God's name. The written word is two-sided, like the tablets of the law.
Stealing and swearing falsely stand for the two halves of God's commandments, duty toward people and duty toward God. By singling out one sin from each, the vision shows that the whole law is in view. God's holiness is not indifferent to hidden wrongdoing; His word searches it out and calls it by name.
Zechariah 5:3 in the Original Language
alah (אָלָה), 'curse' -- a sworn oath that carries a binding penalty if broken.
Frequently Asked Questions About Zechariah 5:3
What does Zechariah 5:3 mean?
The scroll is the curse going out over the land against thieves and false swearers.