Zechariah 5:7
New International Version
Then the cover of lead was raised, and there in the basket sat a woman!

New Living Translation
Then the heavy lead cover was lifted off the basket, and there was a woman sitting inside it.

English Standard Version
And behold, the leaden cover was lifted, and there was a woman sitting in the basket!

Berean Standard Bible
And behold, the cover of lead was raised, and there was a woman sitting inside the basket.

King James Bible
And, behold, there was lifted up a talent of lead: and this is a woman that sitteth in the midst of the ephah.

New King James Version
Here is a lead disc lifted up, and this is a woman sitting inside the basket”;

New American Standard Bible
And behold, a lead cover was lifted up.” He continued, “And this is a woman sitting inside the ephah.”

NASB 1995
(and behold, a lead cover was lifted up); and this is a woman sitting inside the ephah.”

NASB 1977
(and behold, a lead cover was lifted up); and this is a woman sitting inside the ephah.”

Legacy Standard Bible
(and behold, a lead cover was lifted up); and this is a woman sitting inside the ephah.”

Amplified Bible
(and behold, a [round, flat] lead cover was lifted up); and there sat a woman inside the ephah.”

Christian Standard Bible
Then a lead cover was lifted, and there was a woman sitting inside the basket.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then a lead cover was lifted, and there was a woman sitting inside the basket.”

American Standard Version
(and, behold, there was lifted up a talent of lead); and this is a woman sitting in the midst of the ephah.

Contemporary English Version
The lead cover of the basket was opened, and in the basket was a woman.

English Revised Version
(and behold, there was lifted up a talent of lead:) and this is a woman sitting in the midst of the ephah.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
A lead cover [on the basket] was raised, and a woman was sitting in the basket.

Good News Translation
The basket had a lid made of lead. As I watched, the lid was raised, and there in the basket sat a woman!

International Standard Version
Look, a round lead cover was being lifted, and there was one woman seated inside the basket!

Majority Standard Bible
And behold, the cover of lead was raised, and there was a woman sitting inside the basket.

NET Bible
Then a round lead cover was raised up, revealing a woman sitting inside the basket.

New Heart English Bible
And look, a lead cover was raised up, and there was a woman sitting in the basket.

Webster's Bible Translation
And behold, there was lifted up a talent of lead: and this is a woman that sitteth in the midst of the ephah.

World English Bible
and behold, a lead cover weighing one talent was lifted up—and there was a woman sitting in the middle of the ephah basket.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And behold, a disc of lead lifted up; and this [is] a woman sitting in the midst of the ephah.”

Young's Literal Translation
And lo, a cake of lead lifted up; and this is a woman sitting in the midst of the ephah.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And behold, a talent of lead was lifted up: and this one woman sitting in the midst of the ephah.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And behold a talent of lead was carried, and behold a woman sitting in the midst of the vessel.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And behold, a talent of lead was being carried; and behold, one woman sitting in the middle of the container.

New American Bible
Then a leaden cover was lifted, and there was a woman sitting inside the basket.

New Revised Standard Version
Then a leaden cover was lifted, and there was a woman sitting in the basket!
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And behold, a talent of lead was lifted up, and a woman was sitting in the midst of the ephah.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And behold, a talent of lead was lifted up, and one woman was sitting inside the measure
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
and, behold, there was lifted up a round piece of lead--and this is a woman sitting in the midst of the measure.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And behold a talent of lead lifted up: and behold a woman sat in the midst of the measure.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Vision of the Woman in a Basket
6“What is it?” I asked. And he replied, “A measuring basket is going forth.” Then he continued, “This is their iniquity in all the land.” 7And behold, the cover of lead was raised, and there was a woman sitting inside the basket. 8“This is Wickedness,” he said. And he shoved her down into the basket, pushing down the lead cover over its opening.…

Cross References
Revelation 18:4-5
Then I heard another voice from heaven say: “Come out of her, My people, so that you will not share in her sins or contract any of her plagues. / For her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.

Revelation 17:1-5
Then one of the seven angels with the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits on many waters. / The kings of the earth were immoral with her, and those who dwell on the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her immorality.” / And the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, where I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. ...

Jeremiah 51:7-9
Babylon was a gold cup in the hand of the LORD, making the whole earth drunk. The nations drank her wine; therefore the nations have gone mad. / Suddenly Babylon has fallen and been shattered. Wail for her; get her balm for her pain; perhaps she can be healed. / “We tried to heal Babylon, but she could not be healed. Abandon her! Let each of us go to his own land, for her judgment extends to the sky and reaches to the clouds.”

