Zechariah 4:5-14

5 He answered, “Do you not know what these are?” “No, my lord,” I replied.

6 So he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty.

7 “What are you, mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of ‘God bless it! God bless it!’ ”

8 Then the word of the LORD came to me:

9 “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; his hands will also complete it. Then you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me to you.

10 “Who dares despise the day of small things, since the seven eyes of the LORD that range throughout the earth will rejoice when they see the chosen capstone^[a] in the hand of Zerubbabel?”

11 Then I asked the angel, “What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?”

12 Again I asked him, “What are these two olive branches beside the two gold pipes that pour out golden oil?”

13 He replied, “Do you not know what these are?” “No, my lord,” I said.

14 So he said, “These are the two who are anointed to^[b] serve the Lord of all the earth.”

Zechariah 4:5-14 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. S Zechariah 1:9
• 2. S 1 Chronicles 3:19; S Ezra 5:2
• 3. S 1 Samuel 13:22; S 1 Kings 19:12
• 4. S 1 Samuel 2:9
• 5. S Nehemiah 9:20; Isaiah 11:2-4; S Daniel 2:34; Hosea 1:7
• 6. S Psalms 26:12; Jeremiah 51:25
• 7. S Psalms 118:22
• 8. S 1 Chronicles 15:28
• 9. S Ezra 3:11
• 10. Ezra 3:8; S Ezra 6:15; Zechariah 6:12
• 11. S Zechariah 2:9
• 12. S Haggai 2:23
• 13. Haggai 2:3
• 14. S Ezra 5:1; S Nehemiah 12:1; S Job 38:5
• 15. S 2 Chronicles 16:9; Zechariah 3:9; Revelation 5:6
• 16. S ver 3; S Revelation 11:4
• 17. Exodus 29:7; Exodus 40:15; S Psalms 45:7; S Isaiah 20:3; S Daniel 9:24-26; Zechariah 3:1-7

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "the plumb line"
• [b]. Or "two who bring oil and"