Zechariah 4
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 4[a]
Vision of the Lampstand and Olives. 1 Then the angel who had talked with me returned and roused me, as though awakening someone who was asleep. 2 He asked me, “What do you see?” I replied, “I see a lampstand of solid gold, with a bowl at the top. There are seven lamps on it, with seven openings to hold the lamps. 3 Alongside it are two olive trees, one to the right and the other to the left.”
4 I then said to the angel who was speaking to me, “What are these things, my lord?” 5 The angel who was speaking to me replied, “Do you not know what they are?” “No, my lord,” I answered. 6 Then he said to me, “This is the Lord’s message to Zerubbabel: Not by force, nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts. 7 What are you, O great mountain? Compared with Zerubbabel, you are nothing more than a plain. He will bring out the capstone amid shouts of acclamation.”
8 This word of the Lord was then addressed to me as follows: 9 “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of the house, and his hands will complete the work. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. 10 For those who spoke disparagingly on that day of small beginnings will rejoice to see the chosen stone in the hands of Zerubbabel. These seven facets are the eyes of the Lord that range throughout the entire earth.”
11 Then I asked the angel, “What is the significance of those two olive trees to the left and the right of the lampstand?” 12 And I asked him further, “What is the meaning of the two olive branches that pour forth the oil through the two golden channels?”
13 “Do you not know what these are?” he said to me. “No, my lord,” I replied. 14 He answered, “These are the two anointed ones who stand in attendance on the Lord of the entire earth.”
Footnotes
- Zechariah 4:1 The golden seven-branched lampstand (see Ex 25:31-38) represents divine providence, which concerns itself with human beings. The two olive trees are Joshua, who is dedicated to worship, and Zerubbabel, whom the Jews hope to see anointed king, since he is a descendant of David. The vision is, then, a promise that the two powers, the religious and the civil, will be linked together to restore the prestige of the chosen but now impoverished people (see Jer 33:14-18). The words: This is the Lord’s message to Zerubbabel (v. 6a) and in the hands of Zerubbabel (v. 10a), should be placed at the end of the chapter.
Zechariah 4
New King James Version
Vision of the Lampstand and Olive Trees
4 Now (A)the angel who talked with me came back and wakened me, (B)as a man who is wakened out of his sleep. 2 And he said to me, “What do you see?”
So I said, “I am looking, and there is (C)a lampstand of solid gold with a bowl on top of it, (D)and on the stand seven lamps with seven pipes to the seven lamps. 3 (E)Two olive trees are by it, one at the right of the bowl and the other at its left.” 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 to me, “Do you not know what these are?”
And I said, “No, my lord.”
6 So he answered and said to me:
“This is the word of the Lord to (F)Zerubbabel:
(G)‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’
Says the Lord of hosts.
7 ‘Who are you, (H)O great mountain?
Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain!
And he shall bring forth (I)the capstone
(J)With shouts of “Grace, grace to it!” ’ ”
8 Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
9 “The hands of Zerubbabel
(K)Have laid the foundation of this [a]temple;
His hands (L)shall also finish it.
Then (M)you will know
That the (N)Lord of hosts has sent Me to you.
10 For who has despised the day of (O)small things?
For these seven rejoice to see
The [b]plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel.
(P)They are the eyes of the Lord,
Which scan to and fro throughout the whole earth.”
11 Then I answered and said to him, “What are these (Q)two olive trees—at the right of the lampstand and at its left?” 12 And I further answered and said to him, “What are these two olive branches that drip [c]into the receptacles of the two gold pipes from which the golden oil drains?”
13 Then he answered me and said, “Do you not know what these are?”
And I said, “No, my lord.”
14 So he said, (R)“These are the two [d]anointed ones, (S)who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth.”
Footnotes
- Zechariah 4:9 Lit. house
- Zechariah 4:10 Lit. plummet stone
- Zechariah 4:12 Lit. into the hands of
- Zechariah 4:14 Lit. sons of fresh oil
Zechariah 4
King James Version
4 And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep.
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 spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord?
5 Then the angel that 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 spake 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?
13 And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.
14 Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth.
Zechariah 4
Legacy Standard Bible
The Golden Lampstand
4 Then (A)the angel who was speaking with me returned and (B)roused me, as a man who is roused from his sleep. 2 And he said to me, “(C)What do you see?” And I said, “I see, and behold, a (D)lampstand all of gold with its bowl on the top of it, and its (E)seven lamps on it with seven spouts belonging to each of the lamps which are on the top of it, 3 also (F)two olive trees by it, one on the right side of the bowl and the other on its left side.” 4 Then I answered and said to the angel who was speaking with me saying, “What are these, (G)my lord?” 5 So (H)the angel who was speaking with me answered and said to me, “(I)Do you not know what these are?” And I said, “No, my lord.” 6 Then he answered and spoke to me, saying, “This is the word of Yahweh to (J)Zerubbabel, saying, ‘(K)Not by [a]might nor by power, but by My (L)Spirit,’ says Yahweh of hosts. 7 ‘What are you, O great (M)mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become a plain; and he will bring forth the top stone with (N)shouts of “Grace, grace to it!”’”
8 Also the word of Yahweh came to me, saying, 9 “The hands of Zerubbabel have (O)laid the foundation of this house, and his hands will (P)finish it. Then you will know that Yahweh of hosts has sent me to [b]you. 10 For who has despised the day of (Q)small things? [c]But these (R)seven will be glad when they see the [d](S)plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel—these are the (T)eyes of Yahweh which (U)roam to and fro throughout the earth.”
11 Then I answered and said to him, “What are these (V)two 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 [e]branches which are beside the two golden pipes, which empty the golden oil from themselves?” 13 So he spoke to me, saying, “(W)Do you not know what these are?” And I said, “No, (X)my lord.” 14 Then he said, “These are the two [f](Y)anointed ones who are (Z)standing by the (AA)Lord of all the earth.”
Footnotes
- Zechariah 4:6 Lit valor
- Zechariah 4:9 Lit you (plural)
- Zechariah 4:10 Or But they will rejoice when they see...Zerubbabel. These seven are the eyes of Yahweh
- Zechariah 4:10 Lit plummet stone
- Zechariah 4:12 Or clusters
- Zechariah 4:14 Lit sons of fresh oil
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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