Zechariah 3:8 Hear now, O high priest Joshua, you and your companions seated before you, who are indeed a sign. For behold, I am going to bring My servant, the Branch.

◄ Zechariah 3:8 ►

New International Version
“’Listen, High Priest Joshua, you and your associates seated before you, who are men symbolic of things to come: I am going to bring my servant, the Branch.

New Living Translation
“Listen to me, O Jeshua the high priest, and all you other priests. You are symbols of things to come. Soon I am going to bring my servant, the Branch.

English Standard Version
Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who sit before you, for they are men who are a sign: behold, I will bring my servant the Branch.

Berean Standard Bible
Hear now, O high priest Joshua, you and your companions seated before you, who are indeed a sign. For behold, I am going to bring My servant, the Branch.

King James Bible
Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH.

New King James Version
‘Hear, O Joshua, the high priest, You and your companions who sit before you, For they are a wondrous sign; For behold, I am bringing forth My Servant the BRANCH.

New American Standard Bible
Now listen, Joshua, you high priest, you and your friends who are sitting in front of you—indeed they are men who are a sign: for behold, I am going to bring in My servant the Branch.

NASB 1995
‘Now listen, Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who are sitting in front of you— indeed they are men who are a symbol, for behold, I am going to bring in My servant the Branch.

NASB 1977
‘Now listen, Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who are sitting in front of you—indeed they are men who are a symbol, for behold, I am going to bring in My servant the Branch.

Legacy Standard Bible
Now listen, Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who are sitting in front of you—indeed they are men who are a wondrous sign, for behold, I am going to bring in My servant the Branch.

Amplified Bible
Now listen, Joshua, the high priest, you and your colleagues who are sitting in front of you—indeed they are men who are a symbol [of what is to come]—for behold, I am going to bring in My servant the Branch [in Messianic glory].

Christian Standard Bible
“Listen, High Priest Joshua, you and your colleagues sitting before you; indeed, these men are a sign that I am about to bring my servant, the Branch.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Listen, Joshua the high priest, you and your colleagues sitting before you; indeed, these men are a sign that I am about to bring My servant, the Branch.

American Standard Version
Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou and thy fellows that sit before thee; for they are men that are a sign: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the Branch.

Contemporary English Version
Listen carefully, High Priest Joshua and all of you other priests. You are a sign of things to come, because I am going to bring my servant, the Chosen King.

English Revised Version
Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou and thy fellows that sit before thee; for they are men which are a sign: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the Branch.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"Listen, Chief Priest Joshua and your friends sitting with you. These men are a sign of things to come: I'm going to bring my servant, the Branch.

Good News Translation
Listen then, Joshua, you who are the High Priest; and listen, you fellow priests of his, you that are the sign of a good future: I will reveal my servant, who is called The Branch!

International Standard Version
"'Listen, High Priest Joshua, you and those companions of yours who sit with you, for these men are a sign that I am presenting my servant, the Branch.

Majority Standard Bible
Hear now, O high priest Joshua, you and your companions seated before you, who are indeed a sign. For behold, I am going to bring My servant, the Branch.

NET Bible
Listen now, Joshua the high priest, both you and your colleagues who are sitting before you, all of you are a symbol that I am about to introduce my servant, the Branch.

New Heart English Bible
Hear now, Joshua the high priest, you and your fellows who sit before you; for they are men who are a sign: for, look, I will bring forth my servant, the Branch.

Webster's Bible Translation
Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH.

World English Bible
Hear now, Joshua the high priest, you and your fellows who sit before you, for they are men who are a sign; for, behold, I will bring out my servant, the Branch.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
Now hear, O Joshua the high priest, "" You and your companions sitting before you "" (For men of type [are] they), "" For behold, I am bringing in My servant—a Shoot.

Young's Literal Translation
Hear, I pray thee, Joshua, the high priest, Thou and thy companions sitting before thee, (For men of type are they,) For lo, I am bringing in My servant -- a Shoot.

Smith's Literal Translation
Hear now, O Joshua the great priest, thou and thy friends sitting before thee, for they are men of wonder: for behold me bringing my servant the Sprout.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
Hear, O Jesus thou high priest, then and thy friends that dwell before thee, for they are portending men: for behold I WILL BRING MY SERVANT THE ORIENT.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Listen, Jesus the high priest, you and your friends, who dwell before you, who have been portending to men. For behold, I will lead my servant to the East.

New American Bible
“Hear, O Joshua, high priest! You and your associates who sit before you! For they are signs of things to come! I will surely bring my servant the Branch.

New Revised Standard Version
Now listen, Joshua, high priest, you and your colleagues who sit before you! For they are an omen of things to come: I am going to bring my servant the Branch.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, you and your fellows who stand before you; for you are marvelous men: Behold, I will bring forth the rising of the sun upon my servant.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Hear, Yeshua High Priest, you and your companions, these who stand before you, for you are men, because, behold, I bring The Wonder, my Servant The Sunrise!

