Fragments containing parts of this chapter were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls, that is, 4Q80 (4QXIIe; 75–50 BCE) with extant verses 8–11.[9][10][11][12]
The sixth vision of the flying scroll indicates how the word of
the Lord will be materialized to be 'scripture', as a gold standard to assess and cleanse the community. The covenant curse shows that the covenant does remain in force despite having once been broken.[5]
The seventh of the eight visions uncovers a woman in a basket (Hebrew: 'epa) symbolizing the iniquity of the people (Hebrew 'eye'). A feminine idol (to be stood 'on its base' in a 'house' or temple) is to be symbolically exiled to Babylon while Judaism becomes fully a YHWH-alone religion.[5]
And, behold, there was lifted up a talent of lead:
and this is a woman that sitteth in the midst of the ephah.[14]
"Talent" (Hebrew:kikkar): may denote a 'circle' as in Genesis 13:10, 12 for an area where the Jordan was the center, or in 1 Samuel 2:36 for 'a round loaf', but here it refers to a 'disc or circular plate' forming the cover of the round shaped ephah. In the next verse it is called, "the weight of lead."[15]
"A talent of lead": A kikkar (or cicar), or "talent of silver" in the Jewish tradition was equal to 3,000 shekels (Exodus 38:24 and weighed between 120[16] and 125 pounds.[17][b] Since the Hebrew word "cicar" signifies something 'plain', and 'extended like a cake', as Arias Montanus observes,[20] it may here refer to a plate of lead, which was laid over the mouth of the "ephah", as a lid unto it; though indeed it is afterwards called, "a stone of lead", and so seems to design a weight.[21]
"This is a woman" - Literally, "one woman", who personified 'all sins' or 'wickedness' (cf. Proverbs 2:16; 5:3, 4).[22] The sitting may represent her abiding tranquil condition in her sins, according to the climax in Psalm 1:1-6, "and hath not sat in the seat of the scornful" (Psalm 1:1); and, "thou sittest and speakest against thy brother" (Psalm 50:20).[23]
^Aleppo Codex (930) at present only contains Zechariah 9:17b–14:21.[9]
^Other measurements from the neighboring area: a Babylonian talent weighed 72 Attic pounds; and an Attic mina, or pound, weighed 100 drachmas, so one talent weighed 7,200 drachmas, according to Aelianus.[18] An Alexandrian talent was equal to 12,000 Attic drachmas, which was the same as 125 Roman libras or pounds, supposedly the same with that of Moses. The Roman talent contained 72 Italic minas, which were the same as the Roman libras.[19]
^Exell, Joseph S.; Spence-Jones, Henry Donald Maurice (Editors). On "Zechariah 5". In: The Pulpit Commentary. 23 volumes. First publication: 1890. Accessed 24 April 2019.
Boda, Mark J. (2016). Harrison, R. K.; Hubbard, Jr, Robert L. (eds.). The Book of Zechariah. New International Commentary on the Old Testament. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. ISBN978-0802823755.