Zechariah 4 · Verse 2

Zechariah 4:2

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:

Zechariah 4:2, King James Version

Zechariah 4:2 in other translations

BSB	“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.
WEB	He said to me, “What do you see?” I said, “I have seen, and behold, a lamp stand all of gold, with its bowl on the top of it, and its seven lamps on it; there are seven pipes to each of the lamps which are on the top of it;
ASV	And he said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have seen, and, behold, a candlestick all of gold, with its bowl upon the top of it, and its seven lamps thereon; there are seven pipes to each of the lamps, which are upon the top thereof;
YLT	and he saith unto me, ‘What art thou seeing?' And I say, ‘I have looked, and lo, a candlestick of gold--all of it, and its bowl is on its top, and its seven lamps are upon it, and twice seven pipes are to the lights that are on its top,
DARBY	And he said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I see, and behold, a lamp-stand all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and its seven lamps thereon, seven lamps and seven pipes to the lamps, which are upon the top thereof;
BBE	And he said to me, What do you see? And I said, I see a light-support, made all of gold, with its cup on the top of it and seven lights on it; and there are seven pipes to every one of the lights which are on the top of it;
Webster	And said to 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 its seven lamps, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which were upon the top of it.

What does Zechariah 4:2 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

2. candlestick--symbolizing the Jewish theocracy; and ultimately, the Church of which the Jewish portion is to be the head: the light-bearer (so the original is of "lights," Mt 5:14, 16; Php 2:15) to the world. all ... gold--all pure in doctrine and practice, precious and indestructible; such is the true ideal of the Church; such she shall be (Psa 45:13). bowl upon the top--In the candlestick of the tabernacle the plural is used, bowls (Ex 25:31). The Hebrew implies that it was the fountain of supply of oil to the lamps. Christ at the head ("on the top") of the Church is the true fountain, of whose fulness of the Spirit all we receive grace (Joh 1:16). his seven lamps--united in one stem; so in Ex 25:32. But in Re 1:12 the seven candlesticks are separate. The Gentile churches will not realize their unity till the Jewish Church as the stem unites all the lamps in one candlestick (Ro 11:16-24). The "seven lamps," in Re 4:5, are the "seven Spirits of God." seven pipes--feeding tubes, seven apiece from the "bowl" to each lamp (see Margin) [Maurer and Calvin]; literally, "seven and seven": forty-nine in all. The greater the number of oil-feeding pipes, the brighter the light of the lamps. The explanation in Zec 4:6 is, that man's power by itself can neither retard nor advance God's work, that the real motive-power is God's Spirit. The seven times seven imply the manifold modes by which the Spirit's grace is imparted to the Church in her manifold work of enlightening the world.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 2 A candlestick all of gold - This candlestick is formed in some measure after that of the sanctuary, Exo 25:31, Exo 25:32 : but in that of the sanctuary there was no bowl, nor seven pipes, nor seven lamps, nor the two olive trees. The two olive trees were to supply the bowl with oil; the bowl was to communicate the oil to the seven pipes; and the seven pipes were to supply the seven lamps. In general, the candlestick, its bowl, pipes, lamps, and olive trees, are emblems of the pure service of God, and the grace and salvation to be enjoyed by his true worshippers. The candlestick may, however, represent the whole Jewish state, ecclesiastical and civil; the oil, producing the light, the grace and mercy of God; and the two olive trees, the source of infinite love, whence that grace proceeds. The pipes may signify all means of grace; and the seven lamps, the perfection and abundance of the light and salvation provided. Some may take them in the following way: - 1. The olive trees, the Divine goodness, yield the oil from the olive berry, which is its fruit. 2. From each comes a pipe to convey the oil to the bowl. 3. This oil is collected in the bowl, which is supposed to represent Jesus, the great Mediator, through whom alone all grace and mercy descend to man. 4. The seven pipes, the various means of grace - reading, hearing, prayer, sacraments, etc. - through which Christ dispenses his grace and blessing to his followers. 5. The seven lamps - the Spirit of God in its plentitude of graces, gifts, and light, dispensed to the Christian Church.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Zechariah 4:1-7

The prophet's spirit was willing to attend, but the flesh was weak. We should beg of God that, whenever he speaks to us, he would awaken us, and we should then stir up ourselves. The church is a golden candlestick, or lamp-bearer, set up for enlightening this dark world, and holding forth the light of Divine revelation. Two olive trees were seen, one on each side the candlestick, from which oil flowed into the bowl…

Read the full comment on Zechariah 4:1-7 →

Zechariah 4:2 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֹּ֣אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559

