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 dares make light of small beginnings? These seven eyes will joyfully look on the tin tablet in Zerubbabel’s hand. (These are the eyes of the Lord, which constantly range across the whole earth.) 11Next I asked the messenger, “What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the menorah?” Before he could reply I asked again, “What are these two extensions of the olive trees, which are emptying out the golden oil through the two golden pipes?” 13He replied, “Don’t you know what these are?” And I said, “No, sir.” 14So he said, “These are the two anointed ones who stand 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• And I answeredעָנָה‛ânâh · to answerH6030
• againשֵׁנִיshênîy · secondH8145
• and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
• oliveזַ֫יִתzayith · oliveH2132
• branchesשִׁבֹּ֫לֶתshibbôl shibbôleth · earH7641
• which throughיָדyâd · hand: toH3027
• goldenזָהָבzâhâb · goldH2091
• pipesצַנְתְּרוֹתtsantârâh · pipeH6804
• emptyרִיקrûq · to emptyH7324

Cross-references for Zechariah 4:12

• Matthew 20:23He told them, “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right and at my left is not mine to give. Rather, it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”
• Revelation 11:4(These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.)
• Haggai 1:1On the first day of the sixth month of King Darius’ second year, the Lord spoke this message through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to the high priest Joshua son of Jehozadak:

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