1 Then I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a flying roll.
This was a parchment scroll flying through the air. “Books” as we know them (bound with a spine) had not been invented yet.
2 And he said unto me, “What see thou?” And I answered, “I see a flying roll; the length thereof is twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof ten cubits.”
This would be about thirty feet by fifteen feet; quite a big book.
3 Then said he unto me, “This is the curse that goes forth over the face of the whole earth: for every one that steals shall be cut off as on this side according to it; and every one that swears shall be cut off as on that side according to it.”
This is God’s punishment on all liars and thieves.
4 I will bring it (the curse) forth, said the LORD of hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that swears falsely by My name: and it shall remain in the midst of his house, and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof.
God will destroy all sinners.
5 Then the angel that talked with me went forth, and said unto me, “Lift up now thine eyes, and see what is this that goes forth.”
6 And I said, “What is it?” And he said, “This is an ephah that goes forth.” He said moreover, “This is their resemblance through all the earth.”
An ephah is a basket-measure, probably about a bushel (the size of a round laundry basket). This one is full of the lies and thefts of those in the previous verse.
7 And, behold, there was lifted up a talent of lead: and this is a woman that sits in the midst of the ephah.
The lead lid of the basket is removed and there is a woman sitting in the basket. Women symbolize religion because of man’s extreme fondness for both.
8 And he said, “This is wickedness.” And he cast it into the midst of the ephah; and he cast the weight of lead upon the mouth thereof.
The angel tells Zechariah that this woman’s name is Wickedness, a false religion. He locks her back up.
9 Then lifted I up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came out two women, and the wind was in their wings; for they had wings like the wings of a stork: and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heaven.
10 Then said I to the angel that talked with me, “Whither do these bear the ephah?”
11 And he said unto me, “To build it an house in the land of Shinar: and it shall be established, and set there upon her own base.”
Shinar is the plains Babylon is built in. She is the center of false worship with most, if not all, pagan religions tracing back to her.