What does Zechariah 5:9 mean?
What is the meaning of Zechariah 5:9?

Then I lifted up my eyes

• Zechariah describes a simple, physical action—he literally looks up, ready to receive what God shows next.

• Similar language marks other moments of sudden revelation (Genesis 33:1; Daniel 8:3).

• The posture reminds us to stay alert to God’s unfolding plans (Mark 13:37).


and saw two women approaching

• In this vision the Lord chooses female figures—unusual yet intentional—to serve His purpose.

• Scripture occasionally pictures women as agents in God’s judgment or deliverance (Judges 4:4–9; Revelation 17:1).

• Their gender underscores that God can employ any vessel to carry out His will.


with the wind in their wings

• “Wind” hints at divine power propelling them (Exodus 14:21; Acts 2:2; John 3:8).

• The scene is not a mere symbol; it depicts real, God-given force rushing the vision toward its goal.

• The same Spirit who moved over the waters in Genesis 1:2 now moves these winged messengers.


Their wings were like those of a stork

• A stork is large, strong, and—according to Leviticus 11:19—ceremonially unclean.

• The detail signals both capability (able to bear the load) and impurity (fitting agents to escort wickedness).

Psalm 104:17 notes the stork’s dependable nesting; likewise, these messengers reliably fulfill God’s assignment.


and they lifted up the basket between heaven and earth

• Earlier (Zechariah 5:7–8) the basket held “Wickedness.” Now it is hoisted away, illustrating literal removal of sin from the land.

• Suspended “between heaven and earth,” the basket is under God’s control yet no longer defiling His people—echoing Ezekiel 8:3 and Revelation 18:5.

• The action previews a future day when iniquity is finally exiled and the earth is cleansed (Isaiah 11:9).


summary

Zechariah witnesses two wind-driven, stork-winged women physically lifting the ephah of wickedness away from Israel. Every detail—the prophet’s upward glance, the female agents, the Spirit-powered flight, the stork imagery, and the basket’s elevation—works together to show God literally and decisively removing evil so His covenant people can enjoy promised holiness.

What does the lead cover symbolize in Zechariah 5:8?
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