Zechariah 4:14
in Zechariah 4So he said, “These are the two anointed ones who are standing beside the Lord of all the earth.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth.
KJV
Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth.
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This verse in Zechariah 4
Commentary
5 notes on this verseA commentator
Victorinus of PettauCommentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John · Written before 304.
"These are the two candlesticks standing before the Lord of the earth." These two candlesticks and two olive trees He has to this end spoken of, and admonished you that if, when you have read of them elsewhere, you have not understood, you may understand here. For in Zechariah, one of the twelve prophets, it is thus written: "These are the two olive trees and two candlesticks which stand in the presence of the Lord of the earth; " that is, they are in paradise.
This site's exposition
And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not
on Zechariah 4:13-14
The angel's final answer names the two olive trees plainly: these are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth. Read in its own setting the pair is Zerubbabel the governor and Joshua the high priest, king's office and priest's office standing together and both supplied by the same Spirit rather than by their own strength, the very point verse six already made. Henry and later readers also note that Revelation 11:4 borrows this same picture of two olive trees and two lampstands for its own two witnesses, a connection the bench draws without turning Zechariah's vision into a direct prediction of that later scene.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Then said he, These are the two anointed ones,.... Or "sons of oil" (t). Some think the gifts and graces of the Spirit are meant, which come from the God of all grace, remain with Christ, are given freely by him to the sons of God, and are always for the service of the church, and sufficient for it; others, Christ the Son of God, and the Holy Spirit.
The two anointed ones - Christ and the Holy Spirit. The Son was to be sent by the Father, and so was the Holy Ghost. And they stand by him, ready to go.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
These are the two anointed ones - Joshua, the high priest; and Zerubbabel the governor. These are anointed - appointed by the Lord; and stand by him, the one to minister in the ecclesiastical, the other in the civil state. Probably we may not be able to comprehend the whole of this hieroglyphical vision; for even the interpreting angel does not choose to answer the questions relative to this, which were put to him by the prophet. See Zec 4:4, Zec 4:11. But though the particulars are hard to be understood; yet the general meaning has, I hope, been given.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
two anointed ones The horns of the priesthood and the kingdom who are anointed with the anointing oil.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
10 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֕אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אֵ֖לֶּה | ʾeleh | these | H428 → | 746 times |
| שְׁנֵ֣י | shenei | [are] [the] two | H8147 → | 768 times |
| בְנֵֽי־ | venei- | [the] sons of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| הַיִּצְהָ֑ר | haiyitzhar | the fresh oil | H3323 → | |
| הָעֹמְדִ֖ים | haomedim | who stand | H5975 → | 521 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | at | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| אֲד֥וֹן | ʾadon | [the] lord of | H113 → | 333 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הָאָֽרֶץ׃ | haaretz | the earth | H776 → | 2504 times |
וַיֹּ֕אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
אֵ֖לֶּהthese
ʾelehH428 →746 times
שְׁנֵ֣י[are] [the] two
sheneiH8147 →768 times
בְנֵֽי־[the] sons of
venei-H1121 →4930 times
הַיִּצְהָ֑רthe fresh oil
haiyitzharH3323 →
הָעֹמְדִ֖יםwho stand
haomedimH5975 →521 times
עַל־at
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
אֲד֥וֹן[the] lord of
ʾadonH113 →333 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
הָאָֽרֶץ׃the earth
haaretzH776 →2504 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Revelation 11:4These witnesses are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.
it leads to
- Zechariah 4:11–14
Then I asked the angel, “What are the two olive trees on the right and left of the lampstand?”
- Zechariah 4:2–3
“What do you see?” he asked. “I see a solid gold lampstand,” I replied, “with a bowl at the top and seven lamps on it, with seven spouts to the lamps.
- Jeremiah 11:16
The LORD once called you a flourishing olive tree, beautiful with well-formed fruit. But with a mighty roar He will set it on fire, and its branches will be consumed.
- Psalms 52:8
But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in the loving devotion of God forever and ever.
- Isaiah 54:5
For your husband is your Maker—the LORD of Hosts is His name—the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; He is called the God of all the earth.
- Zechariah 4:11–14
Through
Exodus 40:15Anoint them just as you anointed their father, so that they may also serve Me as priests. Their anointing will qualify them for a permanent priesthood throughout their generations.”
it leads to
- Numbers 25:13
It will be a covenant of permanent priesthood for him and his descendants, because he was zealous for his God and made atonement for the Israelites.”
- Hebrews 7:17–24
For it is testified: “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”
- Psalms 110:4
The LORD has sworn and will not change His mind: “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”
- Numbers 25:13
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies3
On this chapter
About Zechariah
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Carl Friedrich Keil, The Twelve Minor Prophets; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Victorinus of Pettau, Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John.