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 that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened 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 unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I see, and behold, a lamp-stand all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and its seven lamps thereon, seven [lamps] and seven pipes to the lamps, which are upon the top thereof;

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 beside it, one on the right of the bowl, and the other on the left of it.

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

And I answered and spoke to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord?

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

And the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not 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.

And he answered and spoke unto me, saying, This is the word of Jehovah unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith Jehovah of hosts.

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 art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel [thou dost become] a plain; and he shall bring forth the head-stone with shoutings: Grace, grace unto it!

8 Then Yahweh gave me [another] message.

And the word of Jehovah came unto 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 laid the foundation of this house; and his hands shall finish it: and thou shalt know that Jehovah of hosts hath sent me unto 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 hath despised the day of small things? Yea, they shall rejoice [even] those seven — and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel: these are the eyes of Jehovah, which run to and fro in the whole 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 answered and said unto him, What are these two olive-trees on the right of the lamp-stand and on its 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 I answered the second time and said unto him, What are the two olive-branches which are beside the two golden tubes that empty the gold out of themselves?

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

And he spoke to me, saying, Knowest thou not 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, that stand before the Lord of the whole earth.