Zechariah 4:2 kjv
And 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:
Zechariah 4:2 nkjv
And he said to me, "What do you see?" So I said, "I am looking, and there is a lampstand of solid gold with a bowl on top of it, and on the stand seven lamps with seven pipes to the seven lamps.
Zechariah 4:2 niv
He asked me, "What do you see?" I answered, "I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl at the top and seven lamps on it, with seven channels to the lamps.
Zechariah 4:2 esv
And he said to me, "What do you see?" I said, "I see, and behold, a lampstand all of gold, with a bowl on the top of it, and seven lamps on it, with seven lips on each of the lamps that are on the top of it.
Zechariah 4:2 nlt
"What do you see now?" he asked. I answered, "I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl of oil on top of it. Around the bowl are seven lamps, each having seven spouts with wicks.
Zechariah 4 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exo 25:31-32 | Make a lampstand of pure gold...its branches. | Blueprint of the original Menorah in Tabernacle. |
| Exo 27:20 | You are to command the Israelites to bring you pure oil of pressed olives for the light, to keep the lamps burning continually. | Command to maintain the lamp's light. |
| Lev 24:1-2 | The LORD said to Moses, "Command the Israelites to bring you pure oil of pressed olives for the light, to keep the lamps burning continually." | Reiterates the necessity of constant lamp-lighting. |
| Num 8:2 | "When you set up the lamps, the seven lamps are to give light toward the front of the lampstand." | Guidance on how the lamps should function. |
| Isa 42:6 | I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles. | Israel's purpose as a light to nations. |
| Isa 49:6 | I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth. | Expansion of Israel's mission as a global light. |
| Psa 119:105 | Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. | God's word as a guide and source of light. |
| Prov 6:23 | For a commandment is a lamp, and instruction is a light; and rebukes of discipline are the way of life. | Divine instruction illuminates the path of life. |
| Dan 2:21-22 | He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things... light dwells with him. | God as the source of wisdom, knowledge, and revelation. |
| Zech 4:6 | Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty. | The interpretive key: divine work is by the Spirit, not human effort. |
| Zech 4:7 | 'What are you, mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground...' | Rebuilding success by God's Spirit, not obstacles. |
| Zech 4:12-14 | 'What are these two olive branches, pouring out golden oil from themselves?' ... These are the two who are anointed to serve the Lord of all the earth." | Explanation that the two anointed ones (Zerubbabel & Joshua) are the source channels. |
| Matt 5:14 | You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. | Believers as the light in the New Covenant. |
| John 8:12 | When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." | Jesus as the ultimate source of spiritual light. |
| John 9:5 | While I am in the world, I am the light of the world. | Jesus' identity as the world's illumination. |
| Acts 1:8 | But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem... to the ends of the earth." | Holy Spirit empowers believers for witness, aligning with the "oil" supply. |
| Eph 5:8 | For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light. | Believers transformed into light-bearers. |
| Heb 9:2 | A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lampstand and the table with its consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place. | Mentions the lampstand in the original Tabernacle/Temple context. |
| 1 Pet 2:9 | But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. | God's people called to proclaim His light. |
| Rev 1:12-13 | I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man. | Churches represented as lampstands in John's vision, sustained by Christ. |
| Rev 1:20 | The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. | Directly identifies lampstands as churches. |
| Rev 4:5 | From the throne came flashes of lightning and rumblings and peals of thunder. Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God. | Lamps symbolizing the complete Spirit of God before the throne. |
Zechariah 4 verses
Zechariah 4 2 Meaning
Zechariah 4:2 presents the prophet's vision of a golden lampstand, unique in its continuous, self-sufficient oil supply. The lampstand, symbolizing God's presence and His people, is entirely of gold, indicating divine purity and preciousness. Perched atop it is a bowl, serving as a reservoir, connected by seven pipes to seven lamps. This intricate design signifies that the light and spiritual vitality of God's work, specifically the rebuilding of the Temple, are not dependent on human might or power but solely on the uninterrupted flow of the Holy Spirit, perpetually provided by God Himself. It communicates a message of divine enablement and sufficiency for God's purposes.
Zechariah 4 2 Context
Zechariah chapter 4 stands at the heart of the prophet's eight nocturnal visions, received in 520 BC. The post-exilic community had returned from Babylonian captivity to Judah but faced immense challenges, including opposition to rebuilding the Jerusalem Temple and internal discouragement. The vision of the golden lampstand (Zech 4:1-14) is presented immediately after the vision of Joshua, the High Priest, being cleansed and re-robed (Zech 3). These visions, along with the subsequent one of the flying scroll, are designed to reassure and energize the people and their leaders—Zerubbabel, the governor and royal heir, and Joshua, the high priest. Zechariah 4:2 describes the object of Zechariah's gaze, a miraculous, self-sustaining lampstand, which provides the visual foundation for the subsequent declaration in Zechariah 4:6 that the work would be completed "not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit." The immediate context prepares the audience for a divine work, sustained supernaturally.
Zechariah 4 2 Word analysis
- "And he said to me" (וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלַי֙ – wa-yōmer 'ēlay): This introduces the angelic interpreter's interaction, emphasizing that the vision is explained and guided. The interpreter acts as God's messenger, revealing divine truth.
