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Minor Prophets · WORLD ENGLISH BIBLE

Zechariah 4

Night visions and prophetic oracles encourage rebuilding and anticipate God's coming king.

Old Testament

Zechariah 4

1The angel who talked with me came again and wakened me, as a man who is wakened out of his sleep.

2He said to me, “What do you see?” I said, “I have seen, and behold, a lamp stand all of gold, with its bowl on the top of it, and its seven lamps on it; there are seven pipes to each of the lamps which are on the top of it;

3and two olive trees by it, one on the right side of the bowl, and the other on the left side of it.”

4I answered and spoke to the angel who talked with me, saying, “What are these, my lord?”

5Then the angel who talked with me answered me, “Don’t you know what these are?” I said, “No, my lord.”

6Then he answered and spoke to me, saying, “This is the LORD’s word to Zerubbabel, saying, ‘Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD of Armies.

7Who are you, great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you are a plain; and he will bring out the capstone with shouts of ‘Grace, grace, to it!’”

8Moreover the LORD’s word came to me, saying,

9“The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house. His hands shall also finish it; and you will know that the LORD of Armies has sent me to you.

10Indeed, who despises the day of small things? For these seven shall rejoice, and shall see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. These are the LORD’s eyes, which run back and forth through the whole earth.”

11Then I asked him, “What are these two olive trees on the right side of the lamp stand and on the left side of it?”

12I asked him the second time, “What are these two olive branches, which are beside the two golden spouts that pour the golden oil out of themselves?”

13He answered me, “Don’t you know what these are?” I said, “No, my lord.”

14Then he said, “These are the two anointed ones who stand by the Lord of the whole earth.”

READ IN CONTEXT

Before applying this chapter

Night visions and prophetic oracles encourage rebuilding and anticipate God's coming king. Read Zechariah 4 within the complete Zechariah overview, and use the contextual Bible reading guide before forming a personal application. Chapter divisions aid navigation, but the literary unit may begin earlier or continue into the next chapter.

Observe first

Mark repeated words, changes of speaker, commands, promises, contrasts, questions, and the relationship between paragraphs.

Apply responsibly

Distinguish description from command and immediate audience from later readers before forming a personal application.

TEXT-DERIVED READING NOTES

What to notice in Zechariah 4

Zechariah 4 contains 14 verses and about 339 words in this translation. These observations come from the chapter itself; they are prompts for close reading, not claims about its only possible meaning.

The opening movement

Verse 1 begins: “The angel who talked with me came again and wakened me, as a man who is wakened out of his sleep.” Ask what situation, voice, image, or argument this opening establishes for everything that follows.

The closing movement

Verse 14 closes: “Then he said, “These are the two anointed ones who stand by the Lord of the whole earth.”” Compare the ending with the opening and note what changed, resolved, intensified, or remained open.

Vocabulary worth tracing

Recurring or prominent content words include side, answered, saying, zerubbabel, angel, talked. Follow where each word appears and whether its meaning shifts with the speaker or setting.

COMMON QUESTIONS

About Zechariah 4

Which Bible translation is shown here?+

This page reproduces the World English Bible Protestant edition (WEBP), a modern-English translation dedicated to the public domain.

How should I cite a specific verse?+

Use the book, chapter, and verse—for example, Zechariah 4:1—and name the World English Bible if the wording matters. Each verse number above is a direct anchor link.

Does the chapter number define the complete literary unit?+

Not always. Chapter and verse numbers were added for navigation. Check the paragraphs, scenes, poetic stanzas, or argument before and after this chapter.

A SMALL NEXT STEP

You do not have to have everything figured out.

Begin with one honest question, one passage read carefully, and one faithful next step.

Start with prayer