Zechariah 5:11 (KJV)

What does Zechariah 5:11 mean?

Zechariah 5:11 describes a vision where an angel tells Zechariah that a container (often pictured as a basket) will be taken to the land of Shinar, where a house will be built for it, and it will be set firmly in place there. The verse points to the removal and relocation of something significant from Israel to a distant land.

In this scene, Zechariah is speaking with an angel during a series of visions. The "house" in the land of Shinar (an ancient name for Babylon) suggests that what is inside the basket—often understood as representing wickedness—will be established far from Jerusalem. This vision uses imagery familiar to Zechariah’s audience, connecting the idea of exile and the movement of evil away from God's people.

The Hebrew behind Zechariah 5:11

• שִׁנְעָר (Shinar, shin'ar): This word refers to the ancient region of Babylon. Its mention here ties the vision to the historical place known for Israel’s exile and for being a center of opposition to God in earlier biblical stories.
• יָסַד (yasad, "established"): This word carries the sense of something being firmly set up or founded. The vision is not about temporary removal, but about something being permanently relocated and rooted elsewhere.
• מְכוּנָה (mekhunah, "base"): This word means a fixed base or pedestal. The detail that the basket is set on its own base in Shinar highlights the idea of wickedness being given a settled, enduring place away from God’s people.

Why Zechariah 5:11 matters

• Zechariah 5:11 clarifies that the removal of wickedness is not just a temporary cleansing, but a decisive act of relocation, with evil being given a permanent place far from Jerusalem.
• The reference to Shinar connects the vision to the broader biblical theme of Babylon as a symbol of opposition to God, helping readers see the continuity in biblical imagery.
• This verse helps explain the larger vision in Zechariah 5, showing that God intends not only to judge but also to purify His people by removing what corrupts them.