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The Vision of the Lampstand

Then the ·angel [messenger] who was talking with me returned and woke me up as if I had been asleep. He asked me, “What do you see?”

I said, “I see a solid gold ·lampstand [menorah] with a bowl at the top. And there are seven lamps and also seven ·places [pipes; spouts] for wicks. There are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on the left.”

I asked the ·angel [messenger] who talked with me, “·Sir [My lord], what are these?”

·The angel [L He] said, “Don’t you know what they are?”

“No, sir,” I said.

Then he told me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘·You will not succeed by your own strength or by your own power [T Not by might, nor by power], but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts].

“Who are you, ·big [mighty; great] mountain? ·In front of [Compared with] Zerubbabel you will become ·flat land [a level plain], and he will bring out the ·topmost stone [capstone], ·shouting [or amid shouting], ‘·It’s beautiful! It’s beautiful [or Blessings, Blessings upon it; L Grace, Grace to it]!’”

Then the ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to me again, saying, [L The hands of] Zerubbabel has laid the foundation of this ·Temple [L house; Ezra 3:7–13], and he will complete it [Ezra 6:13–18]. Then you will know that the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] has sent me to you.

10 “·The people should not think that small beginnings are unimportant [L For who despises the day of small things?]. ·They [or These seven eyes] will ·be happy [rejoice] when they see Zerubbabel with ·tools [or his plumb line; or the chosen capstone], building the Temple.

“(These are the seven eyes of the Lord, which look back and forth across the earth.)”

11 Then I asked the ·angel [messenger], “What are the two olive ·trees [or branches] on the right and left of the lampstand?”

12 ·I also [or Again I] asked him, “What are the two olive branches beside the two gold pipes, from which the olive oil ·flows to the lamps [pours out]?”

13 He answered, “Don’t you know what they are?”

“No, ·sir [my lord],” I said.

14 So he said, “They are symbols of the two ·who have been appointed to serve [anointed ones who stand by] the Lord of all the earth.”

The Gold Lampstand and the Two Olive Trees

Then the angel who talked with me returned and woke(A) me up, like someone awakened from sleep.(B) He asked me, “What do you see?”(C)

I answered, “I see a solid gold lampstand(D) with a bowl at the top and seven lamps(E) on it, with seven channels to the lamps. Also there are two olive trees(F) by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.”

I asked the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?”

He answered, “Do you not know what these are?”

“No, my lord,” I replied.(G)

So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel:(H) ‘Not(I) by might nor by power,(J) but by my Spirit,’(K) says the Lord Almighty.

“What are you, mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground.(L) Then he will bring out the capstone(M) to shouts(N) of ‘God bless it! God bless it!’”

Then the word of the Lord came to me: “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation(O) of this temple; his hands will also complete it.(P) Then you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me(Q) to you.

10 “Who dares despise the day(R) of small things,(S) since the seven eyes(T) of the Lord that range throughout the earth will rejoice when they see the chosen capstone[a] in the hand of Zerubbabel?”(U)

11 Then I asked the angel, “What are these two olive trees(V) on the right and the left of the lampstand?”

12 Again I asked him, “What are these two olive branches beside the two gold pipes that pour out golden oil?”

13 He replied, “Do you not know what these are?”

“No, my lord,” I said.

14 So he said, “These are the two who are anointed(W) to[b] serve the Lord of all the earth.”

Footnotes

  1. Zechariah 4:10 Or the plumb line
  2. Zechariah 4:14 Or two who bring oil and