flying roll
A "roll," in Scripture symbolism, means the written word whether of God or man Ezekiel 6:2 ; Jeremiah 36:2 ; Jeremiah 36:4 ; Jeremiah 36:6 etc: Ezekiel 3:1-3 . Zechariah's eighth vision is of the rebuke of sin by the word of God. The two sins mentioned really transgress both tables of the law. To steal is to set aside our neighbor's right; to swear is to set aside God's claim to reverence. As always the law can only curse ( Zechariah 5:3 ); Galatians 3:10-14 .
Verse Meaning
The next thing Zechariah saw in his visions was an unrolled scroll flying through the air. This was a scroll that contained writing, the equivalent of a modern book. [source][source][source]
"A scroll (or roll), in Scripture symbolism, denotes the written word, whether of God or man ( Ezra 6:2; Jeremiah 36:2; Jeremiah 36:4; Jeremiah 36:6, etc.; Ezekiel 3:1-3, etc). Zechariah"s sixth vision is of the rebuke of sin by the Word of God. The two sins mentioned [1] really transgress both tables of the law. To steal is to set aside our neighbor"s right; to swear is to set aside God"s claim to reverence." [2][source]
Context Summary
Zechariah 5:1-11 - The Vision Of The Flying Roll
This huge sheet of parchment, 30 by 15 feet, was covered with the solemn curses of the Law, on one side against the thief and on the other against false-swearing. The young community was notorious for these two sins. They brought the dry-rot with them, Zechariah 5:4. Their commercial life also, represented by the ephah, was full of wickedness. But it was to be eliminated. The swift stork wings would bear it away. [source]
Chapter Summary: Zechariah 5
1By the flying scroll is shown the curse of thieves and swearers; 5and by a woman pressed in an ephah the final judgment of wickedness
What do the individual words in Zechariah 5:1 mean?
And I turnedand raisedmy eyesand sawand therea scrollflying
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, first person common singular
Root: רָאָה
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.