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

10Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand.” (The seven lamps represent the eyes of the Lord that search all around the world.) 11Then I asked the angel, “What are these two olive trees on each side of the lampstand, and what are the two olive branches that pour out golden oil through two gold tubes?” 13“Don’t you know?” he asked. “No, my lord,” I replied. 14Then he said to me, “They represent the two anointed ones who stand in the court of the Lord of all the 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 20:23Jesus told them, “You will indeed drink from my bitter cup. But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. My Father has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen.”
• Revelation 11:4These two prophets are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of all the earth.
• Haggai 1:1On August 29 of the second year of King Darius’s reign, the Lord gave a message through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest.

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