Zechariah 3

3RD CHAPTER

The Lord Will Send His Servant, the Branch

¹Then he showed me Joshua, the chief priest, standing in front of the Messenger of the Lord. Satan the Accuser was standing at Joshua’s right side to accuse him. ²The Lord said to Satan, “I, the Lord, silence you, Satan! I, the Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, silence you! Isn’t this man like a burning log snatched from a fire?” 

³Joshua was wearing filthy clothes and was standing in front of the Messenger. ⁴The Messenger said to those who were standing in front of him, “Remove Joshua’s filthy clothes.” Then he said to Joshua, “See, I have taken your sin away from you, and I will dress you in fine clothing.” 

⁵So I said, “Put a clean turban on his head.” They put a clean turban on his head and dressed him while the Messenger of the Lord was standing there. 

⁶The Messenger of the Lord advised Joshua, ⁷“This is what the Lord of Armies says: If you live according to my ways and follow my requirements, you will govern my temple and watch over my courtyards. Then I will give you free access to walk among those standing here. 

⁸“Listen, Chief Priest Joshua and your friends sitting with you. These men are a sign of things to come: I’m going to bring my servant, the Branch. 

⁹“Look at the stone I have set in front of Joshua. That one stone has seven eyes.^aI am engraving an inscription on it,” declares the Lord of Armies. “I will remove this land’s sin in a single day. ¹⁰On that day,” declares the Lord of Armies, “each of you will invite your neighbor to sit under your vine and fig tree.”