Zechariah 4:2-12

2 He said to me, "¹What do you see?" And I said, "I see, and behold, a ²lampstand all of gold with its bowl on the top of it, and its ³seven lamps on it with seven spouts belonging to each of the lamps which are on the top of it;

3 also ⁴two olive trees by it, one on the right side of the bowl and the other on its left side."

4 Then I said to the angel who was speaking with me saying, "What are these, ⁵my lord?"

5 So ⁶the angel who was speaking with me answered and said to me, "⁷Do you not know what these are?" And I said, "No, my lord."

6 Then he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to ⁸Zerubbabel saying, '⁹Not by might nor by power, but by My ¹⁰Spirit,' says the LORD of hosts.

7 'What are you, O great ¹¹mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become a plain; and he will bring forth the top stone with ¹²shouts of "Grace, grace to it!""'

8 Also the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

9 "The hands of Zerubbabel have ¹³laid the foundation of this house, and his hands will ¹⁴finish it. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you.

10 "For who has despised the day of ¹⁵small things? But these ¹⁶seven will be glad when they see the ¹⁷plumb * line * in the hand of Zerubbabel -these are the ¹⁸eyes of the LORD which ¹⁹range to and fro throughout the earth."

11 Then I said to him, "What are these ²⁰two olive trees on the right of the lampstand and on its left?"

12 And I answered the second time and said to him, "What are the two olive branches which are beside the two golden pipes, which empty the golden oil from themselves?"

Zechariah 4:2-12 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ZECHARIAH 4

In this chapter are contained the vision of a golden candlestick, and of two olive trees by it, and the explanation thereof. The preparation to this vision, which is the awaking of the prophet, as of a man out of sleep, is in Zec 4:1. The vision of the candlestick, and olive trees, is in Zec 4:2,3. The candlestick is described by the matter of it, gold; and by the parts of it, its bowl, lamps, and pipes; and the olive trees by their situation; the explanation of which is at the request of the prophet, he not knowing what they meant, Zec 4:4,5 when it is observed to him, that this represents, under the type of Zerubbabel building the temple, the building of the Gospel church by Christ; and which is done and finished, not by might or power of man, but by the Spirit, notwithstanding all opposition, and contempt of it, to the great joy of many, who observe the grace of God, and his providential care and goodness, in it, Zec 4:6-10 and upon the prophet's inquiring the meaning of the two olive trees, which he was ignorant of, he is told that these are the two anointed ones that stood by the Lord of the whole earth, Zec 4:11-14.

Cross References

• 1. Jeremiah 1:13; Zechariah 5:2
• 2. Exodus 25:31, 37; Jeremiah 52:19
• 3. Revelation 4:5
• 4. Zechariah 4:11; Revelation 11:4
• 5. Zechariah 1:9; Zechariah 4:5, 13; Zechariah 6:4
• 6. Zechariah 1:9; Zechariah 4:1
• 7. Zechariah 4:13
• 8. Ezra 5:2; Haggai 2:4, 5
• 9. Isaiah 11:2-4; Isaiah 30:1; Hosea 1:7
• 10. 2 Chronicles 32:7, 8; Ephesians 6:17
• 11. Psalms 114:4, 6; Isaiah 40:4; Jeremiah 51:25; Nahum 1:5; Zechariah 14:4, 5
• 12. Ezra 3:10, 11; Psalms 84:11
• 13. Ezra 3:8-10; Ezra 5:16; Haggai 2:18
• 14. Ezra 6:14, 15; Zechariah 6:12, 13
• 15. Nehemiah 4:2-4; Amos 7:2, 5; Haggai 2:3
• 16. Zechariah 3:9; Revelation 8:2
• 17. Amos 7:7, 8
• 18. 2 Chronicles 16:9; Proverbs 15:3; Jeremiah 16:17
• 19. Zechariah 1:10; Revelation 5:6
• 20. Zechariah 4:3; Revelation 11:4

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "said to me, saying"
• [b]. Lit "you" (plural)
• [c]. Or "But they will rejoice when they see...Zerubbabel. These seven are the eyes of the LORD
• [d]. Lit "plummet stone"
• [e]. Or "clusters"