- "What do you see?" (מָה אַתָּה רֹאֶה֙ – māh 'attāh rō'eh): This is a direct inquiry from the angel to the prophet, an invitation for Zechariah to engage actively with the divine revelation. It compels attentive observation and personal registration of the vision before its interpretation is given. This technique often primes the recipient for profound truth.
- "And I said, 'I see, and behold'" (וָאֹמַ֕ר רָאִ֥יתִי וְהִנֵּ֖ה – wā'ōmar rā'îtî wə-hinnēh): Zechariah affirms his perception. The word "behold" (וְהִנֵּ֖ה – wə-hinnēh) draws attention to the sudden appearance or striking nature of what is seen, marking it as significant and divinely presented.
- "a lampstand" (מְנוֹרָה – mənorāh): The Hebrew word refers specifically to a candelabrum, like the one in the Tabernacle and Temple (Exo 25:31-40). In this prophetic context, it symbolizes the divine presence, the light of God, and potentially God's people (Israel, and by extension the Church in the New Testament), serving as His light-bearers in the world. It signifies witness and spiritual vitality.
- "all of gold" (כֻלָּהּ זָהָ֔ב – kullāh zāhāḇ): "Gold" universally represents purity, preciousness, divinity, and enduring quality. Unlike the original Tabernacle Menorah, which was hammered from one piece of gold, this emphasizes its total, intrinsic, and complete golden nature, symbolizing that its origin and essence are wholly divine and perfect.
- "with a bowl on top of it" (וְגֻלָּ֣הּ עַל־רֹאשָׁ֑הּ – wə-ḡullāh 'al-rōšāh): The "bowl" (gullāh) serves as a reservoir, distinguishing this lampstand from the traditional Temple Menorah which required external re-oiling. Its position at the very top implies that the source of spiritual provision is from above, from God.
- "and seven lamps on it" (וְשִׁבְעָ֤ה נֵרֹתֶ֙יהָ֙ עָלֶ֙יהָ֙ – wə-šiv‘āh nērōteyhā ‘āleyhā): Similar to the Tabernacle Menorah, indicating completeness, divine perfection, and the full extent of God's illuminating power. The "lamps" themselves are the instruments of light.
- "with seven pipes to the seven lamps" (שִׁבְעָה֙ מוּצָק֣וֹת לַנֵּר֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־רֹאשָֽׁהּ – šiv‘āh mūṣāqōt la-nērōṯ 'ăšer 'al-rōšāh): The "pipes" (mūṣāqōt) are crucial, emphasizing a continuous, constant, and abundant flow of oil from the central bowl to each lamp. This detail strongly foreshadows the theme of uninterrupted divine sustenance, specifically referencing the Spirit of God (often symbolized by oil in scripture), for the spiritual vitality and function of God's work and His people.
Words-Group Analysis:
- "a lampstand all of gold, with a bowl on top of it, and seven lamps on it, with seven pipes to the seven lamps": This entire description paints a picture of a system that is inherently self-sustaining and perfectly designed. The gold signifies the divine nature and value of the entity represented. The bowl and pipes, unique to this prophetic vision of the Menorah, are critical elements that distinguish it from the Temple Menorah. They convey the concept of continuous divine provision, explicitly linking to the operation "by my Spirit" later in the chapter, signifying that the power for spiritual work and illumination comes directly and unendingly from God, without need for human replenishment. This implies abundant, sufficient, and ceaseless grace and enablement for fulfilling God's will.
Zechariah 4 2 Bonus section
This vision of the lampstand, sustained not by human effort but by direct divine flow, sets the theological stage for understanding the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit through God's people across all dispensations. Just as Zerubbabel was to finish the Temple by God's Spirit, so too are New Covenant believers empowered for their spiritual calling. The "seven" lamps and pipes reinforce the concept of completeness and perfection, implying that the Holy Spirit's power is fully sufficient for every task. This lampstand functions as a potent symbol of God's sovereign power to sustain His church and spread His light, independent of the challenges or perceived weaknesses of human agents. It provides a timeless reminder that spiritual labor finds its ultimate efficacy in divine enablement, not in human strength, a truth powerfully echoed throughout Scripture.
Zechariah 4 2 Commentary
Zechariah 4:2 lays out the symbolic center of a pivotal prophetic vision designed to uplift and direct post-exilic Israel. The golden lampstand, while recalling the sacred Menorah of the Temple, presents significant modifications—a central bowl and numerous pipes feeding its seven lamps. This departure from the physical Temple design underscores a deeper spiritual truth. The "gold" points to the divine purity and preciousness of what the lampstand represents, which includes the spiritual Temple and God's people in their role as His light-bearers.
The revolutionary detail of the bowl and the pipes signifies an uninterrupted supply of oil, which in prophetic imagery often represents the Holy Spirit. Unlike the historical Temple Menorah which required priests to daily replenish its oil (Lev 24:1-4), this lampstand's continuous flow indicates a self-sufficient, divine provision. This vision assures Zechariah's contemporaries, especially the disheartened Zerubbabel and Joshua, that the rebuilding of the Temple and the establishment of God's kingdom would not rely on human strength or political might, but entirely on the inexhaustible power and presence of God's Spirit (Zech 4:6). It proclaims God's ability to complete His work supernaturally, making seemingly insurmountable obstacles crumble. The continuous light reflects an eternal witness and a never-failing source of truth and guidance from God through His people.