Zechariah 5:4
New International Version
The LORD Almighty declares, ‘I will send it out, and it will enter the house of the thief and the house of anyone who swears falsely by my name. It will remain in that house and destroy it completely, both its timbers and its stones.’”

New Living Translation
And this is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: I am sending this curse into the house of every thief and into the house of everyone who swears falsely using my name. And my curse will remain in that house and completely destroy it—even its timbers and stones.”

English Standard Version
I will send it out, declares the LORD of hosts, and it shall enter the house of the thief, and the house of him who swears falsely by my name. And it shall remain in his house and consume it, both timber and stones.”

Berean Standard Bible
I will send it out, declares the LORD of Hosts, and it will enter the house of the thief and the house of him who swears falsely by My name. It will remain inside his house and destroy it, down to its timbers and stones.”

King James Bible
I will bring it forth, saith the LORD of hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name: and it shall remain in the midst of his house, and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof.

New King James Version
“I will send out the curse,” says the LORD of hosts; “It shall enter the house of the thief And the house of the one who swears falsely by My name. It shall remain in the midst of his house And consume it, with its timber and stones.”

New American Standard Bible
I will make it go forth,” declares the LORD of armies, “and it will enter the house of the thief and the house of the one who swears falsely by My name; and it will spend the night within that house and destroy it with its timber and stones.”

NASB 1995
“I will make it go forth,” declares the LORD of hosts, “and it will enter the house of the thief and the house of the one who swears falsely by My name; and it will spend the night within that house and consume it with its timber and stones.”

NASB 1977
“I will make it go forth,” declares the LORD of hosts, “and it will enter the house of the thief and the house of the one who swears falsely by My name; and it will spend the night within that house and consume it with its timber and stones.”

Legacy Standard Bible
I will make it go forth,” declares Yahweh of hosts, “and it will enter the house of the thief and the house of the one who swears falsely by My name; and it will spend the night within that house and consume it with its timber and stones.”

Amplified Bible
I will send the curse out,” declares the LORD of hosts, “and it will enter the house of the thief and the house of the one who swears falsely by My name; and it will spend the night in that house and consume it, both its timber and its stones.”

Christian Standard Bible
I will send it out,” —this is the declaration of the LORD of Armies—“and it will enter the house of the thief and the house of the one who swears falsely by my name. It will stay inside his house and destroy it along with its timbers and stones.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
I will send it out,"—this is the declaration of the LORD of Hosts—"and it will enter the house of the thief and the house of the one who swears falsely by My name. It will stay inside his house and destroy it along with its timbers and stones.”

American Standard Version
I will cause it to go forth, saith Jehovah of hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name; and it shall abide in the midst of his house, and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof.

Contemporary English Version
The LORD All-Powerful has said, "I am sending this scroll into the house of everyone who is a robber or tells lies in my name, and it will remain there until every piece of wood and stone in that house crumbles."

English Revised Version
I will cause it to go forth, saith the LORD of hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name: and it shall abide in the midst of his house, and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
I will send out a curse, declares the LORD of Armies, and it will enter the houses of thieves and the houses of those who take oaths in my name. It will stay in their houses and destroy the timber and stone."

Good News Translation
The LORD Almighty says that he will send this curse out, and it will enter the house of every thief and the house of everyone who tells lies under oath. It will remain in their houses and leave them in ruins."

International Standard Version
"I am bringing this about," declares the LORD of the Heavenly Armies. "The curse will enter the house of the thief and the house of the one who lies in my name. The curse will remain in his house until that house has been completely destroyed, right down to its timber and stones."

Majority Standard Bible
I will send it out, declares the LORD of Hosts, and it will enter the house of the thief and the house of him who swears falsely by My name. It will remain inside his house and destroy it, down to its timbers and stones.”

NET Bible
"I will send it out," says the LORD who rules over all, "and it will enter the house of the thief and of the person who swears falsely in my name. It will land in the middle of his house and destroy both timber and stones."

New Heart English Bible
I will cause it to go out," says the LORD of hosts, "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 midst of his house, and will destroy it with its timber and its stones."

Webster's Bible Translation
I will bring it forth, saith the LORD of hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name: and it shall remain in the midst of his house, and shall consume it with its timber and its stones.

World English Bible
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.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
“I have brought it out,” a declaration of YHWH of Hosts, “and it has come into the house of the thief, and into the house of him who has sworn in My Name with a falsehood, and it has remained in the midst of his house, and has consumed it, both its wood and its stones.”

Young's Literal Translation
'I have brought it out -- an affirmation of Jehovah of Hosts -- and it hath come in unto the house of the thief, and unto the house of him who hath sworn in My name to a falsehood, and it hath remained in the midst of his house, and hath consumed it, both its wood and its stones.'

Smith's Literal Translation
I brought it forth, says Jehovah of armies, and it came into the house of the thief, and into the house of him swearing for falsehood in my name: and it lodged in the midst of his house, and it finished it and its wood and its stones.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
I will bring it forth, saith the Lord of hosts: and it shall come to the house of the thief, and to the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name: and it shall remain in the midst of his house, and shall consume it, with the timber thereof, and the stones thereof.

