What Does Zechariah 3:4 Mean in the King James?
And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.
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 verse treats crookedness as something that can pass away from you, then gives you a new covering in its place.
THE MEANING
Your crookedness does not remain your covering. It is caused to pass away from you, and you are clothed with a different garment; removal and replacement belong to one act of restoration.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that what is crooked in you must define you: the verse names it as something removed, then gives you a new covering.
THE ROOT
הֶעֱבַרְתִּי
heʿĕvartî
GROWS FROM
עבר
To cross, pass over, or pass through.
“caused to pass” in this verse is heʿĕvartî. The verb is causative: the crookedness named as iniquity is made to pass away from you. The same root names crossing and passage, so “pass from thee” carries an image of separation and a boundary crossed before the new clothes appear.
ALSO GROWS
ʿāvar: To cross, pass over, or pass through.
עָבַר
This is the base verb underlying the verse’s causative form, making the removal a crossing away.
maʿavār: A passage, crossing, or ford.
מַעֲבָר
This noun from the same root makes the movement concrete: what was upon you crosses a boundary and is no longer there.
וְהַלְבֵּשׁ
wehalbēš
GROWS FROM
לבש
To wear or put on clothing; to clothe.
“clothe” in this verse is wehalbēš. Hebrew keeps the act of clothing and the garment within one root family. The verse moves from taking away what stains to actively clothing you, so the replacement is as explicit as the removal.
ALSO GROWS
lāvaš: To wear or put on clothing.
לָבַשׁ
This is the root verb behind the act of clothing in the verse.
levūš: Clothing or a garment.
לְבוּשׁ
This noun from the same root shows how the act of clothing becomes a covering.
THE PATTERN
Restoration removes what marks a person as stained, then clothes the person with a new covering.
As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:THE THREAD
When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.The Hebrew uses the same verb for “pass through” here that Zechariah uses causatively for “pass away from you.” Isaiah pictures a person crossing waters without being overwhelmed; Zechariah shows the crookedness itself crossing away from the person.
This reading is from Selah Verse.
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