< Zechariah 5 >

1 Then again I lifted up my eyes and saw, and behold, a flying scroll.
Then again I looked up and saw a flying scroll.
2 He said to me, “What do you see?” I answered, “I see a flying scroll; its length is twenty cubits, and its width ten cubits.”
He said to me, ‘What do you see?’ I answered, ‘I see a flying scroll; twenty cubits long, ten cubits wide.’
3 Then he said to me, “This is the curse that goes out over the surface of the whole land, for everyone who steals shall be cut off according to it on the one side; and everyone who swears falsely shall be cut off according to it on the other side.
Then he said to me, ‘This is the curse that goes over the whole land. Every thief will be banished according to the writing on one side and everyone who lies under oath shall be banished according to the writing on the other side.
4 I will cause it to go out,” says Yahweh of Armies, “and it will enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him who swears falsely by my name; and it will remain in the middle of his house, and will destroy it with its timber and its stones.”
I have sent it out, says the Lord of hosts, and it will enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of anyone who swears falsely by my name. It will remain in the midst of his house and will consume it with its timber and its stones.’
5 Then the angel who talked with me came forward and said to me, “Lift up now your eyes and see what this is that is appearing.”
Then the messenger who talked with me came forward, and said to me, ‘Look up and see what is now coming.’
6 I said, “What is it?” He said, “This is the ephah basket that is appearing.” He said moreover, “This is their appearance in all the land—
I said. ‘What is it?’ He said, ‘It is a measuring basket, full of the guilt of the land.’
7 and behold, a lead cover weighing one talent was lifted up—and there was a woman sitting in the middle of the ephah basket.”
A round leaden cover was lifted up, and there was a woman sitting in the middle of the basket.
8 He said, “This is Wickedness;” and he threw her down into the middle of the ephah basket; and he threw the lead weight on its mouth.
He said, ‘This is Wickedness.’ He thrust her down into the midst of the basket and he pushed the round leaden cover back on its mouth.
9 Then I lifted up my eyes and saw, and behold, there were two women; and the wind was in their wings. Now they had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the ephah basket between earth and the sky.
Then I looked up and saw two women, and the wind was in their wings. They had wings like the wings of a stork and they lifted up the basket between them.
10 Then I said to the angel who talked with me, “Where are these carrying the ephah basket?”
Then I said to the messenger who talked with me, ‘Where are they taking the basket?’
11 He said to me, “To build her a house in the land of Shinar. When it is prepared, she will be set there in her own place.”
He said to me, ‘To build her a house in the land of Shinar. When it is prepared, they will rest the basket there.’

< Zechariah 5 >