^3:6Then the angel of the Lord exhorted Joshua solemnly: ^3:7“The Lord who rules over all says, ‘If you live⁸ and work according to my requirements, you will be able to preside over my temple⁹ and attend to my courtyards, and I will allow you to come and go among these others who are standing by you. ^3:8Listen now, Joshua the high priest, both you and your colleagues who are sitting before you, all of you¹⁰ are a symbol that I am about to introduce my servant, the Branch.¹¹^3:9As for the stone¹² I have set before Joshua—on the one stone there are seven eyes.¹³ I am about to engrave an inscription on it,’ says the Lord who rules over all, ‘to the effect that I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day.¹⁴^3:10In that day,’ says the Lord who rules over all, ‘everyone will invite his friend to fellowship under his vine and under his fig tree.’ ”¹⁵

Read in Logos

Zechariah 3:9: For behold, on the stone that I have set before Joshua, on a single stone with seven eyes, I will engrave its inscription, declares the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day.

Footnotes

8 Heb “walk,” a frequent biblical metaphor for lifestyle or conduct; “If you [+ truly ] obey.” To “walk” in the ways of the Lord is to live life as he intends (cf. Deut 8:6; 10:12–22; 28:9).
9 The statement you will be able to preside over my temple (Heb “house,” a reference to the Jerusalem temple) is a hint of the increasingly important role the high priest played in the postexilic Jewish community, especially in the absence of a monarchy. It also suggests the messianic character of the eschatological priesthood in which the priest would have royal prerogatives.
10 Heb “these men.” The cleansing of Joshua and his elevation to enhanced leadership as a priest signify the coming of the messianic age.
11 The collocation of servant and branch gives double significance to the messianic meaning of the passage (cf. Isa 41:8, 9; 42:1, 19; 43:10; 44:1, 2, 21; Ps 132:17; Jer 23:5; 33:15).
12 The stone is also a metaphor for the Messiah, a foundation stone that, at first rejected (Ps 118:22–23; Isa 8:13–15), will become the chief cornerstone of the church (Eph 2:19–22).
13 Some understand the Hebrew term עַיִן (’ayin) here to refer to facets (cf. , , ) or “faces” (, “seven sides”) of the stone rather than some representation of organs of sight. The seven eyes are symbolic of divine omniscience and universal dominion (cf. Zech 1:10; 4:10; 2 Chr 16:9).
14 Inscriptions were common on ancient Near Eastern cornerstones. This inscription speaks of the redemption achieved by the divine resident of the temple, the Messiah, who will in the day of the Lord bring salvation to all Israel (cf. Isa 66:7–9).
15 Heb “under the vine and under the fig tree,” with the Hebrew article used twice as a possessive pronoun (cf. “his”). Some English translations render this as second person rather than third ( “your vine”; cf. also , , ). The imagery of fellowship under his vine and under his fig tree describes the peaceful dominion of the Lord in the coming messianic age (Mic 4:4; cf. 1 Kgs 4:25).

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

And the angel of the Lord solemnly assured Joshua, “Thus says the Lord of hosts: If you will walk in my ways and keep my charge, then you shall rule my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you the right of access among those who are standing here. Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who sit before you, for they are men who are a sign: behold, I will bring my servant the Branch. For behold, on the stone that I have set before Joshua, on a single stone with seven eyes, I will engrave its inscription, declares the Lord of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day. In that day, declares the Lord of hosts, every one of you will invite his neighbor to come under his vine and under his fig tree.”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

The angel of the Lord gave this charge to Joshua: “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘If you will walk in obedience to me and keep my requirements, then you will govern my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you a place among these standing here.

“ ‘Listen, High Priest Joshua, you and your associates seated before you, who are men symbolic of things to come: I am going to bring my servant, the Branch. See, the stone I have set in front of Joshua! There are seven eyes on that one stone, and I will engrave an inscription on it,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will remove the sin of this land in a single day.

“ ‘In that day each of you will invite your neighbor to sit under your vine and fig tree,’ declares the Lord Almighty.”

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Then the angel of the Lord charged Joshua, “This is what the Lord of Armies says: If you walk in my ways and keep my mandates, you will both rule my house and take care of my courts; I will also grant you access among these who are standing here.

“Listen, High Priest Joshua, you and your colleagues sitting before you; indeed, these men are a sign that I am about to bring my servant, the Branch. Notice the stone I have set before Joshua; on that one stone are seven eyes. I will engrave an inscription on it”—this is the declaration of the Lord of Armies—“and I will take away the iniquity of this land in a single day. On that day, each of you will invite his neighbor to sit under his vine and fig tree.” This is the declaration of the Lord of Armies.

NLTNew Living Translation

Then the angel of the Lord spoke very solemnly to Jeshua and said, “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: If you follow my ways and carefully serve me, then you will be given authority over my Temple and its courtyards. I will let you walk among these others standing here.

“Listen to me, O Jeshua the high priest, and all you other priests. You are symbols of things to come. Soon I am going to bring my servant, the Branch. Now look at the jewel I have set before Jeshua, a single stone with seven facets. I will engrave an inscription on it, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, and I will remove the sins of this land in a single day.

“And on that day, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, each of you will invite your neighbor to sit with you peacefully under your own grapevine and fig tree.”

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And the angel of Yahweh assured Joshua, saying, “Thus says Yahweh of hosts: ‘If you will walk in my ways, and if you will keep my requirements, then you will judge my house, and you will also guard my courtyards, and I will give to you passageways among these that are standing here. Listen, please, O Joshua the high priest, you and your companions that are sitting before you. For the men are a sign that, look, I am going to bring my servant the Branch. For consider, the stone that I set before Joshua, on one stone are seven eyes. Look, I am going to engrave an inscription on it,’ declares Yahweh of hosts, ‘and I will remove the guilt of that land in a single day. On that day,’ declares Yahweh of hosts, ‘you will invite one another under the vine and under the fig tree.’ ”

KJV 1900King James Version

And the angel of the Lord protested unto Joshua, saying,

Thus saith the Lord of hosts;

If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge,

Then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts,

And I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by.

Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou,

And thy fellows that sit before thee:

For they are men wondered at:

For, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH.

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.

In that day, saith the Lord of hosts,

Shall ye call every man his neighbour

Under the vine and under the fig tree.

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