1.
And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep,
angel. See note on Zechariah 1:9 .
man. Heb, 'ish. App-14 .
2.
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:
What seest thou? The fifth vision.
I said. Heb, text reads "he". Some codices, with four early printed editions, are without the Hebrew margin, "I"
behold . Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6 .
candlestick = a single seven-branched lampstand, as in the Tabernacle and in the second Temple (1 Macc. 1.21; 4.49; as seen in the Arch of Titus, in Rome). The reference is to the Pentateuch (Exodus 25:31 ); not to Solomon's Temple, in which there were ten separate lampstands (1 Kings 7:49 ). Compare Jeremiah 52:19 . App-92 .
and his seven lamps. Reference to Pentateuch (Ex, Zec 25:37 ).
seven pipes . This looks forward to the future, as described in Revelation 11:3-12 .
3.
And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof.
4.
So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord?
my lord. Hebrew 'adon. See App-4 .
5.
Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.
6.
Then 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.
the LORD . Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .
might = might [of man].
nor = and not.
power = power [of flesh].
but by , &c. i.e. as in the lampstand the oil flowed silently, without help from man,
Spirit. Hebrew. ruach App-9 .
the LORD of hosts. See note on Zechariah 1:3 .
7.
Who 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.
O great mountain? Add, by supplying the Ellip sis ( App-6 ), "[that standest in the way of Zerubbebel? ]"
8.
Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
9.
The 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.
The hands, &c. Here is the explanation of the vision.
thou shalt know . Some codices, with Aramaean, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "ye shall know".
10.
For 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.
plummet. Hebrew stone of tin = tin weight used as a plummet,
with those seven = these seven [lamps which thou seest these [are] the eyes", &c.; as in Zechariah 3:9 .
11.
Then 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?
12.
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?
empty the golden oil out of themselves = empty out of themselves [and fill] the golden [bowls],
13.
And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.
14.
Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the LORD of the whole earth.
the two anointed ones . Heb, the two sons of oil; looking forward again to the future, to "the two witnesses" of Revelation 11:3-13 .
the Lord of the whole earth. The Hebrew adon App-4 ., is here specially associated with Messiah's dominion in the earth. Compare Zechariah 6:5 ; Zechariah 14:9 . Joshua 3:11-13 .Psalms 8:1 , Psalms 8:6 , Psalms 8:9 ; Psalms 97:5 .Micah 4:13 .