◄ Zechariah 3:9 ►
See the stone I have set before Joshua; on that one stone are seven eyes. Behold, I will engrave on it an inscription, declares the LORD of Hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day.
Study Bible
See the stone I have set before Joshua;

The stone set before Joshua stands within the restoration of the priesthood and the rebuilding of the temple after the exile. It points beyond Joshua to God’s established provision for Israel and anticipates the Messiah, the chosen cornerstone rejected by men yet made precious by God (Psalm 118:22; Isaiah 28:16).

Isa 28:16 So this is what the Lord GOD says: “See, I lay a stone…
1Pe 2:6 For it stands in Scripture: “See, I lay in Zion a stone,…
Psa 118:22 The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.

on that one stone are seven eyes.

The seven eyes portray the fullness of the Lord’s perfect knowledge and watchful care. Zechariah later identifies the eyes of the LORD as ranging throughout the whole earth (Zechariah 4:10). The image also anticipates the Lamb in Revelation, whose seven eyes signify the fullness of the Spirit’s power and perception (Revelation 5:6).

Rev 5:6 Then I saw a Lamb who appeared to have been slain,…
2Ch 16:9 For the eyes of the LORD roam to and fro over all the earth,…
Pro 15:3 The eyes of the LORD are in every place…

Behold, I will engrave on it an inscription,

The LORD Himself marks the stone for His appointed purpose, declaring His ownership and guaranteeing the fulfillment of His covenant plan. The engraved stone bears the certainty of God’s provision for cleansing, priesthood, and restored fellowship with His people.

Exo 28:36 You are to make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it…
Exo 39:30 They also made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold,…
Rev 2:17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says…

declares the LORD of Hosts,

The LORD of Hosts speaks as the sovereign ruler of heaven’s armies and the faithful keeper of His promises. Israel’s restoration did not rest on human strength, political security, or priestly merit, but on the authority of the God who commands all powers.

Hag 2:4 But now be strong, O Zerubbabel, declares the LORD.…
Hag 2:9 The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former…
Hag 2:23 On that day, declares the LORD of Hosts, I will take you…

and I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day.

God promised a decisive cleansing from sin for the land and people of Israel. The immediate setting includes the restored priesthood and worship, but the promise reaches its fullest fulfillment in Christ’s once-for-all atoning sacrifice. At the cross, Jesus bore sin and secured eternal forgiveness for all who trust in Him (Hebrews 10:10–14).

Lev 16:30 because on this day atonement will be made…
Heb 9:26 Otherwise, Christ would have had to suffer repeatedly…
Heb 10:14 because by a single offering He has made perfect…

Persons / Places / Events
1. Joshua
The high priest during the time of Zechariah, representing the spiritual leadership of Israel.

2. The Stone
Symbolic of God's foundation and presence, possibly representing the Messiah or the cornerstone of God's plan.

3. Seven Eyes
Symbolizing divine omniscience and perfect insight, indicating God's complete awareness and oversight.

4. The LORD of Hosts
A title emphasizing God's sovereignty and command over heavenly armies.

5. The Removal of Iniquity
A prophetic event pointing to the cleansing and redemption of Israel, ultimately fulfilled in Christ.
Teaching Points
Christ as the Cornerstone
Jesus is the foundation of our faith, the cornerstone upon which the church is built. Believers are called to align their lives with Him, ensuring that He is the central focus of their spiritual journey.

Divine Omniscience and Guidance
The seven eyes on the stone remind us of God's perfect knowledge and guidance. We can trust in His oversight and seek His wisdom in all aspects of life.

The Power of Redemption
The promise to remove iniquity in a single day points to the power of Christ's sacrifice. Believers are encouraged to live in the freedom and forgiveness that Jesus provides, embracing a life of holiness.

God's Sovereignty and Assurance
The title "LORD of Hosts" assures us of God's control over all circumstances. In times of uncertainty, we can find peace in His sovereign rule and protection.

The Urgency of Repentance
The prophecy of iniquity being removed calls us to repentance and readiness for God's redemptive work. We should live with an awareness of His imminent return and the need for spiritual preparedness.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the imagery of the stone with seven eyes enhance our understanding of God's nature and His plans for His people?

2. In what ways does Jesus fulfill the role of the cornerstone mentioned in Zechariah 3:9 and other scriptures?

3. How can we apply the concept of divine omniscience in our daily decision-making and spiritual growth?

4. What does the removal of iniquity in a single day teach us about the nature of God's forgiveness and grace?

5. How can the assurance of God's sovereignty, as the LORD of Hosts, impact our response to challenges and uncertainties in life?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Isaiah 28:16
This verse speaks of a precious cornerstone laid by God, which connects to the stone mentioned in Zechariah 3:9, symbolizing Christ as the foundation.