אֵלַ֔י'e.Laito meH413

מָ֥הmahwhat?H4100

אַתָּ֖ה'a.Tah[are] youH859

רֹאֶ֑הro.'EhseeingH7200

וָאֹמַ֡רvai.yo.merand I saidH559

רָאִ֣יתִי\׀ra.'I.tiI seeH7200

וְהִנֵּ֣הve.hi.Nehand there!H2009

מְנוֹרַת֩me.no.Rata lampstand ofH4501

זָהָ֨בza.HavgoldH2091

כֻּלָּ֜הּku.Lahall of itH3605

וְגֻלָּ֣הּve.gu.Lahand a bowlH1543

עַל\־'al-[is] onH5921

רֹאשָׁ֗הּro.Shahtop itsH7218

וְשִׁבְעָ֤הve.shiv.'Ahand sevenH7651

נֵרֹתֶ֙יהָ֙ne.ro.Tei.halamps itsH5216

עָלֶ֔יהָ'a.Lei.ha[are] on itH5921

שִׁבְעָ֤הshiv.'AhsevenH7651

וְשִׁבְעָה֙ve.shiv.'Ahand sevenH7651

מֽוּצָק֔וֹתmu.tza.KotpipesH4166

לַנֵּר֖וֹתla.ne.Rot[belong] to the lampsH5216

אֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.SherwhichH834

עַל\־'al-[are] onH5921

רֹאשָֽׁהּ\׃ro.Shahtop itsH7218

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Zechariah 4:2

Revelation 4:5
And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.
Revelation 1:12
And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;
Matthew 5:14-16
Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Exodus 25:31-38
And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same. And six branches shall come out of the sides of it; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side: Three bowls made like unto almonds, with a knop and a flower in one branch; and three bowls made like almonds in the other branch, with a knop and a flower: so in the six branches that come out of the candlestick. And in the candlestick shall be four bowls made like unto almonds, with their knops and their flowers. …
Jeremiah 52:19
And the basons, and the firepans, and the bowls, and the caldrons, and the candlesticks, and the spoons, and the cups; that which was of gold in gold, and that which was of silver in silver, took the captain of the guard away.
Zechariah 5:2
And he said unto me, What seest thou? And I answered, I see a flying roll; the length thereof is twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof ten cubits.
1 Chronicles 28:15
Even the weight for the candlesticks of gold, and for their lamps of gold, by weight for every candlestick, and for the lamps thereof: and for the candlesticks of silver by weight, both for the candlestick, and also for the lamps thereof, according to the use of every candlestick.
Jeremiah 1:11-13
Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree. Then said the Lord unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it. And the word of the Lord came unto me the second time, saying, What seest thou? And I said, I see a seething pot; and the face thereof is toward the north.
Revelation 1:20-2:1
The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches. Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;
2 Chronicles 4:20-22
Moreover the candlesticks with their lamps, that they should burn after the manner before the oracle, of pure gold; And the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs, made he of gold, and that perfect gold; And the snuffers, and the basons, and the spoons, and the censers, of pure gold: and the entry of the house, the inner doors thereof for the most holy place, and the doors of the house of the temple, were of gold.
Exodus 40:24-25
And he put the candlestick in the tent of the congregation, over against the table, on the side of the tabernacle southward. And he lighted the lamps before the Lord; as the Lord commanded Moses.
2 Chronicles 13:11
And they burn unto the Lord every morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense: the shewbread also set they in order upon the pure table; and the candlestick of gold with the lamps thereof, to burn every evening: for we keep the charge of the Lord our God; but ye have forsaken him.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

What.
5:2; Jer 1:11-13
a candlestick.
Ex 25:31-38; 37:17-24; 40:24,25; 1Ki 7:49,50; 1Ch 28:15; 2Ch 4:7
2Ch 4:20-22; 13:11; Jer 52:19; Mt 5:14-16; Re 1:12,20; 2:1
a bowl. Heb. her bowl.
1Ki 7:50
seven.
Ex 25:37; Re 4:5
seven pipes to the seven camps. or, seven several pipes to thelamps, etc.
12

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Zechariah 4:1
And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep,
Zechariah 4:2
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:
Zechariah 4:3
And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof.

Read all of Zechariah 4

Zechariah 4:2 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y díjome: ¿Qué ves? Y respondí: He mirado, y he aquí un candelero todo de oro, con su vaso sobre su cabeza, y sus siete lámparas encima del candelero; y siete canales para las lámparas que están encima de él;
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et il me dit: Que vois-tu? Et je dis: Je vois, et voici un chandelier tout d’or, et une coupe à son sommet; et ses sept lampes sur lui; sept lampes et sept conduits pour les lampes qui sont à son sommet;
German Elberfelder 1871	Und er sprach zu mir: Was siehst du? Und ich sprach: Ich sehe, und siehe, ein Leuchter ganz von Gold, und sein Ölbehälter an seinem oberen Ende, und seine sieben Lampen an ihm, sieben, und sieben Gießröhren zu den Lampen, die an seinem oberen Ende sind;
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Et dixit ad me: Quid tu vides? Et dixi: Vidi, et ecce candelabrum aureum totum, et lampas ejus super caput ipsius, et septem lucernæ ejus super illud, et septem infusoria lucernis quæ erant super caput ejus.