Catholic Public Domain Version
I will bring it forth, says the Lord of hosts, and it will approach to the house of the thief, and to the house of him who swears falsely by my name, and it will remain in the midst of his house and will consume it, with its wood and its stones.

New American Bible
I will send it forth—oracle of the LORD of hosts—so that it will come to the house of the thief, and into the house of the one who swears falsely by my name. It shall lodge within each house, consuming it, timber and stones.”

New Revised Standard Version
I have sent it out, says the LORD of hosts, and it shall enter the house of the thief, and the house of anyone who swears falsely by my name; and it shall abide in that house and consume it, both timber and stones.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
I will bring it forth, says the LORD of hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief and into the house of him who swears falsely by my name; and it shall remain in the midst of his house and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
I shall bring it out, says LORD JEHOVAH of Hosts, and it shall enter the house of the thief and the house of everyone who swears by my name in falsehood, and it shall dwell within his house and it shall consume its wood and its stone”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
I cause it to go forth, saith the LORD of hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by My name; and it shall abide in the midst of his house, and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And I will bring it forth, saith the Lord Almighty, and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that swears falsely by my name: and it shall rest in the midst of his house, and shall consume it, and the timber of it, and the stones of it.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Vision of the Flying Scroll
3Then he told me, “This is the curse that is going out over the face of all the land, for according to one side of the scroll, every thief will be removed; and according to the other side, every perjurer will be removed. 4I will send it out, declares the LORD of Hosts, and it will enter the house of the thief and the house of him who swears falsely by My name. It will remain inside his house and destroy it, down to its timbers and stones.”

Cross References
Malachi 3:5
“Then I will draw near to you for judgment. And I will be a swift witness against sorcerers and adulterers and perjurers, against oppressors of the widowed and fatherless, and against those who defraud laborers of their wages and deny justice to the foreigner but do not fear Me,” says the LORD of Hosts.

Jeremiah 23:19
Behold, the storm of the LORD has gone out with fury, a whirlwind swirling down upon the heads of the wicked.

Ezekiel 22:31
So I have poured out My indignation upon them and consumed them with the fire of My fury. I have brought their ways down upon their own heads, declares the Lord GOD.”

Isaiah 24:6
Therefore a curse has consumed the earth, and its inhabitants must bear the guilt; the earth’s dwellers have been burned, and only a few survive.

Amos 9:4
Though they are driven by their enemies into captivity, there I will command the sword to slay them. I will fix My eyes upon them for harm and not for good.”

Deuteronomy 28:15-20
If, however, you do not obey the LORD your God by carefully following all His commandments and statutes I am giving you today, all these curses will come upon you and overtake you: / You will be cursed in the city and cursed in the country. / Your basket and kneading bowl will be cursed. ...

Proverbs 3:33
The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, but He blesses the home of the righteous.

Leviticus 26:14-16
If, however, you fail to obey Me and to carry out all these commandments, / and if you reject My statutes, despise My ordinances, and neglect to carry out all My commandments, and so break My covenant, / then this is what I will do to you: I will bring upon you sudden terror, wasting disease, and fever that will destroy your sight and drain your life. You will sow your seed in vain, because your enemies will eat it.

Isaiah 66:15-16
For behold, the LORD will come with fire—His chariots are like a whirlwind—to execute His anger with fury and His rebuke with flames of fire. / For by fire and by His sword, the LORD will execute judgment on all flesh, and many will be slain by the LORD.

Jeremiah 11:11
Therefore this is what the LORD says: ‘I am about to bring upon them a disaster that they cannot escape. They will cry out to Me, but I will not listen to them.

Matthew 13:41-42
The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will weed out of His kingdom every cause of sin and all who practice lawlessness. / And they will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Revelation 21:8
But to the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and sexually immoral and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death.”

1 Corinthians 6:9-10
Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who submit to or perform homosexual acts, / nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor verbal abusers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.

Hebrews 10:30-31
For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge His people.” / It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

2 Thessalonians 1:8-9
in blazing fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. / They will suffer the penalty of eternal destruction, separated from the presence of the Lord and the glory of His might,


Treasury of Scripture

I will bring it forth, said the LORD of hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that swears falsely by my name: and it shall remain in the middle of his house, and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof.

and it shall remain.

Leviticus 14:34-45
When ye be come into the land of Canaan, which I give to you for a possession, and I put the plague of leprosy in a house of the land of your possession; …

Deuteronomy 7:26
Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it: but thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing.

Job 18:15
It shall dwell in his tabernacle, because it is none of his: brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation.

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Abide Armies Cause Causing Complete Consume Declares Destroy Destruction Enter False. Falsely Forth Hosts House Midst Night Oath Spend Stones Sweareth Swears Thereof Thief Timber Within Woodwork
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Zechariah 5
1. By the flying scroll is shown the curse of thieves and swearers;
5. and by a woman pressed in an ephah the final judgment of wickedness.