Revelation 5:6
The Lamb with seven eyes, representing the fullness of the Holy Spirit, parallels the seven eyes on the stone, indicating divine insight and presence.

Hebrews 10:12-14
Discusses the once-for-all sacrifice of Christ, which aligns with the removal of iniquity in a single day, as prophesied in Zechariah.
Sermons
Christians a WonderB. Beddome, M. A.Zechariah 3:8-10
Jesus Christ, the Stone Whereon are Seven EyesT. Bagnall-Baker, M. A.Zechariah 3:8-10
Messiah's MissionW. Forsyth Zechariah 3:8-10
No Engraving Without WoundWilliam Jay.Zechariah 3:8-10
The Cornerstone of the ChurchGeorge Hutcheson.Zechariah 3:8-10
The Stone Before JoshuaJ. R. Macduff, D. D.Zechariah 3:8-10
The World's Wants and God's ProvisionsHomilistZechariah 3:8-10
The World's Wants and God's ProvisionsD. Thomas Zechariah 3:8-10
People
Joshua, Zechariah
Places
Jerusalem
Topics
Almighty, Armies, Behold, Engrave, Engraving, Front, Iniquity, Inscription, Joshua, Remove, Says, Seven, Sin, Single, Stone
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Zechariah 3:9

     5149   eyes
     5211   art
     5306   engraving
     5352   inscriptions
     9145   Messianic age

Library
June 24. "I Will Clothe Thee with Change of Raiment" (Zech. Iii. 4).
"I will clothe thee with change of raiment" (Zech. iii. 4). For Paul every exercise of the Christian life was simply the grace of Jesus Christ imparted to him and lived out by him, so that holiness was to put on the Lord Jesus and all the robes of His perfect righteousness which he loves to describe so often in his beautiful epistles. "Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved," he says to the Colossians, "bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long suffering"; and, …
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

The Right of Entry
'I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by.'--ZECHARIAH iii. 7. A WORD or two of explanation will probably be necessary in order to see the full meaning of this great promise. The Prophet has just been describing a vision of judgment which he saw, in which the high priest, as representative of the nation, stood before the Angel of the Lord as an unclean person. He is cleansed and clothed, his foul raiment stripped off him, and a fair priestly garment, with 'Holiness to the Lord' written …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

A vision of Judgement and Cleansing
'And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. 2. And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? 3. Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the Angel. 4. And He answered and spake unto those that stood before Him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him He said, …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Change of Raiment
"Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. 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."--Zech. iii. 4, 5. G. Ter Steegen. tr., Emma Frances Bevan, 1899 Lord Jesus, all my sin and guilt Love laid of old on Thee, Thy love the cross and sorrow willed, Love undeserved by me. The victory over death and hell Thou, Lord, for me didst win; And Thou hast nailed upon …
Frances Bevan—Hymns of Ter Steegen and Others (Second Series)

Home Occupations and Travels in England and Wales.
1828--1833. On their return home Martha Yeardley was attacked with a severe illness, consequent probably on hard travelling and bad accommodation during the journey. Under date of the 18th of the Fifth Month, J.Y. writes:-- How circumstances change! Last Yearly Meeting we were in London with the prospect of a long journey before us, and now my dear Martha is on a bed of sickness, and I have myself suffered; but through all there is a degree of peaceful resignation in the belief that all is done …
John Yeardley—Memoir and Diary of John Yeardley, Minister of the Gospel

Some Helps to Mourning
Having removed the obstructions, let me in the last place propound some helps to holy mourning. 1 Set David's prospect continually before you. My sin is ever before me' (Psalm 51:3). David, that he might be a mourner, kept his eye full upon sin. See what sin is, and then tell me if there be not enough in it to draw forth tears. I know not what name to give it bad enough. One calls it the devil's excrement. Sin is a complication of all evils. It is the spirits of mischief distilled. Sin dishonours …
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12

How to Make Use of Christ, as Truth, for Comfort, when Truth is Oppressed and Born Down.
There is another difficulty, wherein believing souls will stand in need of Christ, as the truth, to help them; and that is, when his work is overturned, his cause borne down, truth condemned, and enemies, in their opposition to his work, prospering in all their wicked attempts. This is a very trying dispensation, as we see it was to the holy penman of Psalm lxxiii. for it made him to stagger, so that his feet were almost gone, and his steps had well nigh slipt; yea he was almost repenting of his …
John Brown (of Wamphray)—Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life

The Sum and Substance of all Theology
Note: On Tuesday, June 25th, 1861, the beloved C. H. Spurgeon visited Swansea. The day was wet, so the services could not be held in the open-air; and, as no building in the town was large enough to hold the vast concourses of people who had come from all parts to hear the renowned preacher, he consented to deliver two discourses in the morning; first at Bethesda, and then at Trinity Chapel. At each place he preached for an hour and a quarter. The weather cleared up during the day; so, in the evening, …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 62: 1916

