Lexical Summary tso or tsoi: filthy, soiled Original Word: צוֹא Strong's Exhaustive Concordance filthy Or tsov {tso}; from an unused root meaning to issue; soiled (as if excrementitious) -- filthy. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom the same as tseah Definition filthy NASB Translation filthy (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs [צֹאִי] adjective filthy; — plural צוֺאִים Zechariah 3:3, צֹאִים Zechariah 3:4 (both of garments). צַוָּאר see I. צור. Topical Lexicon Imagery of Offensive Defilement The word צוֹא evokes the vilest form of uncleanness—human excrement. Ancient Israelites instinctively associated such waste with ritual impurity (Deuteronomy 23:12-14). By borrowing this concrete image, the prophets conveyed the moral and spiritual pollution of sin more graphically than any abstract term could do. Occurrences in Scripture The noun appears only twice, both in Zechariah 3. There it is rendered “filthy”, underscoring the extremity of defilement that clings to the high priest Joshua’s garments. Narrative Context: Zechariah Chapter 3 Zechariah is granted a courtroom vision: “Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments and standing before the Angel” (Zechariah 3:3). In response, the Angel of the LORD commands, “Remove the filthy garments from him” and declares, “See, I have taken away your iniquity, and will clothe you with splendid robes” (Zechariah 3:4). The scene unfolds during the early Second Temple period when the returned exiles faced discouragement and moral compromise. Joshua, as the nation’s representative intercessor, stands polluted in the presence of the divine Judge. The filth is not ceremonial oversight but emblematic of Judah’s collective iniquity. Theological Significance 1. Depth of Sin. By likening guilt to excrement-soiled clothing, Scripture portrays sin as repugnant, incurable by human effort, and disqualifying for priestly service (compare Isaiah 64:6). Filthy Garments and the Priesthood Priests were commanded to keep their vestments pure (Leviticus 6:10-11). Any contamination barred them from sanctuary service (Leviticus 22:4-9). Joshua’s plight demonstrates that even the highest human mediator needs cleansing—a truth ultimately satisfied in the sinless High Priest, Jesus Christ (Hebrews 7:26-28). Cleansing and Imputed Righteousness The removal of צוֹא is coupled with bestowal of “splendid robes,” foreshadowing the doctrine of imputed righteousness. The filthy garment is exchanged for attire supplied by God, paralleling passages such as Isaiah 61:10 and Revelation 19:8. It prefigures the believer’s justification, where sin is transferred to Christ and His righteousness is credited to us (2 Corinthians 5:21). Intertextual Connections • Deuteronomy 23:12-14 – Uncleanness outside the camp prepares readers for the disgrace implied by צוֹא. Historical Background Post-exilic Israel wrestled with compromised worship, foreign marriages (Ezra 9-10), and half-hearted observance of the Law (Malachi 1). The prophetic portrayal of filthy garments confronted this lethargy, while simultaneously assuring the community of divine grace and future messianic cleansing. Practical and Ministry Implications 1. Preaching. The vivid image of צוֹא invites uncompromising proclamation of sin’s offensiveness and the sufficiency of God’s remedy. Conclusion Though rare in occurrence, the term צוֹא provides one of Scripture’s most startling depictions of human depravity and God’s cleansing grace. Zechariah’s vision portrays the removal of excrement-stained garments and the bestowal of glorious robes, sealing the promise that a holy God can—and will—transform defiled sinners into fit servants for His presence and purposes. Forms and Transliterations הַצֹּאִ֖ים הצאים צוֹאִ֑ים צואים haṣ·ṣō·’îm haṣṣō’îm hatztzoIm ṣō·w·’îm ṣōw’îm tzoImLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Zechariah 3:3 HEB: לָבֻ֖שׁ בְּגָדִ֣ים צוֹאִ֑ים וְעֹמֵ֖ד לִפְנֵ֥י NAS: was clothed with filthy garments KJV: was clothed with filthy garments, INT: was clothed garments filthy and standing before Zechariah 3:4 2 Occurrences |