Zechariah 4

1 Then the angel who had been talking with me returned, and he called to me as though I had been asleep.

And the angel who was talking to me came again, awaking me as a man out of his sleep.

2 He asked me, “What do you see?” I replied, “I see a lampstand [made] completely of gold. There is a small bowl [for olive oil] at the top, and there are seven [small] lamps around the bowl, and a place for a wick on each lamp.

And he said to me, What do you see? And I said, I see a light-support, made all of gold, with its cup on the top of it and seven lights on it; and there are seven pipes to every one of the lights which are on the top of it;

3 Furthermore, I see two olive trees, one at the right side of the lampstand and one at the left side.”

And two olive-trees by it, one on the right side of the cup and one on the left.

4 I asked the angel who was talking with me, “Sir, what are these?”

And I made answer and said to the angel who was talking to me, What are these, my lord?

5 He replied, “Surely you know [RHQ] what they are?” I replied, “No, I do not know.”

Then the angel who was talking to me, answering me, said, Have you no knowledge of what these are? And I said, No, my lord.

6 Then he said to me, “This is the message that Yahweh [says that you should give] to Zerubbabel [the governor of Judah: ‘You will do what I want you to do, but it will] not be by your own strength or power. It will be [done] by [the power of] my Spirit, says the Commander of the armies of angels.

This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel, saying, Not by force or by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord of armies.

7 Zerubbabel, you [have many difficult matters to handle. They are like] high mountains [MET]. But they will [become easy to handle, as though] they will become flat land. And you will bring [to the temple] the final stone [to complete the rebuilding of the temple]. When you do that, [all the people] will shout repeatedly, “It is beautiful! May God bless it!”’”

Who are you, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel you will become level: and he will let all see the headstone, with cries of Grace, grace, to it.

8 Then Yahweh gave me [another] message.

Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

9 He said [to me], “Zerubbabel [SYN] laid the first stone in the foundation of the temple, and he will put the last stone in its place. When that happens, the people will know that [it is I, the Commander of the armies of angels, who] have sent you to them.” And he said, “The seven bowls represent the eyes of Yahweh, who looks back and forth at everything [that happens] on the earth.”

The hands of Zerubbabel have put the base of this house in place, and his hands will make it complete; and it will be clear to you that the Lord of armies has sent me to you.

10 No one [RHQ] should think that little things that are done at the beginning of a big project are unimportant. [When the temple is almost finished being rebuilt, ] Zerubbabel will use a (plumb line/string with a stone fastened to it) [to see if the walls they are building are straight]; so when the people see that, they will rejoice.”

For who has had a poor opinion of the day of small things? for they will be glad when they see the weighted measuring-line in the hand of Zerubbabel. Then he said in answer to me, These seven lights are the eyes of the Lord which go quickly up and down through all the earth.

11 Then I asked the angel, “What is [the meaning of] the two olive trees, one on each side of the lampstand?

And I made answer and said to him, What are these two olive-trees on the right side of the light-support and on the left?

12 And what [the meaning of] the two olive branches, one alongside each of the gold pipes from which [olive] oil flows to the lamps?”

And answering a second time, I said to him, What are these two olive branches, through whose gold pipes the oil is drained out?

13 He replied, “Surely [RHQ] you know what they are?” I replied, “No, sir, [I do not know.]”

And he said in answer to me, Have you no knowledge what these are? And I said, No, my lord.

14 So he said, “They represent the two [men who have been] appointed [MTY] to serve the Lord who [rules] the entire earth.”

And he said, These are the two sons of oil, whose place is by the Lord of all the earth.