What Does Zechariah 3:5 Mean in the King James?
And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD stood by.
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 Hebrew behind “fair” names cleanness, so the new head covering marks a life no longer defined by the stain just removed.
THE MEANING
Restoration reaches the head and the body: a clean turban is set on him, fresh garments cover him, and the messenger of the LORD stands beside him. For you now, cleansing is more than the disappearance of a stain; a new covering is placed on you, and presence stays beside you.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The stain is the whole story, and once marked, you remain defined by it.
THE ROOT
טָהוֹר
ṭāhôr
GROWS FROM
טהר
ṭ-h-r
Be clean or pure; cleanse.
The word behind “fair” carries cleanness, not only pleasing appearance. Its family holds both the clean state and the act of cleansing, so this covering embodies the change already made: the former stain no longer defines the one who wears it.
ALSO GROWS
ṭāhēr: Be clean; become clean.
טָהֵר
The verb shares the turban’s root, linking the clean covering to the cleansing that makes it fitting.
ṭohorah: Cleanness; purification.
טָהֳרָה
This noun names the condition the clean turban makes visible.
וַיַּלְבִּשֵׁהוּ
vayalbishehu
GROWS FROM
לבש
l-b-sh
Put on clothing; wear or clothe.
The verse does not leave restoration as an invisible inner change: it names the act of dressing him. The same root can name both wearing and a garment, joining the act of being clothed to the covering itself.
ALSO GROWS
lāvaš: Wear; put on clothing.
לָבַשׁ
This verb shares the root of “clothed” and shows the act of taking on the new covering.
levūš: Garment; clothing.
לְבוּשׁ
This noun names the covering placed on him, a visible expression of the change.
THE PATTERN
When defilement is removed, a person is clothed in a clean, restored standing.
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.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.And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.THE THREAD
And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.Malachi’s “purify” uses טִהַר (ṭihar, cleanse or purify), from the same טהר (ṭ-h-r, clean or pure) root behind Zechariah’s “fair” turban. The shared root links the clean covering to the refining that removes what clouds a person’s standing.
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