The Meaning of Zechariah 6:11 Explained

Zechariah 6:11

KJV: Then take silver and gold, and make crowns, and set them upon the head of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest;

YLT: and thou hast taken silver and gold, and hast made a crown, and hast placed on the head of Joshua son of Josedech, the high priest,

Darby: yea, take silver and gold, and make crowns, and set them upon the head of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest;

ASV: yea, take of them'silver and gold, and make crowns, and set them upon the head of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Then take  silver  and gold,  and make  crowns,  and set  [them] upon the head  of Joshua  the son  of Josedech,  the high  priest; 

What does Zechariah 6:11 Mean?

Study Notes

crowns
Following the earth-judgments symbolized in the horsed chariots ( Zechariah 6:1-8 ) comes the manifestation of Christ in His kingdom glory ( Zechariah 6:9-15 ). This is the invariable prophetic order: first the judgments of the day of the Lord; Isaiah 2:10-22 ; Revelation 19:11-21 then the kingdom (cf); Psalms 2:5 ; Psalms 2:6 ; Isaiah 3:24-26 ; Isaiah 4:2-6 ; Isaiah 10:33 ; Isaiah 10:34 ; Isaiah 11:1-10 ; Revelation 19:19-21 ; Revelation 20:4-6 . This is set forth symbolically by the crowning of Joshua, which was not a vision, but actually done (cf); Isaiah 8:3 ; Isaiah 8:4 ; Ezekiel 37:16-22 . The fulfilment in the BRANCH will infinitely transcend the symbol. He "shall bear the glory"; Zechariah 6:13 ; Matthew 16:27 ; Matthew 24:30 ; Matthew 25:31 as the Priest-King on His own throne ( Zechariah 6:12 ; Zechariah 6:13 ; Hebrews 7:1-3 ). Christ is now a Priest, but still in the holiest within the veil; Leviticus 16:15 ; Hebrews 9:11-14 ; Hebrews 9:24 and seated on the Father's throne Revelation 3:21 . He has not yet come out to take His own throne Hebrews 9:28 . The crowns made for the symbolical crowning of Joshua were to be laid up in the temple as a memorial to keep alive this larger hope of Israel.

Verse Meaning

Zechariah was to make an ornate crown out of at least some of the silver and gold that had been donated and to place it on the head of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest ( Zechariah 3:1). The Hebrew text has "crowns," not "crown." The plural could indicate a composite crown (cf. Revelation 19:12), a superlative crown, and or a sacred crown. [1] One writer believed there were two crowns and a double crowning, of Joshua and Zerubbabel. [2] But I see no evidence of this in the passage. This crown was not the regular turban of the high priest (Heb. nezer) but a kingly crown with many parts (Heb. "ataroth; cf. Revelation 19:12). Zechariah was to crown the high priest as a king, not as a priest (cf. Psalm 110:4; Hebrews 7:1-3).
"Christ is now a Priest but is still in the holiest within the veil ( Hebrews 9:11-14; Hebrews 9:24; cp. Leviticus 16:15) and seated on the Father"s throne ( Revelation 3:21). He has not yet come out to take His own throne ( Hebrews 9:28)." [3]

Context Summary

Zechariah 6:1-15 - The Vision Of The Chariots
This is a vision of protection and deliverance. Four chariots issue from the mountains around Jerusalem. The colors of the horses represent the commission that the drivers were to execute against the nations. Black denoted defeat and despair; the bay acted as a patrol of defence. Note the closing incident, which foreshadowed the union of the offices of priesthood and kingship in the person of our Lord. [source]

Chapter Summary: Zechariah 6

1  The vision of the four chariots
9  By the crowns of Joshua are shown the temple and kingdom of Christ the Branch

What do the individual words in Zechariah 6:11 mean?

And take the silver and gold and make an elaborate crown and set [it] on the head of Joshua son of Jehozadak the priest high
וְלָקַחְתָּ֥ כֶֽסֶף־ וְזָהָ֖ב וְעָשִׂ֣יתָ עֲטָר֑וֹת וְשַׂמְתָּ֗ בְּרֹ֛אשׁ יְהוֹשֻׁ֥עַ בֶּן־ יְהוֹצָדָ֖ק הַכֹּהֵ֥ן הַגָּדֽוֹל

וְלָקַחְתָּ֥  And  take 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
כֶֽסֶף־  the  silver 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֶּסֶף  
Sense: silver, money.
וְזָהָ֖ב  and  gold 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: זָהָב  
Sense: gold.
וְעָשִׂ֣יתָ  and  make 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
עֲטָר֑וֹת  an  elaborate  crown 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: עֲטָרָה  
Sense: crown, wreath.
וְשַׂמְתָּ֗  and  set  [it] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: שׂוּמָה 
Sense: to put, place, set, appoint, make.
בְּרֹ֛אשׁ  on  the  head 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
יְהוֹשֻׁ֥עַ  of  Joshua 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהֹושֻׁעַ  
Sense: son of Nun of the tribe of Ephraim and successor to Moses as the leader of the children of Israel; led the conquest of Canaan.
בֶּן־  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יְהוֹצָדָ֖ק  of  Jehozadak 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהֹוצָדָק  
Sense: grandson of the high priest Hilkiah; son of the high priest Seraiah; and father of the high priest Joshua; he never attained the office of high priest himself because he was carried captive to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar.
הַכֹּהֵ֥ן  the  priest 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
הַגָּדֽוֹל  high 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: גָּבֹול 
Sense: great.