Ezekiel 8:9-10
Then He said to me, “Go in and see the wicked abominations they are committing here.” / So I went in and looked, and engraved all around the wall was every kind of crawling creature and detestable beast, along with all the idols of the house of Israel.

Isaiah 47:7-9
You said, ‘I will be queen forever.’ You did not take these things to heart or consider their outcome. / So now hear this, O lover of luxury who sits securely, who says to herself, ‘I am, and there is none besides me. I will never be a widow or know the loss of children.’ / These two things will overtake you in a moment, in a single day: loss of children, and widowhood. They will come upon you in full measure, in spite of your many sorceries and the potency of your spells.

Revelation 14:8
Then a second angel followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, who has made all the nations drink the wine of the passion of her immorality.”

Revelation 18:21-24
Then a mighty angel picked up a stone the size of a great millstone and cast it into the sea, saying: “With such violence the great city of Babylon will be cast down, never to be seen again. / And the sound of harpists and musicians, of flute players and trumpeters, will never ring out in you again. Nor will any craftsmen of any trade be found in you again, nor the sound of a millstone be heard in you again. / The light of a lamp will never shine in you again, and the voices of a bride and bridegroom will never call out in you again. For your merchants were the great ones of the earth, because all the nations were deceived by your sorcery.” ...

Jeremiah 25:15-17
This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, said to me: “Take from My hand this cup of the wine of wrath, and make all the nations to whom I send you drink from it. / And they will drink and stagger and go out of their minds, because of the sword that I will send among them.” / So I took the cup from the LORD’s hand and made all the nations drink from it, each one to whom the LORD had sent me,

Habakkuk 2:6-8
Will not all of these take up a taunt against him, speaking with mockery and derision: ‘Woe to him who amasses what is not his and makes himself rich with many loans! How long will this go on?’ / Will not your creditors suddenly arise and those who disturb you awaken? Then you will become their prey. / Because you have plundered many nations, the remnant of the people will plunder you—because of your bloodshed against man and your violence against the land, the city, and all their dwellers.

Isaiah 13:19-22
And Babylon, the jewel of the kingdoms, the glory of the pride of the Chaldeans, will be overthrown by God like Sodom and Gomorrah. / She will never be inhabited or settled from generation to generation; no nomad will pitch his tent there, no shepherd will rest his flock there. / But desert creatures will lie down there, and howling creatures will fill her houses. Ostriches will dwell there, and wild goats will leap about. ...

Revelation 18:2-3
And he cried out in a mighty voice: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a lair for demons and a haunt for every unclean spirit, every unclean bird, and every detestable beast. / All the nations have drunk the wine of the passion of her immorality. The kings of the earth were immoral with her, and the merchants of the earth have grown wealthy from the extravagance of her luxury.”

Jeremiah 50:38-40
A drought is upon her waters, and they will be dried up. For it is a land of graven images, and the people go mad over idols. / So the desert creatures and hyenas will live there and ostriches will dwell there. It will never again be inhabited or lived in from generation to generation. / As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah along with their neighbors,” declares the LORD, “no one will dwell there; no man will abide there.

Ezekiel 7:10-11
Behold, the day is here! It has come! Doom has gone out, the rod has budded, arrogance has bloomed. / Their violence has grown into a rod to punish their wickedness. None of them will remain: none of their multitude, none of their wealth, and nothing of value.

Isaiah 21:9
Look, here come the riders, horsemen in pairs.” And one answered, saying: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon! All the images of her gods lie shattered on the ground!”

Revelation 16:19
The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. And God remembered Babylon the great and gave her the cup of the wine of the fury of His wrath.


Treasury of Scripture

And, behold, there was lifted up a talent of lead: and this is a woman that sits in the middle of the ephah.

talent.

Isaiah 13:1
The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see.

Isaiah 15:1
The burden of Moab. Because in the night Ar of Moab is laid waste, and brought to silence; because in the night Kir of Moab is laid waste, and brought to silence;

Isaiah 22:11
Ye made also a ditch between the two walls for the water of the old pool: but ye have not looked unto the maker thereof, neither had respect unto him that fashioned it long ago.

is.

