Zechariah 4
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Fifth Vision: The Lampstand and Olive Trees
4 The angel who spoke with me came again and wakened me, as one is wakened from sleep.(A) 2 He said to me, “What do you see?” And I said, “I see a lampstand all of gold, with a bowl on the top of it; there are seven lamps on it, with seven lips on each of the lamps that are on the top of it.(B) 3 And by it there are two olive trees, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.”(C) 4 I said to the angel who spoke with me, “What are these, my lord?” 5 Then the angel who spoke with me answered me, “Do you not know what these are?” I said, “No, my lord.” 6 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 of hosts.(D) 7 What are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain, and he shall bring out the top stone amid shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’ ”(E)
8 Moreover, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 9 “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also complete it. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you.(F) 10 For whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel.
“These seven are the eyes of the Lord that range through the whole earth.”(G) 11 Then I said to him, “What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?” 12 And a second time I said to him, “What are these two branches of the olive trees that pour out the oil[a] through the two golden pipes?” 13 He said to me, “Do you not know what these are?” I said, “No, my lord.” 14 Then he said, “These are the two anointed ones who stand by the Lord of the whole earth.”(H)
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- 4.12 Cn: Heb gold
Zechariah 4
International Standard Version
The Vision of the Golden Menorah
4 Then the angel who had been speaking with me returned and woke me up as if I had been asleep. 2 Then he asked me, “What do you see?”
So I said, “I have been watching—and look!—there is a menorah made completely of gold with a bowl on top of it. And there are seven lights on it, along with seven feeder channels to the lamps, which are also on top of it. 3 Two olive trees are near it, one on the right side of the bowl and one on the left.”
4 Then I asked the angel who had been speaking with me, “Sir,[a] what are these?”
5 The angel who had been speaking with me answered by asking, “You don’t know what these mean, do you?”
So I responded, “No, sir.”
The Lord’s First Charge to Zerubbabel
6 Then he replied to me, “This is this message from the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by valor nor by strength, but only by my Spirit,’ says the Lord of the Heavenly Armies. 7 ‘Who are you, great mountain? You will become a plain in Zerubbabel’s presence, and he will position the capstone, exulting over it, “How beautiful! How beautiful!”’”
The Lord’s Second Charge to Zerubbabel
8 Then this message from the Lord came to me again: 9 “Zerubbabel’s hands have laid the foundation of this Temple, and his hands will finish it, so that you will know that the Lord of the Heavenly Armies has sent me to all of you. 10 For who has despised the time[b] of insignificant things? They will rejoice to see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel.[c] These seven lights[d] represent the eyes of the Lord, which are looking throughout all of the earth.”
The Two Anointed Ones
11 Then I asked the angel,[e] “What are these two olive trees, one[f] on the right of the menorah and one[g] on the left?” 12 I also asked him a second question: “What are these two olive branches on either side of[h] the two golden feeder channels that carry the golden oil to the seven lights?”[i]
13 The angel[j] replied, “You don’t know what these are, do you?”
I responded to him, “No, sir.”
14 He said, “These are the two anointed ones,[k] who stand continuously beside the Lord of the whole earth.”
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- Zechariah 4:4 Lit. My lord
- Zechariah 4:10 Lit. day
- Zechariah 4:10 I.e. building the temple
- Zechariah 4:10 The Heb. lacks lights
- Zechariah 4:11 Lit. him
- Zechariah 4:11 The Heb. lacks one
- Zechariah 4:11 The Heb. lacks one
- Zechariah 4:12 Lit. that are at the hand of
- Zechariah 4:12 The Heb. lacks oil to the seven lights
- Zechariah 4:13 Lit. He
- Zechariah 4:14 Lit. sons of fresh oil
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