The Meaning of Zechariah 4:2 Explained

Zechariah 4:2

KJV: 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:

YLT: and he saith unto me, 'What art thou seeing?' And I say, 'I have looked, and lo, a candlestick of gold -- all of it, and its bowl is on its top, and its seven lamps are upon it, and twice seven pipes are to the lights that are on its top,

Darby: And he said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I see, and behold, a lamp-stand all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and its seven lamps thereon, seven lamps and seven pipes to the lamps, which are upon the top thereof;

ASV: And he said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have seen, and, behold, a candlestick all of gold, with its bowl upon the top of it, and its seven lamps thereon; there are seven pipes to each of the lamps, which are upon the top thereof;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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: 

What does Zechariah 4:2 Mean?

Study Notes

And I said
The vision of the candlestick and olive trees (lit. trees of oil) is, as we know, from Revelation 11:3-12 a prophecy to be fulfilled in the last days of the present age. That which marks the ministry of the "two witnesses" Revelation 11:3 ; Revelation 11:4 is power. (Cf Zechariah 4:6 ). In measure this power would rest upon Zerubbabel, who, having begun the restoration temple of Zechariah's time, would finish it ( Zechariah 4:9 ) laying the "headstone" amid the shoutings of the people. The whole scene forms a precursive fulfilment of the ministry of the two witnesses of Revelation 11. and of the coming of the true "headstone," Prince Messiah, of whom prince Zerubbabel is a type. Oil is a uniform symbol of the Spirit. Joshua and Zerubbabel were doubtless the two olive trees for that day, as the two witnesses of Revelation 11. may, in turn, but point to Christ as Priest-King in the kingdom- age. Zechariah 6:12 ; Zechariah 6:13 .
Holy Ghost
The Holy Spirit, N.T. Summary (see Malachi 2:15 , note): (See Scofield " Malachi 2:15 ") .
(1) The Holy Spirit is revealed as a divine Person. This is expressly declared (e.g.) John 14:16 ; John 14:17 ; Matthew 1:18-20 ; John 15:26 ; John 16:7-15 ; Matthew 28:19 and everywhere implied.
(2) The revelation concerning Him is progressive
(a) In the O.T. (See Scofield " Malachi 2:15 ") . He comes upon whom He will, apparently without reference to conditions in them
(b) During His earth-life, Christ taught His disciples Luke 11:13 that they might receive the Spirit through prayer to the Father.
(c) At the close of His ministry He promised that He would Himself pray the Father, and that in answer to prayer the Comforter would come to abide John 14:16 ; John 14:17 .
(d) On the evening of His resurrection He came to the disciples in the upper room, and breathed on them saying, "Receive ye the Holy Ghost" John 20:22 but instructed them to wait before beginning their ministry till the Spirit should come upon them; Luke 24:49 ; Acts 1:8 .
(e) On the day of Pentecost the Spirit came upon the whole body of believers Acts 2:1-4
(f) After Pentecost, so long as the Gospel was preached to Jews only, the Spirit was imparted to such as believed by the laying on of hands Acts 8:17 ; Acts 9:17 .
(g) When Peter opened the door of the kingdom to the Gentiles (Acts 10.), the Holy Spirit, without delay, or other condition than faith, was given to those who believed. Acts 10:44 ; Acts 11:15-18 . This is the permanent fact for the entire church age. Every believer is born of the Spirit; John 3:3 ; John 3:6 ; 1 John 5:1 indwelt by the Spirit, whose presence makes the believer's body a temple; 1 Corinthians 6:19 ; Romans 8:9-15 ; 1 John 2:27 ; Galatians 4:6 and baptized by the Spirit; 1 Corinthians 12:12 ; 1 Corinthians 12:13 ; 1 John 2:20 ; 1 John 2:27 thus sealing him for God; Ephesians 1:13 ; Ephesians 4:30 .
(3) The N.T. distinguishes between having the Spirit, which is true of all believers, and being filled with the Spirit, which is the believer's privilege and duty (cf) Acts 2:4 with; Acts 4:29-31 ; Ephesians 1:13 ; Ephesians 1:14 with Ephesians 5:18 . --"One baptism, many fillings."
(4) The Holy Spirit is related to Christ in His Conception John 14:26 ; Luke 1:35 baptism; Matthew 3:16 ; Mark 1:10 ; Luke 3:22 ; John 1:32 ; John 1:33 walk and service Luke 4:1 ; Luke 4:14 resurrection Romans 8:11 , and as His witness throughout this age; John 15:26 ; John 16:8-11 ; John 16:13 ; John 16:14 .
(5) The Spirit forms the church Matthew 16:18 (See Scofield " Hebrews 12:23 ") by baptizing all believers into the body of Christ 1 Corinthians 12:12 ; 1 Corinthians 12:13 imparts gifts for service to every member of that body 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 ; 1 Corinthians 12:27 ; 1 Corinthians 12:30 guide the members in their service; Luke 2:27 ; Luke 4:1 ; Acts 16:6 ; Acts 16:7 and is Himself the power of that service; Acts 1:8 ; Acts 2:4 ; 1 Corinthians 2:4 .
(6) The Spirit abides in the company of believers who constitute a local church, making of them, corporately, a temple 1 Corinthians 3:16 ; 1 Corinthians 3:17 .
(7) Christ indicates a threefold personal relationship of the Spirit to the believer: "With", "In", "upon" John 14:17 ; Luke 24:49 ; Acts 1:8 . "With" indicates the approach of God to the soul, convicting of sin John 16:9 presenting Christ as the object of faith John 16:14 imparting faith Ephesians 2:8 and regenerating John 3:3-16 . "In" describes the abiding presence of the Spirit in the believer's body 1 Corinthians 6:19 to give victory over the flesh; Romans 8:2-4 ; Galatians 5:16 ; Galatians 5:17 to create the Christian character Galatians 5:22 ; Galatians 5:23 to help infirmities Romans 8:26 to inspire prayer Ephesians 6:18 to give conscious access to God Ephesians 2:18 to actualize to the believer his sonship Galatians 4:6 to apply the Scripture in cleansing and sanctification; Ephesians 5:26 ; 2 Thessalonians 2:13 ; 1 Peter 1:2 to comfort and intercede; Acts 9:31 ; Romans 8:26 and to reveal Christ John 16:14 .
(8) Sins against the Spirit committed by unbelievers are: To blaspheme Matthew 12:31 , resist Acts 7:51 , insult Hebrews 10:29 , "despite," lit. insult). Believers' sins against the Spirit are: To grieve Him by allowing evil in heart or life Ephesians 4:30 ; Ephesians 4:31 and to quench Him by disobedience 1 Thessalonians 5:19 .
The right attitude toward the Spirit is yieldedness to His sway in walk and service, and in constant willingness that He shall "put away" whatever grieves Him or hinders His power Ephesians 4:31 .
(9) The symbols of the Spirit are: (a) oil John 3:34 ; Hebrews 1:9 (b) water, John 7:38 ; John 7:39 (c) wind; Acts 2:2 ; John 3:8 , (d) fire Acts 2:3 , (e) a dove Matthew 3:16 , (f) a seal; Ephesians 1:13 ; Ephesians 4:30 , (g) an earnest or pledge Ephesians 1:14 .

