Zechariah 4

And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep,

1The angel who had been talking with me came back. He woke me up, the way you wake someone from sleep.

2And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof:

2He asked me, "What do you see?" I said, "I see a lampstand made of solid gold. It has a bowl on top and seven lamps on it. Seven small tubes carry oil to the seven lamps."

NoteThe KJV word "candlestick" does not mean a holder for wax candles. It means a lampstand: a stand that holds small bowls of olive oil with burning wicks.

3And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof.

3"Two olive trees stand beside it. One is on the right of the bowl. The other is on the left."

4So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord?

4So I asked the angel who was talking with me, "What are these things, sir?"

5Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.

5The angel asked me, "Do you not know what they are?" I said, "No, sir."

6Then 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.

6Then he said, "This is the LORD's message for Zerubbabel, the leader rebuilding God's temple. The work will not be done by armies. It will not be done by human strength. It will be done by my Spirit, says the LORD of Hosts, the God who rules over all."

7Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.

7"Who do you think you are, big mountain? In front of Zerubbabel you will become flat ground. He will bring out the top stone of the building. People will shout, 'Grace! Grace to it!'"

NoteThe "headstone" is the last stone set in place, the one that finishes a building. "Grace" means kindness that is given freely, not earned.

8Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

8Then the LORD's message came to me again. He said:

9The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you.

9"Zerubbabel's hands laid the base of this temple. His hands will also finish it. Then you will know that the LORD of Hosts sent me to you."

10For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth.

10"Who has looked down on this small beginning? They will be glad when they see Zerubbabel holding the builder's plumb line. Those seven are the eyes of the LORD. They look all over the earth."

NoteA "plummet" is a plumb line: a small weight hanging on a string. Builders use it to check that a wall is straight up and down.

11Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof?

11Then I asked the angel, "What are these two olive trees, on the right and left of the lampstand?"

12And 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?

12I asked him again, "What are these two olive branches? Golden oil pours out of them through two gold tubes."

13And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.

13He asked me, "Do you not know what these are?" I said, "No, sir."

14Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the LORD of the whole earth.

14Then he said, "These are the two chosen ones. Oil was poured on them to set them apart for God. They stand beside the Lord of the whole earth."