Zechariah 3:2-4

2. Permission is denied to the adversary to present his charges.

Jehovah Identical with “angel of Jehovah” in Zechariah 3:1 (see on Zechariah 1:11).

Satan As in Zechariah 3:1.

Rebuke thee Reprove, put to silence (Jeremiah 29:27). The sentence is repeated for the sake of emphasis, and to permit the addition of a clause explaining why Jehovah must rebuke the adversary.

Jehovah that hath chosen Jerusalem The adversary was seeking to persuade Jehovah to cast off Judah and Jerusalem; it cannot be done, for Jehovah has made his choice (compare Zechariah 1:17; Zechariah 2:12), which must stand. True, the sins of the people prevent a close union between them and Jehovah, but these sins he can remove.

Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? Not Joshua, but the people represented by Joshua, their high priest. The fire is the exile (compare Amos 4:11); from it Jehovah has restored his people; surely he will not leave his work incomplete; he cannot permit the adversary to bring to naught his own gracious purpose.

Zechariah 3:3 ff. show what Jehovah is determined to do with the sins that form the basis of the adversary’s accusation.

Filthy garments There is no allusion here to the custom, described by Livy, of accused persons wearing sordid garments during their trial. The filthy garments are a symbol of sin, of moral uncleanness (Isaiah 4:4; Isaiah 64:6); as already said, not of the personal sins of the high priest but of the sins of the people. “A nation so guilty… could no longer be the holy and priestly nation; its priests could no longer be priests; nor its high priest be high priest any more.” If the sin could be removed the community need not be cast off; once more it might be called “an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession.” This Jehovah proceeds to do. He answered The angel. For answer see on Zechariah 1:10.

Those that stood before him The servants; they are ordered to remove the filthy garments. Then the angel turns to Joshua and explains to him the significance of the proceeding; it symbolizes the removal of his sin, or, better, the people’s sin. At the same time he issues orders to substitute clean garments for those that have been discarded.

I will clothe Should be translated as an imperative (G.-K., 113z; so LXX.), “clothe,” which is co-ordinate with “take away.” The carrying out of the command is recorded in Zechariah 3:5, “they clothed him.”

Change of raiment R.V., “rich apparel.” A word found again only in Isaiah 3:22, where R.V. translates “festival robes”; not necessarily costly and magnificent, but fresh and clean garments; the putting on of these completes the process of purification.