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 said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all [of] gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven 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 by it, one upon the right [side] of the bowl, and the other upon the left [side] thereof.

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

So I answered and spake 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.”

Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? 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.

Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This [is] the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD 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 shalt become] a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone [thereof with] shoutings, [crying], Grace, grace unto it.

8 Then Yahweh gave me [another] message.

Moreover the word of the LORD 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; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the LORD 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? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel [with] those seven; they [are] the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro 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 answered I, and said unto him, What [are] these two olive trees upon the right [side] of the candlestick and upon the left [side] thereof?

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 again, and said unto him, What [be these] two olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden [oil] out of themselves?

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

And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these [be]? 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.”

Then said he, These [are] the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth.