Zechariah 3

Zechariah 3:1–5 presents a judicial scene in which Joshua the high priest stands before the angel of The LORD while Satan appears as an adversary. Joshua offers no defense and is not accused in speech; his condition is conveyed symbolically through filthy garments. The LORD rebukes Satan by appealing to His choice of Jerusalem and describes Joshua as a brand rescued from fire, linking the scene to recent judgment and deliverance. The removal of Joshua’s garments is explicitly interpreted as the removal of iniquity, and his re-clothing culminates in the restoration of priestly attire. The action is declarative and initiated from above, emphasizing restoration of standing rather than argument or merit.

Zechariah 3:6–10 records a single speech that shifts in focus. The angel of The LORD first addresses Joshua with a conditional charge, tying obedience to continued authority over the temple, its courts, and access among those standing by. The concern is Joshua’s present role and conduct.

The address then includes Joshua’s associates, identified as men who serve as a sign. The speech moves from condition to declaration. The LORD announces future action involving the Branch, a stone set before Joshua with seven eyes, and an engraving He will perform, resulting in the removal of the iniquity of the land in one day. The section ends with a description of communal peace under the vine and fig tree. The text places conditional priestly duty next to declared divine action and does not explain how they relate.