I will send it out
This phrase signifies the active role of God in executing judgment. The Hebrew root for "send" is "שָׁלַח" (shalach), which conveys the idea of dispatching or extending something with purpose. In the context of Zechariah, this reflects God's sovereign authority and His direct involvement in the affairs of humanity, particularly in addressing sin and injustice. The phrase underscores the certainty and intentionality of divine action.

declares the LORD of Hosts
The title "LORD of Hosts" (YHWH Sabaoth) emphasizes God's supreme command over the heavenly armies. This title is often used in contexts where God's power and authority are being asserted. Historically, it reassures the faithful of God's omnipotence and His ability to fulfill His promises. It is a reminder that the message is not from a mere prophet but from the Almighty, who commands the forces of heaven.

and it will enter the house of the thief
The "it" refers to the curse or judgment that God is sending. The imagery of entering the house suggests an inescapable and penetrating judgment. The "thief" represents those who violate God's commandments, specifically the eighth commandment against stealing. This phrase highlights the personal and invasive nature of divine justice, which seeks out wrongdoing even in the privacy of one's home.

and the house of him who swears falsely by My name
Swearing falsely by God's name is a direct violation of the third commandment, which prohibits taking the Lord's name in vain. This phrase addresses the sin of perjury and deceit, particularly when invoking God's name to legitimize falsehoods. It underscores the seriousness with which God views the misuse of His holy name and the integrity He demands from His people.

It will remain inside his house
The permanence of the judgment is emphasized here. The Hebrew word for "remain" (לִין, lin) suggests lodging or abiding. This indicates that the consequences of sin are not fleeting but have a lasting impact. The presence of the curse within the house symbolizes the pervasive and enduring nature of divine retribution against unrepentant sin.

and consume it, with its timber and stones
The imagery of consumption conveys total destruction. The reference to "timber and stones" signifies the complete dismantling of the sinner's dwelling, both structurally and symbolically. In ancient times, a house represented security and legacy. Thus, this phrase illustrates the thoroughness of God's judgment, which dismantles the very foundations of the sinner's life, leaving nothing untouched by the consequences of their actions. This serves as a sobering reminder of the seriousness of sin and the comprehensive nature of divine justice.

Verse 4. - I will bring it forth. God will not keep the curse confined and inoperative (Deuteronomy 32:34, etc.), but it shall enter into the house of the thief. The curse shall not fall lightly and pass quickly by, but shall fix its abode with the sinner till it has worked out its fell purpose. It shall remain; it shall pass the night - take up its lodging; LXX., καταλύσει. With the timber thereof, etc. A hyperbolical expression of the terrible effects of Divine vengeance, which consumes utterly like a devouring fire - an adumbration of the destruction at the day of judgment (comp. Deuteronomy 4:24; Malachi 3:2; Matthew 3:12).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
I will send it out,
הוֹצֵאתִ֗יהָ (hō·w·ṣê·ṯî·hā)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 3318: To go, bring, out, direct and proxim

declares
נְאֻם֙ (nə·’um)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 5002: An oracle

the LORD
יְהוָ֣ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3069: YHWH

of Hosts,
צְבָא֔וֹת (ṣə·ḇā·’ō·wṯ)
Noun - common plural
Strong's 6635: A mass of persons, reg, organized for, war, a campaign

and it will enter
וּבָ֙אָה֙ (ū·ḇā·’āh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

the house
בֵּ֣ית (bêṯ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1004: A house

of the thief
הַגַּנָּ֔ב (hag·gan·nāḇ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1590: A stealer

and the house
בֵּ֛ית (bêṯ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1004: A house

of him who swears
הַנִּשְׁבָּ֥ע (han·niš·bā‘)
Article | Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 7650: To seven oneself, swear

falsely
לַשָּׁ֑קֶר (laš·šā·qer)
Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 8267: Deception, disappointment, falsehood

by My name.
בִּשְׁמִ֖י (biš·mî)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 8034: A name

It will remain
וְלָ֙נֶה֙ (wə·lā·neh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 3885: To stop, to stay permanently, to be obstinate

inside
בְּת֣וֹךְ (bə·ṯō·wḵ)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 8432: A bisection, the centre

his house
בֵּית֔וֹ (bê·ṯōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1004: A house

and destroy it,
וְכִלַּ֖תּוּ (wə·ḵil·lat·tū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular | third person masculine singular
Strong's 3615: To be complete, at an end, finished, accomplished, or spent

[down to]
וְאֶת־ (wə·’eṯ-)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition
Strong's 854: Nearness, near, with, by, at, among

its timbers
עֵצָ֥יו (‘ê·ṣāw)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6086: Tree, trees, wood

and its stones.”
אֲבָנָֽיו׃ (’ă·ḇā·nāw)
Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 68: A stone


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OT Prophets: Zechariah 5:4 I will cause it to go out (Zech. Zec Zc)
Zechariah 5:3
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