Annunciation of the Birth of Jesus.
(at Nazareth, b.c. 5.) ^C Luke I. 26-38. ^c 26 Now in the sixth month [this is the passage from which we learn that John was six months older than Jesus] the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth [Luke alone tells us where Mary lived before the birth of Jesus. That Nazareth was an unimportant town is shown by the fact that it is mentioned nowhere in the Old Testament, nor in the Talmud, nor in Josephus, who mentions two hundred four towns and cities of Galilee. The …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Concerning Worship.
Concerning Worship. [780] All true and acceptable worship to God is offered in the inward and immediate moving and drawing of his own Spirit which is neither limited to places times, nor persons. For though we are to worship him always, and continually to fear before him; [781] yet as to the outward signification thereof, in prayers, praises, or preachings, we ought not to do it in our own will, where and when we will; but where and when we are moved thereunto by the stirring and secret inspiration …
Robert Barclay—Theses Theologicae and An Apology for the True Christian Divinity

Blessed are the Poor in Spirit
Having spoken of the general notion of blessedness, I come next to consider the subjects of this blessedness, and these our Saviour has deciphered to be the poor in spirit, the mourners, etc. But before I touch upon these, I shall attempt a little preface or paraphrase upon this sermon of the beatitudes. 1 Observe the divinity in this sermon, which goes beyond all philosophy. The philosophers use to say that one contrary expels another; but here one contrary begets another. Poverty is wont to expel …
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12

Thoughts Upon the Appearance of Christ the Sun of Righteousness, or the Beatifick vision.
SO long as we are in the Body, we are apt to be governed wholly by its senses, seldom or never minding any thing but what comes to us through one or other of them. Though we are all able to abstract our Thoughts when we please from matter, and fix them upon things that are purely spiritual; there are but few that ever do it. But few, even among those also that have such things revealed to them by God himself, and so have infinitely more and firmer ground to believe them, than any one, or all their …
William Beveridge—Private Thoughts Upon a Christian Life

Meditations on the Hindrances which Keep Back a Sinner from the Practice of Piety.
Those hindrances are chiefly seven:-- I. An ignorant mistaking of the true meaning of certain places of the holy Scriptures, and some other chief grounds of Christian religion. The Scriptures mistaken are these: 1. Ezek. xxxiii. 14, 16, "At what time soever a sinner repenteth him of his sin, I will blot out all," &c. Hence the carnal Christian gathers, that he may repent when he will. It is true, whensoever a sinner does repent, God will forgive; but the text saith not, that a sinner may repent whensoever …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

Its Meaning
Deliverance from the condemning sentence of the Divine Law is the fundamental blessing in Divine salvation: so long as we continue under the curse, we can neither be holy nor happy. But as to the precise nature of that deliverance, as to exactly what it consists of, as to the ground on which it is obtained, and as to the means whereby it is secured, much confusion now obtains. Most of the errors which have been prevalent on this subject arose from the lack of a clear view of the thing itself, and …
Arthur W. Pink—The Doctrine of Justification

How Christ is Made Use of for Justification as a Way.
What Christ hath done to purchase, procure, and bring about our justification before God, is mentioned already, viz. That he stood in the room of sinners, engaging for them as their cautioner, undertaking, and at length paying down the ransom; becoming sin, or a sacrifice for sin, and a curse for them, and so laying down his life a ransom to satisfy divine justice; and this he hath made known in the gospel, calling sinners to an accepting of him as their only Mediator, and to a resting upon him for …
John Brown (of Wamphray)—Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life

The Covenant of Works
Q-12: I proceed to the next question, WHAT SPECIAL ACT OF PROVIDENCE DID GOD EXERCISE TOWARDS MAN IN THE ESTATE WHEREIN HE WAS CREATED? A: When God had created man, he entered into a covenant of life with him upon condition of perfect obedience, forbidding him to eat of the tree of knowledge upon pain of death. For this, consult with Gen 2:16, 17: And the Lord commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

Zechariah
CHAPTERS I-VIII Two months after Haggai had delivered his first address to the people in 520 B.C., and a little over a month after the building of the temple had begun (Hag. i. 15), Zechariah appeared with another message of encouragement. How much it was needed we see from the popular despondency reflected in Hag. ii. 3, Jerusalem is still disconsolate (Zech. i. 17), there has been fasting and mourning, vii. 5, the city is without walls, ii. 5, the population scanty, ii. 4, and most of the people …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

Links
Zechariah 3:9 NIV
Zechariah 3:9 NLT
Zechariah 3:9 ESV
Zechariah 3:9 NASB
Zechariah 3:9 KJV

Zechariah 3:9 Commentaries

Bible Hub
Zechariah 3:8
Top of Page
Top of Page