The Meaning of Zechariah 4:9 Explained

Zechariah 4:9

KJV: 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.

YLT: Hands of Zerubbabel did found this house, And his hands do finish it, And thou hast known that Jehovah of Hosts Hath sent me unto you.

Darby: The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; and his hands shall finish it: and thou shalt know that Jehovah of hosts hath sent me unto you.

ASV: The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that Jehovah of hosts hath sent me unto you.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Zechariah 4:9 Mean?

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 4:9 mean?

the hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of temple this and His hands shall finish [it] and you will know that Yahweh of hosts has sent Me to you
יְדֵ֣י זְרֻבָּבֶ֗ל יִסְּד֛וּ הַבַּ֥יִת הַזֶּ֖ה וְיָדָ֣יו תְּבַצַּ֑עְנָה וְיָ֣דַעְתָּ֔ כִּֽי־ יְהוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת שְׁלָחַ֥נִי אֲלֵיכֶֽם

יְדֵ֣י  the  hands  of 
Parse: Noun, fdc
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
זְרֻבָּבֶ֗ל  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.
יִסְּד֛וּ  have  laid  the  foundation 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: יְסוּדָה  
Sense: foundation.
הַבַּ֥יִת  of  temple 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
הַזֶּ֖ה  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
וְיָדָ֣יו  and  His  hands 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, fdc, third person masculine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
תְּבַצַּ֑עְנָה  shall  finish  [it] 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person feminine plural
Root: בָּצַע  
Sense: to cut off, break off, gain by unrighteous violence, get, finish, be covetous, be greedy.
וְיָ֣דַעְתָּ֔  and  you  will  know 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
כִּֽי־  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
יְהוָ֥ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
צְבָא֖וֹת  of  hosts 
Parse: Noun, common plural
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host.
שְׁלָחַ֥נִי  has  sent  Me 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
אֲלֵיכֶֽם  to  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).