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 4:2 mean?

and he said to me what you do see - so I said I am looking and there [is] a lampstand of gold all and with a bowl on top of it and seven lamps on the [stand] seven and seven with pipes to the lamps which are on the top
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלַ֔י מָ֥ה ؟ אַתָּ֖ה רֹאֶ֑ה [ויאמר] (וָאֹמַ֡ר) רָאִ֣יתִי ׀ וְהִנֵּ֣ה מְנוֹרַת֩ זָהָ֨ב כֻּלָּ֜הּ וְגֻלָּ֣הּ‪‬ עַל־ רֹאשָׁ֗הּ וְשִׁבְעָ֤ה נֵרֹתֶ֙יהָ֙ עָלֶ֔יהָ שִׁבְעָ֤ה וְשִׁבְעָה֙ מֽוּצָק֔וֹת לַנֵּר֖וֹת אֲשֶׁ֥ר עַל־ רֹאשָֽׁהּ

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר  and  he  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֵלַ֔י  to  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
רֹאֶ֑ה  do  see 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
[ויאמר]  - 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
(וָאֹמַ֡ר)  so  I  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, first person common singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
רָאִ֣יתִי ׀  I  am  looking 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
וְהִנֵּ֣ה  and  there  [is] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
מְנוֹרַת֩  a  lampstand 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: מְנׄורָה  
Sense: lamp stand.
זָהָ֨ב  of  gold 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: זָהָב  
Sense: gold.
וְגֻלָּ֣הּ‪‬  and  with  a  bowl 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular
Root: גֻּלָּה 
Sense: bowl, spring, basin.
רֹאשָׁ֗הּ  top  of  it 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
וְשִׁבְעָ֤ה  and  seven 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Number, masculine singular
Root: שֶׁבַע  
Sense: seven (cardinal number).
נֵרֹתֶ֙יהָ֙  lamps 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person feminine singular
Root: נִיר 
Sense: lamp.
עָלֶ֔יהָ  on  the  [stand] 
Parse: Preposition, third person feminine singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
שִׁבְעָ֤ה  seven 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: שֶׁבַע  
Sense: seven (cardinal number).
וְשִׁבְעָה֙  and  seven 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Number, masculine singular
Root: שֶׁבַע  
Sense: seven (cardinal number).
מֽוּצָק֔וֹת  with  pipes 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: מוּצָקָה  
Sense: pipe.
לַנֵּר֖וֹת  to  the  lamps 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: נִיר 
Sense: lamp.
עַל־  are  on 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
רֹאשָֽׁהּ  the  top 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.