Zechariah 4:2-12

2 and said unto me, "What seest thou?" And I said, "I have looked and behold, a candlestick all of gold with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps which are upon the top thereof;

3 and two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof."

4 So I answered and spoke to the angel who talked with me, saying, "What are these, my lord?"

5 Then the angel who talked with me answered and said unto me, "Knowest thou not what these be?" And I said, "No, my lord."

6 Then he answered and spoke unto me, saying, "This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, `Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' saith the LORD of hosts.

7 Who art thou, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain; and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, `Grace, grace unto it!'"

8 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

9 "The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it. And thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you.

10 For who hath despised the day of small things? For they shall rejoice and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven. They are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth."

11 Then answered I and said unto him, "What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof?"

12 And I answered again and said unto him, "What be these two olive branches, which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of 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.