The Meaning of Zechariah 3:9 Explained

Zechariah 3:9

KJV: 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.

YLT: For lo, the stone that I put before Joshua, On one stone are seven eyes, Lo, I am graving its graving, An affirmation of Jehovah of Hosts, And I have removed the iniquity of that land in one day.

Darby: For behold, the stone that I have laid before Joshua upon one stone are seven eyes; behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith Jehovah of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of this land in one day.

ASV: For, behold, the stone that I have set before Joshua; upon one stone are seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith Jehovah of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Zechariah 3:9 Mean?

Study Notes

stone (See Scofield " 1 Peter 2:8 ") .
seven eyes Cf. Zechariah 4:10 ; Revelation 5:6 .

Verse Meaning

Zechariah also saw in the vision a stone in front of Joshua. The stone, too, is a common figure of God and Messiah in the Bible ( Zechariah 10:4; Exodus 17:6; Numbers 20:7-11; Psalm 118:22; et al.). In the past God promised that the Stone would be a secure, never-failing refuge for His people ( Isaiah 28:16; 1 Peter 2:6). When Messiah appeared, however, He proved to be a stone over which the Jews stumbled and an offensive rock to them ( Psalm 118:22-23; Isaiah 8:13-15; Matthew 21:42; 1 Peter 2:7-8). Presently He is the foundation stone, the chief cornerstone of the church ( Ephesians 2:19-22). And in the future He will be the great stone that smites the nations ( Daniel 2:35; Daniel 2:45). [1]
"The reason two figures are used, one the Servant-Branch, the other the single Stone, is because one applies specifically to the first advent and the other centers in the second advent." [2]
Another view is that they represent Messiah as king and priest. [3] But this seems unlikely because of a lack of connection between the branch and the stone and the king and the priest.
The stone that Zechariah saw had seven eyes (Heb. "ayin), probably symbolizing its complete, divine intelligence (omniscience; cf. Zechariah 1:10; Zechariah 4:10; 2 Chronicles 16:9; Isaiah 11:2; Ezekiel 1:18; Ezekiel 10:12; Colossians 2:3; Colossians 2:9; Revelation 5:6). The inscription engraved on the stone remains unexplained, but many of the early church fathers and interpreters ever since have taken the engraving as a preview of Messiah"s wounds. [4] The engraving may indicate that the stone is a commemorative one since the Assyrian and Babylonian kings set such stones in the foundations of buildings to perpetuate their memories. [5]
"The eyes on the stone would be the divine signature identifying YHWH as the real architect and builder of the structure." [6]
The Lord continued that He would also remove the iniquity of "that land," the holy land ( Zechariah 2:12), in one day. He did that when Messiah died on the cross, but Israel will realize this benefit of His death when He returns to earth at His second advent and cleanses and forgives Israel as a whole ( Zechariah 12:10 to Zechariah 13:1; Romans 11:26-27). The Day of the Lord is doubtless in view.
"As the Servant of the Lord, Christ is the One who comes to do the will of the Father ( Isaiah 42:1; Isaiah 49:3-4; Isaiah 50:10; Isaiah 52:13; Isaiah 53:11). As the Branch of David, Christ is the Davidic Descendant who will rise to power and glory out of the humiliation into which the line of David had fallen ( Isaiah 4:2; Isaiah 11:1; Jeremiah 23:5; Jeremiah 33:15; Zechariah 6:12-13). As the Stone (cf. Psalm 118:22; Matthew 21:42; 1 Peter 2:6) He will bring judgment on the Gentiles ( Daniel 2:44-45) and be a stone of stumbling for unbelieving Israel ( Romans 9:31-33)." [7]

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 3:9 mean?

For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua Upon stone one [are] seven eyes Behold I will engrave its inscription says Yahweh of hosts and I will remove - the iniquity of land that in day one
כִּ֣י ׀ הִנֵּ֣ה הָאֶ֗בֶן אֲשֶׁ֤ר נָתַ֙תִּי֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַ עַל־ אֶ֥בֶן אַחַ֖ת שִׁבְעָ֣ה עֵינָ֑יִם הִנְנִ֧י מְפַתֵּ֣חַ פִּתֻּחָ֗הּ נְאֻם֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת וּמַשְׁתִּ֛י אֶת־ עֲוֺ֥ן הָאָֽרֶץ־ הַהִ֖יא בְּי֥וֹם אֶחָֽד

הִנֵּ֣ה  behold 
Parse: Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
הָאֶ֗בֶן  the  stone 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶבֶן  
Sense: stone (large or small).
אֲשֶׁ֤ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
נָתַ֙תִּי֙  I  have  laid 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
לִפְנֵ֣י  before 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
יְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַ  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.
עַל־  Upon 
Parse: Preposition
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.
אֶ֥בֶן  stone 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶבֶן  
Sense: stone (large or small).
אַחַ֖ת  one 
Parse: Number, feminine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
שִׁבְעָ֣ה  [are]  seven 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: שֶׁבַע  
Sense: seven (cardinal number).
עֵינָ֑יִם  eyes 
Parse: Noun, cd
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
הִנְנִ֧י  Behold 
Parse: Interjection, first person common singular
Root: הֵן  
Sense: behold, lo, though hypothetical part.
מְפַתֵּ֣חַ  I  will  engrave 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine singular
Root: פָּתַח 
Sense: to open.
פִּתֻּחָ֗הּ  its  inscription 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: פִּתּוּחַ  
Sense: engraving, carving.
נְאֻם֙  says 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: נְאֻם  
Sense: (Qal) utterance, declaration (of prophet).
יְהוָ֣ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
צְבָא֔וֹת  of  hosts 
Parse: Noun, common plural
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host.
וּמַשְׁתִּ֛י  and  I  will  remove 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: מוּשׁ  
Sense: to depart, remove.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
עֲוֺ֥ן  the  iniquity 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: עָוֹן  
Sense: perversity, depravity, iniquity, guilt or punishment of iniquity.
הָאָֽרֶץ־  of  land 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
הַהִ֖יא  that 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, third person feminine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
בְּי֥וֹם  in  day 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
אֶחָֽד  one 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).