What Does Zechariah 2:1 Mean in the King James?

I lifted up mine eyes again, and looked, and behold a man with a measuring line in his hand.

Zechariah 2:1 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

THE KEY

The measuring line signals that what is coming into view has an extent that can be seen.

THE MEANING

Your sight is lifted, and a figure comes into view carrying a cord of measure. Seeing and measuring meet: the vision gives shape to what is still being disclosed. The next verse names that extent as Jerusalem’s breadth and length.

THE ROOT

חֶבֶל מִדָּה

ḥevel middah

GROWS FROM

מדד

To measure, to mark out an extent.

“measuring line” in this verse is ḥevel middah. The phrase is literally a “cord of measure”: middah names the extent, from madad, “to measure.” The image holds both the means of measuring and the extent being disclosed, so the vision’s space is not shapeless.

ALSO GROWS

madad: To measure.

מָדַד

This verb names the action the cord makes possible; the next verse uses it for measuring Jerusalem.

middah: Measure, size, or extent.

מִדָּה

This is the word in the phrase, placing measurable extent at the center of the image.

THE PATTERN

A measuring line gives visible form to an expanse whose breadth and length are being revealed.

Then said I, Whither goest thou? And he said unto me, To measure Jerusalem, to see what is the breadth thereof, and what is the length thereof.

Zechariah 2:2 · KJVThe next verse makes explicit what the line in the man’s hand is for: seeing Jerusalem’s dimensions.

And he brought me thither, and, behold, there was a man, whose appearance was like the appearance of brass, with a line of flax in his hand, and a measuring reed; and he stood in the gate.

Ezekiel 40:3 · KJVA line and measuring reed make the dimensions of the vision’s space visible.

And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.

Revelation 21:15 · KJVThe city’s gates and wall are brought into view through measurement.

THE THREAD

Then said I, Whither goest thou? And he said unto me, To measure Jerusalem, to see what is the breadth thereof, and what is the length thereof.

Zechariah 2:2 · KJV

The same measuring root, ⁨מדד⁩ (madad), appears as the action that follows the first glimpse of the cord. The line turns the image into a way of seeing Jerusalem’s breadth and length.

Read the SDV Bible.

Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.

Get Selah Verse

The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.

Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us