Zechariah 4

1 Then the angel I had been talking to returned and got my attention, like waking someone from sleep.

Then the messenger who talked with me came again and woke me, as someone who is woken from sleep.

2 “What do you see?” he asked me. “I see a lampstand made of solid gold with a bowl at its top having seven lamps on it, each with seven lips.

He said to me, ‘What do you see?’ I said, ‘I see a candlestick, all of gold, with a bowl on its top, and seven lamps on it. There are seven pipes to each of the lamps, which are on its top,

3 I also see olive trees, one to the right and one to the left of the bowl.”

and two olive trees next to it, one on the right side of the bowl, and the other on its left side.’

4 Then I asked the angel I was talking to, “What are these, my lord?”

I said to the messenger who talked with me, ‘What are these, my lord?’

5 “Don't you know what these are?” the angel replied. “No, my lord,” I responded.

Then the messenger who talked with me answered, ‘Don’t you know what these are?’ And I said. ‘No, my lord.’

6 Then he told me, “This is the Lord's message to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord Almighty.

He said to me, ‘This is the message of the Lord regarding Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord of hosts,

7 Even obstacles as big as mountains will be flattened before Zerubbabel. Finally he will bring out the capstone to shouts of ‘Blessings on it!’”

will I make the great mountain before Zerubbabel a plain. He will bring forth the top stones with shoutings of, “Grace, grace, to it.”’

8 Then the Lord gave me another message.

Moreover this message of the Lord came to me:

9 Zerubbabel with his own hands laid the foundations for this Temple, and it will be completed the same way. Then you will know the Lord Almighty has sent me.

The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house. His hands will also finish it. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you.

10 For who dares look down on this time of small beginnings? They will be happy when they see the plumb line in Zerubbabel's hand. “The seven lamps represent the eyes of the Lord which see all over the world.”

For who has despised the day of small things? They will rejoice, and will see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. (The seven lamps are the eyes of the Lord that search all around the world.)

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

Again I asked, ‘What are these two olive trees on the right side of the candlestick and on its left side?’

12 And I also asked him, “What are the two olive branches from which the golden oil pours out from through golden pipes?”

Again, ‘What are these two branches of the olive trees, which are pouring out the golden oil through the two golden pipes?’

13 “Don't you know?” the angel replied. “No, my lord,” I responded.

He answered me, ‘Don’t you now what these are?’ And I said, ‘No, my lord.’

14 “These are the two who have been anointed who stand by the Lord of all the earth,” he replied.

Then he explained, ‘They are the two anointed ones who attend the Lord of all the earth.’