TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Zechariah - Chapter 3

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1He further showed me Yehoshua, the Kohen Gadol, standing before the angel of Hashem, and the Accuser standing at his right to accuse him.

אוַיַּרְאֵנִי אֶת־יְהוֹשֻׁעַ הַכֹּהֵן הַגָּדוֹל עֹמֵד לִפְנֵי מַלְאַךְ יְהֹוָה וְהַשָּׂטָן עֹמֵד עַל־יְמִינוֹ לְשִׂטְנוֹ׃

2But [the angel of] Hashem said to the Accuser, “Hashem rebuke you, O Accuser; may Hashem who has chosen Yerushalayim rebuke you! For this is a brand plucked from the fire.”

בוַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֶל־הַשָּׂטָן יִגְעַר יְהֹוָה בְּךָ הַשָּׂטָן וְיִגְעַר יְהֹוָה בְּךָ הַבֹּחֵר בִּירוּשָׁלָ ִם הֲלוֹא זֶה אוּד מֻצָּל מֵאֵשׁ׃

3Now Yehoshua was clothed in filthy garments when he stood before the angel.

גוִיהוֹשֻׁעַ הָיָה לָבֻשׁ בְּגָדִים צוֹאִים וְעֹמֵד לִפְנֵי הַמַּלְאָךְ׃

4The latter spoke up and said to his attendants, “Take the filthy garments off him!” And he said to him, “See, I have removed your guilt from you, and you shall be clothed in [priestly] robes.”

דוַיַּעַן וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל־הָעֹמְדִים לְפָנָיו לֵאמֹר הָסִירוּ הַבְּגָדִים הַצֹּאִים מֵעָלָיו וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו רְאֵה הֶעֱבַרְתִּי מֵעָלֶיךָ עֲוׂנֶךָ וְהַלְבֵּשׁ אֹתְךָ מַחֲלָצוֹת׃

5Then he gave the order, “Let a pure diadem be placed on his head.” And they placed the pure diadem on his head and clothed him in [priestly] garments, as the angel of Hashem stood by.

הוָאֹמַר יָשִׂימוּ צָנִיף טָהוֹר עַל־רֹאשׁוֹ וַיָּשִׂימוּ הַצָּנִיף הַטָּהוֹר עַל־רֹאשׁוֹ וַיַּלְבִּשֻׁהוּ בְּגָדִים וּמַלְאַךְ יְהֹוָה עֹמֵד׃

6And the angel of Hashem charged Yehoshua as follows:

ווַיָּעַד מַלְאַךְ יְהֹוָה בִּיהוֹשֻׁעַ לֵאמֹר׃

7“Thus said the lord of Hosts: If you walk in My paths and keep My charge, you in turn will rule My House and guard My courts, and I will permit you to move about among these attendants.

koh a-MAR a-do-NAI tz'-va-OT im bid-ra-KHAI tay-LAYKH v'-IM et mish-mar-TEE tish-MOR v'-gam a-TAH ta-DEEN et bay-TEE v'-GAM tish-MOR et kha-tzay-RAI v'-na-ta-TEE l'-KHA mah-l'-KHEEM BAYN ha-o-m'-DEEM ha-AY-leh

זכֹּה־אָמַר יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת אִם־בִּדְרָכַי תֵּלֵךְ וְאִם אֶת־מִשְׁמַרְתִּי תִשְׁמֹר וְגַם־אַתָּה תָּדִין אֶת־בֵּיתִי וְגַם תִּשְׁמֹר אֶת־חֲצֵרָי וְנָתַתִּי לְךָ מַהְלְכִים בֵּין הָעֹמְדִים הָאֵלֶּה׃

 3:7  And I will permit you to move about among these attendants

In this chapter, Yehoshua the Kohen Gadol (‘High Priest’) has his dirty clothes removed, symbolic of the removal of his sins. Yehoshua is told that if he walks in the ways of Hashem and follows His commandments, he will be allowed to “move about these attendants.” These attendants refers to the angels in the vision, implying that Yehoshua will be granted the ability to engage in direct communion with Hashem, just as the angels do. Some, however, interpret this to mean that Yehoshua will be given the right to enter Israel’s most sacred spot — the Holy of Holies in the Beit Hamikdash in Yerushalayim, where the Kohen Gadol would enter once a year on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16).

8Hearken well, O High Priest Yehoshua, you and your fellow Kohanim sitting before you! For those men are a sign that I am going to bring My servant the Branch.

חשְׁמַע־נָא יְהוֹשֻׁעַ הַכֹּהֵן הַגָּדוֹל אַתָּה וְרֵעֶיךָ הַיֹּשְׁבִים לְפָנֶיךָ כִּי־אַנְשֵׁי מוֹפֵת הֵמָּה כִּי־הִנְנִי מֵבִיא אֶת־עַבְדִּי צֶמַח׃

9For mark well this stone which I place before Yehoshua, a single stone with seven eyes. I will execute its engraving—declares the lord of Hosts—and I will remove that country's guilt in a single day.

טכִּי הִנֵּה הָאֶבֶן אֲשֶׁר נָתַתִּי לִפְנֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ עַל־אֶבֶן אַחַת שִׁבְעָה עֵינָיִם הִנְנִי מְפַתֵּחַ פִּתֻּחָהּ נְאֻם יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת וּמַשְׁתִּי אֶת־עֲוׂן הָאָרֶץ־הַהִיא בְּיוֹם אֶחָד׃

10In that day—declares the lord of Hosts—you will be inviting each other to the shade of vines and fig trees.”

יבַּיּוֹם הַהוּא נְאֻם יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת תִּקְרְאוּ אִישׁ לְרֵעֵהוּ אֶל־תַּחַת גֶּפֶן וְאֶל־תַּחַת תְּאֵנָה׃