Amplified Bible
Zechariah 4:6
6Then he said to me, “This [continuous supply of oil] is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel [prince of Judah], saying, ‘Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit [of whom the oil is a symbol],’ says the Lord of hosts.
Zechariah 4:6 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.
- New International Version (NIV)So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then he said to me, "This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.
- New King James Version (NKJV)So he answered and said to me: “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the Lord of hosts.
Context of Zechariah 4:6
4So I asked the angel who was speaking with me, “What are these, my lord?” 5Then the angel who was speaking with me answered me, “Do you not know what these are?” And I said, “No, my lord.” Then he said to me, “This [continuous supply of oil] is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel [prince of Judah], saying, ‘Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit [of whom the oil is a symbol],’ says the Lord of hosts. 7‘What are you, O great mountain [of obstacles]? Before Zerubbabel [who will rebuild the temple] you will become a plain (insignificant)! And he will bring out the capstone [of the new temple] with loud shouts of “Grace, grace to it!” ’ ” 8Also the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
Read all of Zechariah 4Zechariah 4:6 word by word
וַיַּ֜עַן וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלַי֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר זֶ֚ה דְּבַר־יְהוָ֔ה אֶל־זְרֻבָּבֶ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר לֹ֤א בְחַ֙יִל֙ וְלֹ֣א בְכֹ֔חַ כִּ֣י אִם־בְּרוּחִ֔י אָמַ֖ר יְהוָ֥ה צְבָאֽוֹת׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Then he answeredעָנָה‛ânâh · to answerH6030
- and spakeאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- the wordדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- unto Zerubbabelזְרֻבָּבֶ֫לzerûbbâbel · ZerubbabelH2216
- Not by mightחַ֫יִלchayil · strengthH2428
- nor by powerכֹּחַkôach kôach · strengthH3581
- but by my spiritרוּחַrûach · spiritH7307
- of hostsצָבָאtsâbâ' tsebâ'âh · HostsH6635
Cross-references for Zechariah 4:6
- Zechariah 9:13For I will bend Judah as My bow, I will fit the bow with Ephraim [as My arrow]. And I will stir up your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece, And will make you [Israel] like the sword of a warrior.
- Numbers 27:16“Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation
- 2 Chronicles 14:11Asa called out to the Lord his God, saying, “O Lord, there is no one besides You to help in the battle between the powerful and the weak; so help us, O Lord our God, for we trust in and rely on You, and in Your name we have come against this multitude. O Lord, You are our God; let not man prevail against You.”
- Isaiah 11:2And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him— The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and strength, The Spirit of knowledge and of the [reverential and obedient] fear of the Lord—
- Isaiah 30:1“Woe (judgment is coming) to the rebellious children,” declares the Lord, “Who carry out a plan, but not Mine, And make an alliance [by pouring out a libation], but not of My Spirit, In order to add sin to sin;
- Isaiah 32:15Until the Spirit is poured out upon us from on high, And the wilderness becomes a fertile field, And the fertile field is valued as a forest.
- Isaiah 63:10But they rebelled And grieved His Holy Spirit; Therefore He changed into their enemy, And He fought against them.
- Ezekiel 37:11Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is lost. We are completely cut off.’
- Hosea 1:7But I will have mercy on the house of Judah and will rescue them by the Lord their God, and will not rescue them by bow, sword, war, horses, or horsemen.”
- Haggai 2:2“Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, saying,
- 1 Corinthians 2:4And my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom [using clever rhetoric], but [they were delivered] in demonstration of the [Holy] Spirit [operating through me] and of [His] power [stirring the minds of the listeners and persuading them],
- 2 Corinthians 10:4The weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood]. Our weapons are divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.
- 1 Peter 1:12It was revealed to them that their services [their prophecies regarding grace] were not [meant] for themselves and their time, but for you, in these things [the death, resurrection, and glorification of Jesus Christ] which have now been told to you by those who preached the gospel to you by the [power of the] Holy Spirit [who was] sent from heaven. Into these things even the angels long to look.
- 2 Chronicles 32:7“Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be dismayed because of the king of Assyria, nor because of all the army that is with him; for the One with us is greater than the one with him.
- Psalms 20:6Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven With the saving strength of His right hand.
- Psalms 33:16The king is not saved by the great size of his army; A warrior is not rescued by his great strength.
Commentaries on Zechariah 4:6
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel - This prince was in a trying situation, and he needed especial encouragement from God; and here it is: Not by might, (of thy own), nor by power, (authority from others), but by my Spirit - the providence, authority, power, and energy of the Most High. In this way shall my temple be built; in this way shall my Church be raised and preserved. No secular arm, no human prudence, no earthly policy, no suits at law…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel - Osorius: “As if he were to say, the meaning of the vision and scope of what has been exhibited is, God‘s doings have almost cried aloud to Zerubbabel that all these visions shall come to an end in their time, not effected by human might nor in fleshly strength, but in power of the Holy Spirit and through Divine Will.‘ For the Only Begotten became Man as we are, but He warred not after the flesh, to set up the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6Jeshua and Zerubbabel would succeed in rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem, not by their own power, but because of God's empowering Spirit (compare Haggai 2:4–5).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. Not by might ... but by my Spirit--As the lamps burned continually, supplied with oil from a source (the living olive trees) which man did not make, so Zerubbabel need not be disheartened because of his weakness; for as the work is one to be effected by the living Spirit (compare Hag 2:5) of God, man's weakness is no obstacle, for God's might will perfect strength out of weakness (Ho 1:7; 2Co 12:10; He 11:34). "Might and power" express human strength…Read the comment
Topics related to Zechariah 4:6
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Zechariah 4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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