Jeremiah 3:1,2
They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man's, shall he return unto her again? shall not that land be greatly polluted? but thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; yet return again to me, saith the LORD…

Ezekiel 16:1-63
Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, …

Ezekiel 23:1-49
The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying, …

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Basket Cake Cover Ephah Inside Lead Measure Middle Midst Piece Plate Raised Round Sat Seated Sitteth Sitting Talent
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Basket Cake Cover Ephah Inside Lead Measure Middle Midst Piece Plate Raised Round Sat Seated Sitteth Sitting Talent
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.














And behold
The phrase "And behold" is often used in Scripture to draw attention to something significant or surprising. In Hebrew, the word "behold" is "הִנֵּה" (hinneh), which serves as an imperative to the reader or listener to pay close attention. This indicates that what follows is of great importance and requires careful consideration. In the context of Zechariah's vision, it signals a shift to a new and revealing part of the vision, emphasizing the dramatic unveiling of the scene.

the cover of lead
The "cover of lead" is a unique and specific detail in this vision. Lead, in ancient times, was a heavy and valuable metal, often associated with weight and permanence. The Hebrew word for lead is "עֹפֶרֶת" (ʿop̄eret). The use of lead here suggests something that is meant to be securely contained or hidden. In the context of the vision, it symbolizes the weight of sin and the seriousness of the judgment being depicted. The cover being lifted indicates a revelation or exposure of what is hidden within the basket.

was raised
The action of the cover being "raised" signifies an unveiling or revelation. In Hebrew, the verb used here implies an intentional action, suggesting that God is revealing something that was previously concealed. This act of raising the cover is symbolic of divine intervention, where God exposes sin and brings it to light, underscoring His sovereignty and justice.

and there was a woman
The presence of "a woman" in the basket is a central element of this vision. In prophetic literature, women often symbolize nations, cities, or personified concepts. The Hebrew word for woman is "אִשָּׁה" (ishah). In this context, the woman represents wickedness or iniquity, as further explained in the surrounding verses. This imagery aligns with other biblical passages where feminine figures symbolize entities or spiritual conditions, such as Babylon in Revelation.

sitting inside the basket
The image of the woman "sitting inside the basket" conveys a sense of containment and confinement. The Hebrew word for basket is "אֵיפָה" (ephah), which was a standard measure for dry goods. The basket, therefore, represents a measure of iniquity, and the woman's position inside it suggests that wickedness is being measured and contained by God. This imagery reflects the theme of divine judgment and the eventual removal of sin, as God prepares to deal with the iniquity of the land.

Verse 7. - There was lifted up a talent of lead. As the prophet gazed, the leaden cover of the ephah was raised, so that the contents became visible. The word rendered "talent" (kikkar) denotes a circle. It is used in Genesis 13:10, 12, for the tract of country of which the Jordan was the centre, and in 1 Samuel 2:36 for a round loaf. Here it means a disc or circular plate which formed the cover of the round shaped ephah. In the next verse it is called, "the weight of lead." And this is a woman that sitteth in the midst of the ephah; and there was a woman sitting, etc. When the leaden lid was raised one woman (mulier una, γυνὴ μία) was seen in the measure. She is called "one," as uniting and concentrating in her person all sinners and all sins.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
And behold,
וְהִנֵּ֛ה (wə·hin·nêh)
Conjunctive waw | Interjection
Strong's 2009: Lo! behold!

the cover
כִּכַּ֥ר (kik·kar)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 3603: A round, a round district, a round loaf, a round weight, a talent (a measure of weight or money)

of lead
עֹפֶ֖רֶת (‘ō·p̄e·reṯ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5777: Lead (a metal)

was raised,
נִשֵּׂ֑את (niś·śêṯ)
Verb - Nifal - Participle - feminine singular
Strong's 5375: To lift, carry, take

and there was
אַחַ֔ת (’a·ḥaṯ)
Number - feminine singular
Strong's 259: United, one, first

a woman
אִשָּׁ֣ה (’iš·šāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 802: Woman, wife, female

sitting
יוֹשֶׁ֖בֶת (yō·wō·še·ḇeṯ)
Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular
Strong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marry

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

the basket.
הָאֵיפָֽה׃ (hā·’ê·p̄āh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 374: Ephah -- an ephah (a measure of grain)


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OT Prophets: Zechariah 5:7 And behold a talent of lead was (Zech. Zec Zc)
Zechariah 5:6
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