John Trapp on Zechariah 5:6

Verſe 6. And I ſaid, What is it?] i.e. what meaneth it[illegible: 1 letter] for the viſion is very hard and myſterious: leſt (ſaith One) the plaine denunciation of the ſecond overthrow of temple and ſtate might diſcourage them too much, to go forward in the preſent reſtauration of both. Hugh Broughton on Dan. 2.4. obſerveth, that while the viſions are generall, and cauſe the Jewes no danger, ſo far Daniel writeth in the Syriack tongue, generall over the Eaſt. But when the oppreſſours be named, and the Jewes plainely deſcribed the people whom God defendeth, then the eighth chapter and all after, he writes in Hebrew (a tongue leſſe known and ſtudied) and hath a commandement to keep cloſe the plaine expoſition chap. 12.4. There is a great deale of wiſdome required of thoſe, that are intruſted with the diſpenſation of divine truths. Our Saviour ſpake as the people could heare, and not as he could have ſpoken. See Heb. 5.11, 12.

this is an Ephah that goeth forth] The Ephah was the greateſt and moſt common meaſure among the Jewes: and is therefore generally put for any meaſure whatſoever Deut. 25.14. By falſe meaſures (one kind of theſt) they had ſinned (whence the Chaldee here, Iſti ſunt populi qui accipiebant, & dabant menſurà falſâ, Theſe are the people that bought and ſold by falſe meaſures) by the ſame therefore, their puniſhment is ſet forth and ſignified; A peece of their puniſhment it was that they were bounded and limited: that wickedneſſe was confined and kept within her Ephah. The Vulgar tranſlates it Amphora a pitcher: which when it is once filled with the bitter waters of wickedneſſe, will ſoon ſink to the bottom. Sinners as they are ſtinted, ſo when they have filled up their meaſure, they are ſure to be puniſhed: when they are ripe in the field, God will come with his ſickle; when their grapes of Sodom are full ready, he will caſt them into the winepreſſe of his wrath Rev. 15.16. Gen. 15.16. Mat. 23.32.

this is their reſemblance thorough all the earth] Heb. their eye, their aſpect, their colour. This, that is, this Ephah, is their reſemblance: ſc. that when they have filled up their ſins, they ſhall have their fill of puniſhment. Or This, meaning ſome apparition repreſenting Gods providence ſhewed by the Angel to the Prophet;T[illegible: 1 letter]ch 3.9. and 4.10. and 9.1. is their eye, that is, the eye of the three perſons in Trinity, Gods univerfall providence, which preſideth over his judgements. Or thus: This Ephah or meaſure of their puniſhment, proportionate to their ſin, in killing Ch[illegible: 2 letters]ſt eſpecially Mat. 23.32. ſhall be their eye thorough all the earth, i. e. ſhall be conſpicuous and apparent to all ſorts: ſo that all men ſhall hate them, and hoot at them for a company of Kill-Chriſts, ſhall look upon them as a people of Gods curſe &c. Thus the Chaldee here, Behold they are made manif[illegible: 1 letter]ſt before all the inhatants of the earth: for all men ſhall be witneſles of their horrible both ſinns and plagues.