1By the golden candlestick is foreshown the good success of Zerubbabel's foundation; 11by the two olive trees the two anointed ones.
1AND the angel that talked 1with me 2came again, and 3waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep,
1 Or, in me.
2 For, after the previous vision He was departed for a time.
3 For, the prophet was fallen as it were into a trance or fast asleep upon the great amazement wrought in him by the aforementioned visions. Compare Dan. 8:17, 27; 10:8.
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 4thereon, and seven 5pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon 6the top thereof:
4 Or, that were a top, upon it, namely, upon the candlestick; or, therein. Compare Exod. 25:31.
5 Or, conduits, or, tubes, through which the oil passed from the cruse into the seven lamps, each lamp having its pipe for that purpose.
6 Namely, of the candlestick; head, for top, upper part.
3And two olive trees 7by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof.
7 O, besides, or, on it.
4So 8I answered and spake to the angel that talked 9with me, saying, 10What are these, my lord?
8 That is, I spoke again. Also likewise in verses 11, 12, and more elsewhere.
9 Or, in me, as also verse 5. See Zech. 1 on verse 9
10 As Zech. 1:9
5Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not 11what these be? And I said, No, my lord.
11 Hebr. what these same things are?
6Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, 12This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, 13Not by might, nor by power, but 14by my spirit,15 saith the LORD of hosts.
12 The sense is: This is that which is represented by this vision, which thou shalt make known in My Name unto prince Zerubbabel, namely, that this goodly golden candlestick (made without the hands of man) does mean, the temple shall certainly be rebuild and accomplished, in order that the golden candlestick shall be brought again into the same, as it was in former times. By this means God the Lord intended to comfort and strengthen Zerubbabel in his office and calling, whiles there were but slender outward means at hand for the building up of the temple, and for the resisting of those enemies that sought to hinder it.
13 Namely, not by human power or force.
14 That is, by My Holy Spirit, by Whom I shall powerfully work and effect this all.
15 Namely, that the temple shall be built, together with the preservation and salvation of My people. All this God is able, when He pleases, to do it quite alone, without the help of man, whom nevertheless He is sometimes pleased to make instrumental.
716Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become 17a plain: and he shall bring forth 18the headstone thereof 19with shoutings, crying, 20Grace, grace unto it.
16 This speech is addressed to Sanballat and the other enemies of God’s people, who, in regard of the low condition of God’s people and of Zerubbabel, thought themselves to be great mountains, and withstood them with all their power, as you may see Ezra 3; 4; 5. But the Lord says here that they shall not be able to prevail against Zerubbabel, nor to hinder the building of the temple. Thus it has always been in vain for the enemies to rage and rave against Christ and His church here on earth. Or thus: who art thou, O great mountain, before the face of Zerubbabel? Thou shalt, etc.
17 Or, a valley.
18 Or, the high-stone, namely, of the temple; that is, he shall complete the building of the temple, verse 9, yea, he shall not only build up the temple again, but he shall also be a progenitor of Christ, the true Cornerstone or Headstone of His church (Psalm 118:22); for, Zerubbabel was a prince of God’s people, and a type of Christ, our eternal King, having descended from him according to the flesh, Mat. 1:12.
19 Hebr. with cracking, as when someone cries to the point that the neck cracks, or that the air seems to rend in pieces or burst by the force of it.
20 That is, all happiness and prosperity attend upon this Headstone and the entire temple, and upon Christ and His church, of which the temple was a type. The sense is: There shall be a general congratulations made, as well by angels as by true believers, yea, of all creatures, who shall acknowledge the fullness of all gifts and graces to be in Christ, and they shall wish and desire that the Father, through His grace, would be pleased yet to bless and prosper the Kingdom of Christ, Psalm 118:26. Other, It is grace grace; then the sense would be: It is of mere grace and mercy indeed that Thou hast permitted us to rebuild this temple. It was not brought to pass by our own power and worthiness. The doubling or reiterating of the word grace, implies a very great grace. Compare Isa. 26:3; 57:19.
8Moreover the word 21of the LORD came unto me, saying,
21 Namely, of the Son of God, Who is called in Zech. 1:12 the Angel of the LORD, and Zech. 3:2 the LORD. Other, For the word of the LORD was come to me, saying: as if the prophet had said: This I speak by charge and command of the Lord.
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.
10For 22who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the 23plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those 24seven; they are the 25eyes of the LORD, 26which run to and fro through the whole earth.
22 That is, the day of the small beginnings of rebuilding the temple. As if Christ said: The Father has ordained this by His almighty Providence, who shall hinder it? It is His pleasure, who shall despise it?
23 Hebr. the stone of tin, or, the tin stone, that is, the measuring line, to which a weight of tin or lead is hung. See Isa. 34 on verse 11, the annotations.
24 Namely, eyes, of which is spoken in Zech. 3:9, and likewise shall be spoken in Zech. 5:6; Rev. 5:6.
25 That is, the assured Providence of the Lord.
26 Compare 2 Chron. 16:9.
11¶Then answered I, and said unto him, 27What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof?
27 That is, what signify.
12And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive 28branches 29which through the two golden pipes 30empty the 31golden oil out of themselves?
28 Or, berries, or, branches with berries. See the answer to this question in verse 14.
29 Hebr. which are in or at the hand of the two golden pipes. The Hebrew word jad sometimes signifies a space, as Neh. 7:4; Psalm 104:25; sometimes a side, as 2 Sam. 15:2.
30 Namely, into the bowl. Or, empty out of themselves oil into the gold, without the help or art of man.
31 That is, oil, being as pure, yellow and bright as if it were gold. By this pure oil is understood the gifts of the Holy Ghost.
13And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what 32these be? And I said, No, my lord.
32 Namely, olive trees or olive branches. Other, what these things are?, that is, what do they signify? Also likewise verse 14.
14Then said he, These are 33the two 34anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth.
33 Understand the Lord Christ, the Fountain of all spiritual gifts, being typified here by these two faithful servants of the Lord, namely, Zerubbabel and Joshua, in regard of His Royal and High Priestly office.
34 Hebr. sons of oil, (this manner of speech is also used in Gen. 49:22), that is, the anointed ones, because the kings and high priests used to be anointed with oil, Exod. 29:29; 30:30; Lev. 8:12; 1 Sam. 10:1; 24:7. Herewith the Angel answers the prophet his question in verse 12. Compare this place with Rev. 11:4.