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou and thy fellows that sit before thee; for they are men that are a sign; for, behold, I will bring forth My servant the Shoot.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Hear now, Jesus the high priest, thou, and thy neighbours that are sitting before thee: for they are diviners, for, behold, I bring forth my servant The Branch.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

The Vision of Joshua the High Priest
…7“This is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘If you walk in My ways and keep My instructions, then you will govern My house and will also have charge of My courts; and I will give you a place among these who are standing here. 8Hear now, O high priest Joshua, you and your companions seated before you, who are indeed a sign. For behold, I am going to bring My servant, the Branch. 9See the stone I have set before Joshua; on that one stone are seven eyes. Behold, I will engrave on it an inscription, declares the LORD of Hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Isaiah 11:1
Then a shoot will spring up from the stump of Jesse, and a Branch from his roots will bear fruit.

Jeremiah 23:5
Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and He will reign wisely as King and will administer justice and righteousness in the land.

Jeremiah 33:15
In those days and at that time I will cause to sprout for David a righteous Branch, and He will administer justice and righteousness in the land.

Isaiah 4:2
On that day the Branch of the LORD will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of Israel’s survivors.

Isaiah 53:2
He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no stately form or majesty to attract us, no beauty that we should desire Him.

Ezekiel 34:23-24
I will appoint over them one shepherd, My servant David, and he will feed them. He will feed them and be their shepherd. / I, the LORD, will be their God, and My servant David will be a prince among them. I, the LORD, have spoken.

Ezekiel 37:24-25
My servant David will be king over them, and there will be one shepherd for all of them. They will follow My ordinances and keep and observe My statutes. / They will live in the land that I gave to My servant Jacob, where your fathers lived. They will live there forever with their children and grandchildren, and My servant David will be their prince forever.

2 Samuel 7:12-13
And when your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom. / He will build a house for My Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

Psalm 132:17
There I will make a horn grow for David; I have prepared a lamp for My anointed one.

Isaiah 42:1
“Here is My Servant, whom I uphold, My Chosen One, in whom My soul delights. I will put My Spirit on Him, and He will bring justice to the nations.

Isaiah 49:3
He said to Me, “You are My Servant, Israel, in whom I will display My glory.”

Isaiah 52:13
Behold, My Servant will prosper; He will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.

Isaiah 61:1
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners,

Malachi 3:1
“Behold, I will send My messenger, who will prepare the way before Me. Then the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to His temple—the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight—see, He is coming,” says the LORD of Hosts.

Matthew 12:18
“Here is My Servant, whom I have chosen, My beloved, in whom My soul delights. I will put My Spirit on Him, and He will proclaim justice to the nations.

Treasury of Scripture

Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, you, and your fellows that sit before you: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH.

for.

Psalm 71:7
I am as a wonder unto many; but thou art my strong refuge.

Isaiah 8:18
Behold, I and the children whom the LORD hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion.

Isaiah 20:3
And the LORD said, Like as my servant Isaiah hath walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and wonder upon Egypt and upon Ethiopia;

wondered at.

Ezekiel 12:11
Say, I am your sign: like as I have done, so shall it be done unto them: they shall remove and go into captivity.

Ezekiel 24:24
Thus Ezekiel is unto you a sign: according to all that he hath done shall ye do: and when this cometh, ye shall know that I am the Lord GOD.

my.

Isaiah 42:1
Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.

Isaiah 49:3,5
And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified…

Isaiah 52:13
Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.

the Branch.

Zechariah 6:12
And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD:

Isaiah 4:2
In that day shall the branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel.

Isaiah 11:1
And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:

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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.

Berean Study Bible

Hear now
The phrase "Hear now" is a call to attention, a divine imperative that demands focus and obedience. In Hebrew, the word "hear" is "שְׁמַע" (shema), which implies not just listening but also understanding and acting upon what is heard. This echoes the Shema in Deuteronomy 6:4, a central declaration of faith in Judaism, emphasizing the importance of listening to God's word with the intent to obey.

O Joshua the high priest
Joshua, the high priest, represents the spiritual leadership of Israel during the post-exilic period. His name, "יְהוֹשֻׁעַ" (Yehoshua), means "The LORD is salvation," foreshadowing the role of Jesus (Yeshua) as the ultimate High Priest. Historically, Joshua served during the rebuilding of the temple, symbolizing the restoration of worship and the covenant relationship between God and His people.

you and your companions seated before you
The "companions" refer to the other priests or leaders who are present with Joshua. The imagery of being "seated" suggests a position of authority and readiness to receive divine instruction. This assembly signifies the collective responsibility of the leaders to guide the people in righteousness and faithfulness to God's covenant.

who are indeed a sign of things to come
The term "sign" in Hebrew is "מוֹפֵת" (mofet), indicating a symbol or portent of future events. Joshua and his companions are not just leaders but prophetic symbols pointing to a greater fulfillment. This anticipates the coming of the Messiah and the establishment of God's kingdom, where the priesthood and leadership will be perfected in Christ.

