Zechariah 4 · Verse 5

Zechariah 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.
Zechariah 4:5, King James Version

Zechariah 4:5 in other translations

BSB“Do you not know what they are?” replied the angel. “No, my lord,” I answered.
WEBThen the angel who talked with me answered me, “Don’t you know what these are?” I said, “No, my lord.”
ASVThen the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these are? And I said, No, my lord.
YLTAnd the messenger who is speaking with me answereth and saith unto me, ‘Hast thou not known what these are?' And I say, ‘No, my lord.'
DARBYAnd the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these are? And I said, No, my lord.
BBEThen the angel who was talking to me, answering me, said, Have you no knowledge of what these are? And I said, No, my lord.
WebsterThen the angel that talked with me answered and said to me, Knowest thou not what these are? and I said, No, my lord.

What does Zechariah 4:5 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
5. Knowest thou not, &c.--Not a reproof of his ignorance, but a stimulus to reflection on the mystery. No, my lord--ingenious confession of ignorance; as a little child he casts himself for instruction at the feet of the Lord.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · 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 4:5 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.

וַ֠יַּעַןVai.ya.'anand he answeredH6030
הַמַּלְאָ֞ךְha.mal.'Akhthe angelH4397
הַדֹּבֵ֥רha.do.Verwho was speakingH1696
בִּי֙biwith me
וַיֹּ֣אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
אֵלַ֔י'e.Laito meH413
הֲל֥וֹאha.Lo'¿ notH3808
יָדַ֖עְתָּya.Da'.tado you knowH3045
מָה\־mah-what?H4100
הֵ֣מָּהHe.mahtheyH1992
אֵ֑לֶּה'E.leh[are] theseH428
וָאֹמַ֖רva.'o.Marand I saidH559
לֹ֥אlo'noH3808
אֲדֹנִֽי\׃'a.do.NiO lord myH113

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

Cross references for Zechariah 4:5

  • Zechariah 4:13

    And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.

  • 1 Corinthians 2:12-15

    Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.

  • Mark 4:13

    And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?

  • Daniel 2:30

    But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart.

  • Psalms 139:6

    Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

  • Zechariah 1:9

    Then said I, O my lord, what are these? And the angel that talked with me said unto me, I will shew thee what these be.

  • Genesis 41:16

    And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Knowest.
13; Mr 4:13
No.
Ge 41:16; Ps 139:6; Da 2:30; 1Co 2:12-15

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

Context

  • Zechariah 4:4

    So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord?

  • Zechariah 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.

  • Zechariah 4:6

    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.

Read all of Zechariah 4

Zechariah 4:5 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y el ángel que hablaba conmigo respondió, y díjome: ¿No sabes qué es esto? Y dije: No, señor mío.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et l’ange qui parlait avec moi répondit et me dit: Ne sais-tu pas ce que sont ces choses? Et je dis: Non, mon seigneur.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und der Engel, der mit mir redete, antwortete und sprach zu mir: Weißt du nicht, was diese sind? Und ich sprach: Nein, mein Herr.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et respondit angelus qui loquebatur in me, et dixit ad me: Numquid nescis quid sunt hæc? Et dixi: Non, domine mi.