The Meaning of Zechariah 3:4 Explained

Zechariah 3:4

KJV: And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.

YLT: And he answereth and speaketh unto those standing before him, saying: 'Turn aside the filthy garments from off him.' And he saith unto him, 'See, I have caused thine iniquity to pass away from off thee, so as to clothe thee with costly apparel.'

Darby: And he spoke and said unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from off him. And unto him he said, See, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I clothe thee with festival-robes.

ASV: And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take the filthy garments from off him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with rich apparel.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he answered  and spake  unto those that stood  before  him, saying,  Take away  the filthy  garments  from him. And unto him he said,  Behold,  I have caused thine iniquity  to pass  from thee, and I will clothe  thee with change of raiment. 

What does Zechariah 3:4 Mean?

Study Notes

clothe
.
coats of skins
Coats of skins: Type of "Christ, made unto us righteousness"-- a divinely provided garment that the first sinners might be made fit for God's presence. See Righteousness, garment Genesis 3:21 ; Revelation 19:8 .

Verse Meaning

The Lord then instructed others who were standing before Him, probably angelic servants, to remove Joshua"s filthy garments (cf. Exodus 28:8-9; Exodus 28:41; Leviticus 8:7-9; Numbers 20:28). The Lord explained that these garments symbolized the high priest"s (Israel"s) iniquities, which He had forgiven. He promised to remove his representative"s filthy robes and replace them with festal, stately robes, the apparel of royalty and wealth, symbolic of God"s righteousness (cf. Isaiah 3:22). Thus God would restore Israel to her original calling as a priestly nation (cf. Exodus 19:6; Isaiah 61:6).
"Theologically, however, there also seems to be a picture here of the negative aspect of what God does when he saves a person. Negatively, he takes away sin. Positively, he adds or imputes to the sinner saved by grace his own divine righteousness (cf. Zechariah 3:5)." [1]
Amillennialists contend that this is all that the vision means; it contains no special promises for Israel. [2]

Context Summary

Zechariah 3:1-10 - Purified For God's Service
The regulation for the maintenance of the priesthood had fallen into disuse, and they had neither robes, vessels, nor proper provision of offerings. Probably also the spiritual life of the priests was at a very low ebb, Malachi 1:1-14; Malachi 2:1-17. Satan is always discovering the weak spots in character and thrusting at them. He is keen as steel and cruel as hell. But we have One who pleads. As the priest Melchizedek, He ever lives to make intercession for us. "The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan."
We are as brands scorched and charred with the burning. But we have been plucked out of the consuming flame. Surely then we are being kept for some high and useful purpose. All the past is an argument for faith. That God has done so much is a pledge that He will perfect that which concerneth us, because His mercy endureth forever. It is not enough to be cleansed from sin, we need the miter of the divine anointing that we may have a place of access among the saints. Whom He justifies, He also glorifies. Let us be content with nothing short of God's best. [source]

Chapter Summary: Zechariah 3

1  Under the type of Joshua, the high priest, receiving clean garments,
6  and a covenant of promise,
8  Christ the Branch and Cornerstone is promised

What do the individual words in Zechariah 3:4 mean?

And He answered and spoke to those who stood before Him saying take away the garments filthy from him and He said to him See I have removed from you your iniquity and I will clothe you with rich robes
וַיַּ֣עַן וַיֹּ֗אמֶר אֶל־ הָעֹמְדִ֤ים לְפָנָיו֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הָסִ֛ירוּ הַבְּגָדִ֥ים הַצֹּאִ֖ים מֵעָלָ֑יו וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֗יו רְאֵ֨ה הֶעֱבַ֤רְתִּי מֵעָלֶ֙יךָ֙ עֲוֺנֶ֔ךָ וְהַלְבֵּ֥שׁ אֹתְךָ֖ מַחֲלָצֽוֹת

וַיַּ֣עַן  And  He  answered 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: לְעַנּׄות 
Sense: to answer, respond, testify, speak, shout.
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר  and  spoke 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
הָעֹמְדִ֤ים  those  who  stood 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: עָמַד  
Sense: to stand, remain, endure, take one’s stand.
לְפָנָיו֙  before  Him 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
לֵאמֹ֔ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
הָסִ֛ירוּ  take  away 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: סוּר 
Sense: to turn aside, depart.
הַבְּגָדִ֥ים  the  garments 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: בֶּגֶד 
Sense: treachery, deceit.
הַצֹּאִ֖ים  filthy 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine plural
Root: צֹאִי  
Sense: filthy.
מֵעָלָ֑יו  from  him 
Parse: Preposition-m, third person masculine singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר  and  He  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֵלָ֗יו  to  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
רְאֵ֨ה  See 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
הֶעֱבַ֤רְתִּי  I  have  removed 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: עָבַר 
Sense: to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress.
מֵעָלֶ֙יךָ֙  from  you 
Parse: Preposition-m, second person masculine singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
עֲוֺנֶ֔ךָ  your  iniquity 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: עָוֹן  
Sense: perversity, depravity, iniquity, guilt or punishment of iniquity.
וְהַלְבֵּ֥שׁ  and  I  will  clothe 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive absolute
Root: לָבַשׁ  
Sense: to dress, wear, clothe, put on clothing, be clothed.
מַחֲלָצֽוֹת  with  rich  robes 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: מַחֲלָצֹות  
Sense: robe of state.