I am going to bring
This phrase underscores God's initiative and sovereignty in the unfolding of His redemptive plan. The certainty of God's promise is emphasized, assuring the people that He will accomplish what He has declared. It reflects the divine assurance found throughout Scripture that God's purposes will prevail.

My servant
The term "servant" is "עֶבֶד" (eved) in Hebrew, often used to describe a chosen individual who fulfills God's purposes. This title is messianic, pointing to Jesus Christ, who is the ultimate Servant of the Lord. Isaiah's Servant Songs (Isaiah 42, 49, 50, 52-53) provide a rich backdrop, portraying the Servant as one who brings justice, suffers for the sins of many, and establishes a new covenant.

the Branch
The "Branch" is a messianic title, "צֶמַח" (tsemach) in Hebrew, symbolizing new growth and life. It signifies the emergence of a righteous ruler from the line of David, fulfilling the promises made to David about his everlasting dynasty (2 Samuel 7:12-16). Jeremiah 23:5 and Isaiah 11:1 also speak of the Branch, highlighting the hope of restoration and the coming of a king who will reign with wisdom and justice.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 8. - Hear now; ἄκουε δή (Septuagint). Joshua is called upon to give all his attention to the important announcement that follows, which promises a very great boon in the future. Thy fellows that sit before thee. His fellow priests, who took their orders from him and sat with him in council (comp. 2 Kings 4:38; Ezekiel 8:1, etc.). These priests were not seen in the vision. Keil considers that the address, to which Joshua's attention is called, begins at "Thou and thy fellows." For (or, yea) they are men wondered at; Septuagint, διότι ἄνδρες τερατοσκόποι εἰσί, "men observers of wonders;" Vulgate, Quia viri portendentes sunt (see Isaiah 8:18). The phrase would be better rendered, "men of portent, sign, or type." Revised Version gives, "men which are a sign," i.e. who foreshadow some future events, whose persons, office, duties, typify and look forward to good things to come. I will bring forth my Servant the BRANCH. This is why they are called typical men, because God is making the antitype to appear. The word rendered "branch" (tsemach) is translated by the Septuagint ἀνατολήν, which is used in the sense of "shoot" as well as "sunrise" (see Jeremiah 23:5; Ezekiel 16:7; Ezekiel 17:10), and by the Vulgate, orientem. So the Syriac and Arabic (comp. Luke 1:78). Most interpreters rightly see here a reference to the Messiah. Some few have fancied that Zerubbabel and Nehemiah are meant; but the appellation, "my Servant Branch," has already been applied in prophetical language to Messiah, and cannot be distorted to any inferior subject, such as a mere civil ruler. Messiah is often called the Lord's "Servant," e.g. Isaiah 42:1; Isaiah 43:10; Isaiah 52:13, etc. And the terms, "Branch," or "Rod," or "Shoot," referring to Messiah, are found in Isaiah 4:2; Isaiah 11:1; Jeremiah 23:5; Jeremiah 33:15. From the depressed house of David a scion should spring, in whom all that was prophesied concerning the priesthood and kingdom of Israel should find its accomplishment.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

‘Hear
שְֽׁמַֽע־ (šə·ma‘-)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

now,
נָ֞א (nā)
Interjection
Strong's 4994: I pray', 'now', 'then'

O high
הַגָּד֗וֹל (hag·gā·ḏō·wl)
Article | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 1419: Great, older, insolent

priest
הַכֹּהֵ֣ן (hak·kō·hên)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3548: Priest

Joshua,
יְהוֹשֻׁ֣עַ ׀ (yə·hō·wō·šu·a‘)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3091: Joshua -- 'the LORD is salvation', Moses' successor, also the name of a number of Israelites

you
אַתָּה֙ (’at·tāh)
Pronoun - second person masculine singular
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

and your companions
וְרֵעֶ֙יךָ֙ (wə·rê·‘e·ḵā)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 7453: Friend, companion, fellow

seated
הַיֹּשְׁבִ֣ים (hay·yō·šə·ḇîm)
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marry

before you,
לְפָנֶ֔יךָ (lə·p̄ā·ne·ḵā)
Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 6440: The face

who are indeed
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

a sign.
מוֹפֵ֖ת (mō·w·p̄êṯ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4159: A miracle, a token, omen

For
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

behold,
הִנְנִ֥י (hin·nî)
Interjection | first person common singular
Strong's 2005: Lo! behold!

I am going to bring
מֵבִ֛יא (mê·ḇî)
Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

My servant,
עַבְדִּ֖י (‘aḇ·dî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 5650: Slave, servant

the Branch.
צֶֽמַח׃ (ṣe·maḥ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6780: A sprout, growth

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OT Prophets: Zechariah 3:8 Hear now Joshua the high priest you (Zech. Zec Zc)