Zechariah 4:12

Zechariah 4:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves?
• New International Version (NIV)Again I asked him, “What are these two olive branches beside the two gold pipes that pour out golden oil?”
• English Standard Version (ESV)And a second time I answered and said to him, "What are these two branches of the olive trees, which are beside the two golden pipes from which the golden oil is poured out?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)And I further answered and said to him, “What are these two olive branches that drip into the receptacles of the two gold pipes from which the golden oil drains?”

Context of Zechariah 4:12

10For who has despised the day of small things? But these seven will be glad when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel--these are the eyes of the Lord which range to and fro throughout the earth.” 11Then I said to him, “What are these two olive trees on the right of the lampstand and on its left?” And I answered the second time and said to him, “What are the two olive branches which are beside the two golden pipes, which empty the golden oil from themselves?” 13So he answered me, saying, “Do you not know what these are?” And I said, “No, my lord.” 14Then he said, “These are the two anointed ones who are standing by the Lord of the whole earth.”

Zechariah 4:12 word by word

וָאַ֣עַן שֵׁנִ֔ית וָאֹמַ֖ר אֵלָ֑יו מַה־שְׁתֵּ֞י שִׁבֲּלֵ֣י הַזֵּיתִ֗ים אֲשֶׁר֙ בְּיַ֗ד שְׁנֵי֙ צַנְתְּר֣וֹת הַזָּהָ֔ב הַֽמְרִיקִ֥ים מֵעֲלֵיהֶ֖ם הַזָּהָֽב׃Read the interlinear

• And I answeredעָנָה‛ânâh · to answerH6030
• the secondשֵׁנִיshênîy · secondH8145
• and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• to him, “Whatמָהmâh mah mâ ma meh · what?H4100
• are the twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
• oliveזַ֫יִתzayith · oliveH2132
• branchesשִׁבֹּ֫לֶתshibbôl shibbôleth · earH7641
• whichאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• are besideיָדyâd · hand: toH3027
• goldenזָהָבzâhâb · goldH2091
• pipesצַנְתְּרוֹתtsantârâh · pipeH6804

Cross-references for Zechariah 4:12

• Matthew 20:23He said to them, “My cup you shall drink; but to sit on My right and on My left, this is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by My Father.”
• Revelation 11:4These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.
• Haggai 1:1In the second year of Darius the king, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the Lord came by the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, saying,

Commentaries on Zechariah 4:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12What be these two olive branches - That is, two boughs laden with branches of olive berries.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12What are the two spikes of the olive? - Comparing the extreme branches of the olive-tree, laden with their fruit, to the ears of corn, which “were by or in the hand of the golden pipes, which empty forth the golden oil from themselves.” Zechariah‘s expression, in the hand of or, if so be, by the hand of the two pipes, shows that these two were symbols of living agents, for it is nowhere, used except of a living agent, or of that which it personified as…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-14Verses 11-14 Zechariah desires to know what are the two olive trees. Zerubbabel and Joshua, this prince and this priest, were endued with the gifts and graces of God's Spirit. They lived at the same time, and both were instruments in the work and service of God. Christ's offices of King and Priest were shadowed forth by them. From the union of these two offices in his person, both God and man, the fullness of grace is received and imparted. They built the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-14This vision shows that God, through his Spirit, would help Zerubbabel and Jeshua rebuild the temple.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 11-1211-12. Zechariah three times (Zec 4:4, 11, 12) asks as to the two olives before he gets an answer; the question becomes more minute each time. What he at first calls "two olive trees," he afterwards calls "branches," as on closer looking he observes that the "branches" of the trees are the channels through which a continual flow of oil dropped into the bowl of the lamps (Zec 4:2), and that this is the purpose for which the two olive trees stand beside the…Read the comment

Topics related to Zechariah 4:12

• Olive
• Symbols and Similitudes

In the dictionaries

• Angel
• Olivetree
• Wake
• Bible, the
• Branch ;bough
• Dead
• Joshua (3)
• Waterfall
• Zechariah, Book of

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