Take of them of the captivity, even of Heldai, of Tobijah, and of Jedaiah, which are come from Babylon, and come thou the same day, and go into the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah;

ZECHARIAH 6:10KJV
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Zechariah 6:10 (KJV)

What does Zechariah 6:10 mean?

Zechariah 6:10 describes God directing Zechariah to receive something from people who had come from Babylon. Zechariah is to act that same day and go to a named house, where the instructions continue.

The speaker is the Lord, addressing Zechariah after a series of visions. The three named people are connected with “the captivity,” the community displaced to Babylon. The house belongs to Josiah, identified by his father’s name, Zephaniah.

The Hebrew behind Zechariah 6:10

  • “captivity” — גּוֹלָה (golah): This can mean exile or a community of exiles. Here the word points to people associated with displacement to Babylon, rather than only to the event of being taken away.
  • “Take” — לָקַח (laqach): This means to take or receive. The instruction begins here, while verse 11 identifies silver and gold as the materials to be taken.

Why Zechariah 6:10 matters

  • The visitors have a part in an action that continues beyond their arrival. Verse 11 connects what Zechariah receives with making crowns for Joshua, the high priest.
  • The named house gives the instruction a particular setting. “Go into the house of Josiah” places the next action at an identifiable person’s home.
  • The timing is part of the command. “The same day” makes Zechariah’s visit an immediate response to the Lord’s direction.

Where else these words appear

“Heldai” Hebrew H2469 · used in 2 verses

  • 1 Chronicles 27:15 The twelfth captain for the twelfth month was Heldai the Netophathite, of Othniel: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.

“Zephaniah” Hebrew H6846 · used in 10 verses

  • 2 Kings 25:18 And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the door:
  • Jeremiah 29:25 Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, Because thou hast sent letters in thy name unto all the people that are at Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, and to all the priests, saying,
  • Jeremiah 52:24 And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the door:

“Jedaiah” Hebrew H3048 · used in 11 verses

  • 1 Chronicles 9:10 And of the priests; Jedaiah, and Jehoiarib, and Jachin,
  • Nehemiah 7:39 The priests: the children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy and three.
  • Nehemiah 12:7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah. These were the chief of the priests and of their brethren in the days of Jeshua.

“Tobijah” Hebrew H2900 · used in 17 verses

  • 2 Chronicles 17:8 And with them he sent Levites, even Shemaiah, and Nethaniah, and Zebadiah, and Asahel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehonathan, and Adonijah, and Tobijah, and Tobadonijah, Levites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, priests.
  • Nehemiah 4:7 But it came to pass, that when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth,
  • Nehemiah 6:19 Also they reported his good deeds before me, and uttered my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear.