The Prophet Zechariah

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- Chapter 4 -

And the angel who had been speaking with me returned, and he awakened me, like a man who is awakened from his sleep.

And he said to me, “What do you see?” And I said, “I looked, and behold, a candlestick entirely in gold, and its lamp was at its top, and seven oil lamps of it were upon it, and there were seven funnels for the oil lamps that were at its top.(a)

(b)

And there were two olive trees upon it: one to the right of the lamp, and one to its left.”

And I answered and spoke to the angel who was speaking with me, saying, “What are these, my lord?”

And the angel who was speaking with me answered, and he said to me, “Do you not know what these are?” And I said, “No, my lord.”

And he answered and spoke to me, saying: This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel, saying: Not by an army, nor by might, but in my spirit, says the Lord of hosts.(c)

What are you, great mountain, in the sight of Zerubbabel? You are among the plains. And he will lead out the primary stone, and he will give equal grace to its grace.(d)

(e)

And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:

The hand of Zerubbabel has founded this house, and his hands will complete it. And you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you.(f)

For who has despised the little days? And they will rejoice and will see the silver and lead stone in the hand of Zerubbabel. These are the seven eyes of the Lord, which roam quickly through all the earth.(g)

(h)

(i)

(j)

And I responded and said to him, “What are these two olive trees to the right of the candlestick, and to its left?”

And I responded a second time and said to him, “What are the two olive branches, which are next to the two golden ridges, in which are the pouring spouts of gold?”(k)

And he spoke to me, saying, “Do you not know what these are?” And I said, “No, my lord.”

And he said, “These are the two sons of oil, who attend before the Sovereign of all the earth.”(l)

(m)

Footnotes

(a)4:2 The ‘infusoria’ are for pouring oil into the lamp, hence the translation is ‘funnels.’(Conte)

(b)4:2 A candlestick, etc:The temple of God that was then in building; and in a more sublime sense, the church of Christ.(Challoner)

(c)4:6 To Zorobabel:This vision was in favour of Zorobabel: to assure him of success in the building of the temple, which he had begun, signified by the candlestick; the lamp of which, without any other industry, was supplied with oil, dropping from the two olive trees, and distributed by the seven funnels or pipes, to maintain the seven lights.(Challoner)

(d)4:7 Great mountain:So he calls the opposition made by the enemies of God’s people; which nevertheless, without an army or might on their side, was quashed by divine providence.(Challoner)

(e)4:7 Shall give equal grace, etc:Shall add grace to grace, or beauty to beauty.(Challoner)

(f)4:9 These words about Zerubbabel are also about the great monarch, who will build the primary Church, the center of worship in the Church, in Jerusalem, and who will also build in Rome a new Vatican City, the center of authority in the Church. And the one will have equal grace to the other.(Conte)

(g)4:10 The word ‘stanneum’ refers to an alloy of silver and lead. It is often translated as ‘tin’ because tin has long been used to make various alloys of metal. In the modern context, it might be translated as ‘metal alloy.’ The Challoner Douay-Rheims interprets this to refer to a plum line, used for building. I think it has a broader meaning, or several levels of meaning.(Conte)

(h)4:10 Little days:That is, these small and feeble beginnings of the temple of God.(Challoner)

(i)4:10 The tin plummet:Literally, the stone of tin. He means the builder’s plummet, which Zorobabel shall hold in his hand for the finishing the building.(Challoner)

(j)4:10 The seven eyes:The providence of God, that oversees and orders all things.(Challoner)

(k)4:12 The word ‘rostra’ refers to a beak-like protrusion or an edging, or rim, or ridge on something.(Conte)

(l)4:14 The phrase ‘universæ terræ’ could also be taken to refer to the whole universe, not merely to the whole earth.(Conte)

(m)4:14 Two sons of oil:That is, the two anointed ones of the Lord; viz., Jesus the high priest, and Zorobabel the prince.(Challoner)

The angel who talked with me came again and wakened me, as a man who is wakened out of his sleep.

He said to me, “What do you see?” I said, “I have seen, and behold, a lamp stand all of gold, with its bowl on the top of it, and its seven lamps on it; there are seven pipes to each of the lamps which are on the top of it;

and two olive trees by it, one on the right side of the bowl, and the other on the left side of it.”

I answered and spoke to the angel who talked with me, saying, “What are these, my lord?”

Then the angel who talked with me answered me, “Don’t you know what these are?” I said, “No, my lord.”

Then he answered and spoke to me, saying, “This is the LORD’s word to Zerubbabel, saying, ‘Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD of Armies.

Who are you, great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you are a plain; and he will bring out the capstone with shouts of ‘Grace, grace, to it!’”

Moreover the LORD’s word came to me, saying,

“The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house. His hands shall also finish it; and you will know that the LORD of Armies has sent me to you.

Indeed, who despises the day of small things? For these seven shall rejoice, and shall see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. These are the LORD’s eyes, which run back and forth through the whole earth.”

Then I asked him, “What are these two olive trees on the right side of the lamp stand and on the left side of it?”

I asked him the second time, “What are these two olive branches, which are beside the two golden spouts that pour the golden oil out of themselves?”

He answered me, “Don’t you know what these are?” I said, “No, my lord.”

Then he said, “These are the two anointed ones who stand by the Lord(a) of the whole earth.”

Footnotes

(a)4:14 The word translated “Lord” is “Adonai.”