Zechariah 4

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

Then the angel who was talking with me turned and roused me like a man roused from 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 see a lampstand made entirely of gold, with a bowl on its top. It has seven lamps on it and seven lamp wicks at the top of each lamp.

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

Two olive trees are by it, one on the right side of the bowl and the other on the left side.”

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

So I spoke again to the angel who was talking with me. I said, “What do these things mean, my master?”

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

The angel who was talking with me answered and said to me, “Do you not know what these things mean?” I said, “No, my master.”

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.

So he said to me, “This is the word of Yahweh to Zerubbabel: Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says Yahweh 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!”’”

What are you, great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become a plain, and he will bring out the top stone to shouts of 'Grace! Grace to it!'”

8 Then Yahweh gave me [another] message.

The word of Yahweh 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 and his hands will bring it to completion.” Then you will know that Yahweh of hosts 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.”

Who has despised the day of small things? These people will rejoice and will see the plumb stone in the hand of Zerubbabel. (These seven lamps are the eyes of Yahweh that roam over 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 the angel, “What are these two olive trees that stand on the left and the right of the lampstand?”

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?”

Once more I asked him, “What are these two olive branches beside the two gold pipes that have golden oil pouring out of them?”

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

Then he said to me, “Do you not know what these are?” I said, “No, my master.”

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

So he said, “These are the sons of fresh olive oil who stand before the Lord of all the earth.”