New American Standard Bible 1995

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Zechariah

5

:

9

Then I lifted up my eyes and looked, and there two women were coming out with the wind in their wings; and they had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heavens.

Lexicon

Verse part Definition: Part of speech: Strong's: Hebrew: Transliteration:
Then I lifted to lift, carry, take Verb H5375 וָאֶשָּׂ֨א va·'es·sa
up my eyes an eye Noun H5869 עֵינַ֜י ei·nai
and looked, to see Verb H7200 וָאֵ֗רֶא va·'e·re
and there two two (a card. number) Noun H8147 שְׁתַּ֨יִם she·ta·yim
Analysis:

Two: Two divergent opinions

The classic example for the number "two" is found in Matthew chapter 26. There, Yeshua says to His disciples,

"You know that after two days comes the Passover, and the Son of Man will be given over for crucifixion."  Matthew 26:2

The phrase "after two days" is somewhat meaningless because after two days can mean three or more days. The period is unspecified. The reason for such ambiguous language is because the purpose of the number two in this passage is not solely numerical. This means that the text is not intending to provide the reader with some definite information concerning a time period. Rather, the purpose of the number two in this context is one of the numerological meanings of the number two.  Often the number two relates to two divergent opinions. In the aforementioned verse, the author wants to inform the reader that there are two very different understandings for this coming Passover. Yeshua wants to emphasize that He is going up to Jerusalem in order to die as the true Passover sacrifice. Even though Yeshua states this emphatically, the disciples did not receive this. In fact, the disciples did not perceive at all what was going to take place during Passover in regard to Yeshua. In other words, Yeshua and the disciples have two divergent opinions concerning the Passover.

This same principle is also found in the Hebrew Bible (Old Covenant). In the book of Amos one reads,

"Can two walk together without them having agreed" Amos 3:3

The word which was translated into English with the phrase "them having agreed" is נועדו. The root of this word is יעד, which relates to a specific destination. The word which precedes this word is בלתי and in this context the word implies a change to the condition. In other words, had there not been a change in the condition, then the two could not walk together, i.e. they could not have arrived at the common destination.

The concept of divergent or different is also seen in the book of Genesis. In speaking about the sun and moon one reads, "And God made two great lights…" (Genesis 1:16). Obviously the sun and moon are very different, as one is a source of light, while the latter just reflects light. Also in the book of Genesis, one encounters the account of the flood. Here Noah is commanded to bring onto the ark two sorts of each type of animal. In this passage, the two relates to two different (or divergent) kinds of the same sort, i.e. male and female. 

Likewise, two angels came to Sodom, demonstrating that the people of Sodom had a very different way of living from that of the Law of God. Once again, the reader should not assume that every occurrence of the number two in the Bible demands this interpretation. However, one will find in a great majority of Biblical passages, the reader will be assisted in arriving at the proper interpretation, when he considers this divergent quality for the number two. 

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women woman, wife, female Noun H802 נָשִׁ֤ים na·shim
were coming to go or come out Verb H3318 יֹֽוצְאֹות֙ yo·vtz·'o·vt
out with the wind breath, wind, spirit Noun H7307 וְר֣וּחַ ve·ru·ach
in their wings; wing, extremity Noun H3671 בְּכַנְפֵיהֶ֔ם be·chan·fei·hem,
and they had wings wing, extremity Noun H3671 כְנָפַ֖יִם che·na·fa·yim
like the wings wing, extremity Noun H3671 כְּכַנְפֵ֣י ke·chan·fei
of a stork, stork Noun H2624 הַחֲסִידָ֑ה ha·cha·si·dah;
and they lifted to lift, carry, take Verb H5375 וַתִּשֶּׂ֙אנָה֙ vat·tis·se·nah
up the ephah an ephah (a measure of grain) Noun H374 הָ֣אֵיפָ֔ה ha·'ei·fah,
Analysis:
Read more about: ephah
between an interval, space between Prepostion H996 בֵּ֥ין bein
the earth earth, land Noun H776 הָאָ֖רֶץ ha·'a·retz
and the heavens. heaven, sky Noun H8064 הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ ha·sha·ma·yim.

People

ephah

an ephah (a measure of grain)

Ephah

Ephah [N] [H] [S] gloom.  One of the five sons of Midian, and grandson of Abraham ( Genesis 25:4 ). The city of Ephah, to which he gave his name, is mentioned  Isaiah 60:6  Isaiah 60:7 . This city, with its surrounding territory, formed part of Midian, on the east shore of the Dead Sea. It abounded in dromedaries and camels ( Judges 6:5 ).    1 Chronicles 2:46... View Details

Parallel Verses

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New American Standard Bible 1995 Then I lifted up my eyes and looked, and there two women were coming out with the wind in their wings; and they had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heavens.
King James Bible Then I lifted I up my eyes mine eyes, and looked, and and, behold, there came out two women were coming out with women, and the wind was in their wings; and for they had wings like the wings of a stork, stork: and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heavens.heaven.
Hebrew Greek English Then I lifted up my eyes and looked, and there two women were coming out with the wind in their wings; and they had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heavens.