“Then the angel said to me.
‘This is the curse
That goes out
Over the face
Of the whole land.
Everyone who steals
Shall be cut off
According to the writing
On one side.
Everyone who swears falsely
Shall be cut off
According to the writing
On the other side.’
Says Yahweh of hosts.
‘I have sent it out.
It shall enter
The house of the thief.
It shall enter
The house of anyone
Who swears falsely
By my name.
It shall abide
In that house.
It shall consume it,
Both timber
With stones.’”
The angel who had been talking to Zechariah interpreted this vision for him. This flying scroll was a curse that went out over the face of the earth. On one side of this scroll, it said that everyone who had stolen anything would be cut off, while the other side of the scroll said that anyone who swore falsely in Yahweh’s name would be cut off also. Thus, this flying scroll would enter the houses of those robbers and perjurers, so that their houses would be destroyed, including all the timber and stones in them.