The Meaning of Zechariah 4:10 Explained

Zechariah 4:10

KJV: 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.

YLT: For who trampled on the day of small things, They have rejoiced, And seen the tin weight in the hand of Zerubbabel, These seven are the eyes of Jehovah, They are going to and fro in all the land.'

Darby: 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.

ASV: For who hath despised the day of small things? for these seven shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel; these are the eyes of Jehovah, which run to and fro through the whole earth.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Zechariah 4:10 Mean?

Study Notes

eyes
stone (See Scofield " 1 Peter 2:8 ") .
seven eyes Cf. Zechariah 4:10 ; Revelation 5:6 .

Verse Meaning

The people would be ashamed that they had despised the rebuilding project as insignificant (cf. Ezra 3:12; Haggai 2:3). [1] The Lord Himself was glad to see Zerubbabel building with his plumb line as His omniscient eyes surveyed all that was happening in the world (cf. Zechariah 3:9; 2 Chronicles 16:9). The Hebrew words translated "plumb line" may mean "separated [2] stone." In this case the idea would be that the Lord, in addition to His people, would rejoice when He saw the capstone put in place (cf. Zechariah 4:7; Ezra 6:16-22). Now His people could serve Him as He purposed.
"Bible history is the record of God using small things. When God wanted to set the plan of salvation in motion, He started with a little baby named Isaac ( Genesis 21). When He wanted to overthrow Egypt and set His people free, He used a baby"s tears ( Exodus 2:1-10). He used a shepherd boy and a sling to defeat a giant ( 1 Samuel 17) and a little lad"s lunch to feed a multitude ( John 6). He delivered the Apostle Paul from death by using a basket and a rope ( Acts 9:23-25). Never despise the day of small things, for God is glorified in small things and uses them to accomplish great things." [3]

Context Summary

Zechariah 4:1-14 - "not By Might Nor By Power"
Zerubbabel had faltered in the great work of reconstruction and had practically lost heart. Here he is encouraged to renew his efforts and persevere to the top-stone. He might be weak and flexible as a wick but none of his deficiencies could hinder him from finishing his life-work, if only his spirit was kindled with the divine fire and fed by the grace of the Holy Spirit. [source]

Chapter Summary: Zechariah 4

1  By the golden candlestick is foreshown the good success of Zerubbabel's foundation;
11  by the two olive trees the two anointed ones

What do the individual words in Zechariah 4:10 mean?

For who has despised the day of small things for rejoice and to see - the plummet the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel seven these the eyes of Yahweh they [are] which scan to and fro throughout all the earth
כִּ֣י מִ֣י בַז֮ לְי֣וֹם ؟ קְטַנּוֹת֒ וְשָׂמְח֗וּ וְרָא֞וּ אֶת־ הָאֶ֧בֶן הַבְּדִ֛יל בְּיַ֥ד זְרֻבָּבֶ֖ל שִׁבְעָה־ אֵ֑לֶּה עֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה הֵ֥מָּה מְשׁוֹטְטִ֖ים בְּכָל־ הָאָֽרֶץ

בַז֮  has  despised 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בּוּז  
Sense: contempt.
לְי֣וֹם  the  day 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
؟ קְטַנּוֹת֒  of  small  things 
Parse: Adjective, feminine plural
Root: קָטָן 
Sense: young, small, insignificant, unimportant.
וְשָׂמְח֗וּ  for  rejoice 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: שָׂמַח  
Sense: to rejoice, be glad.
וְרָא֞וּ  and  to  see 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הָאֶ֧בֶן  the  plummet 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶבֶן  
Sense: stone (large or small).
הַבְּדִ֛יל  the  plumb  line 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בְּדִיל 
Sense: alloy, tin, dross.
בְּיַ֥ד  in  the  hand 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
זְרֻבָּבֶ֖ל  of  Zerubbabel 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: זְרֻבָּבֶל  
Sense: the grandson of king Jehoiachin and leader of the first group of returning exiles from Babylon.
שִׁבְעָה־  seven 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: שֶׁבַע  
Sense: seven (cardinal number).
אֵ֑לֶּה  these 
Parse: Pronoun, common plural
Root: אֵהֶל 
Sense: these.
עֵינֵ֣י  the  eyes 
Parse: Noun, cdc
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
יְהוָ֔ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
הֵ֥מָּה  they  [are] 
Parse: Pronoun, third person masculine plural
Root: הֵם 
Sense: they, these, the same, who.
מְשׁוֹטְטִ֖ים  which  scan  to  and  fro 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine plural
Root: שׁוּט  
Sense: to go, go or rove about, go to and fro.
בְּכָל־  throughout  all 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
הָאָֽרֶץ  the  earth 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.