Zechariah 4

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

The angel who talked with me came again and wakened me, as a man who 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.

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;

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 bowl, and the other on the left side of it.”

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

I answered and spoke to the angel who 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.”

Then the angel who talked with me answered me, “Don’t you know what these are?” 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.

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.

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

8 Then Yahweh gave me [another] message.

Moreover the LORD’s word 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 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.

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.”

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.”

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

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?”

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?”

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?”

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

He answered me, “Don’t you know what these are?” 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.”

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