Zechariah 4 · Verse 7

Zechariah 4:7

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.
Zechariah 4:7, King James Version

Zechariah 4:7 in other translations

BSBWhat are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become a plain. Then he will bring forth the capstone accompanied by shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’”
WEBWho are you, great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you are a plain; and he will bring out the capstone with shouts of ‘Grace, grace, to it!’”
ASVWho art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain; and he shall bring forth the top stone with shoutings of Grace, grace, unto it.
YLTWho art thou, O great mountain Before Zerubbabel--for a plain! And he hath brought forth the top-stone, Cries of Grace, grace-- are to it.'
DARBYWho art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou dost become a plain; and he shall bring forth the head-stone with shoutings: Grace, grace unto it!
BBEWho are you, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel you will become level: and he will let all see the headstone, with cries of Grace, grace, to it.
WebsterWho art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth its head-stone with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace, to it.

What does Zechariah 4:7 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
7. All mountain-like obstacles (Is 40:4; 49:11) in Zerubbabel's way shall be removed, so that the crowning top-stone shall be put on, and the completion of the work be acknowledged as wholly of "grace." Antitypically, the antichristian last foe of Israel, the obstacle preventing her establishment in Palestine, about to be crushed before Messiah, is probably meant (Jr 51:25; Da 2:34, 44; Mt 21:44). bring forth the head-stone--Primarily, bring it forth from the place where it was chiselled and give it to the workmen to put on the top of the building. It was customary for chief magistrates to lay the foundation, and also the crowning top-stone (compare Ezr 3:10). Antitypically, the reference is to the time when the full number of the spiritual Church shall be completed, and also when "all Israel shall be saved" (compare Ro 11:26; He 11:40; 12:22, 23; Re 7:4-9). Grace, grace--The repetition expresses, Grace from first to last (Is 26:3, Margin). Thus the Jews are urged to pray perseveringly and earnestly that the same grace which completed it may always preserve it. "Shoutings" of acclamation accompanied the foundation of the literal temple (Ezr 3:11, 13). So shoutings of "Hosanna" greeted the Saviour in entering Jerusalem (Mt 21:9), when about to complete the purchase of salvation by His death: His Body being the second temple, or place of God's inhabitation (Joh 2:20, 21). So when the full number of the saints and of Israel is complete, and God shall say, "It is done," then again shall "a great voice of much people in heaven" attribute all to the "grace" of God, saying, "Alleluia! Salvation, and glory, and honor, and power, unto the Lord our God" (Re 19:1, 6). Psa 118:22 regards Him as "the head-stone of the corner," that is, the foundation-stone. Compare the angels acclamations at His birth, Lu 2:14. Here it is the top-stone. Messiah is not only the "Author," but also the Finisher (He 12:2). "Grace" is ascribed "unto it," that is, the stone, Messiah. Hence the benediction begins, "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ" (2Co 13:14).

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 7 O great mountain? - The hinderances which were thrown in the way; the regal prohibition to discontinue the building of the temple. Before Zerubbabel - a plain - The sovereign power of God shall remove them. March on, Zerubbabel; all shall be made plain and smooth before thee. I have given thee the work to do, and I will remove all hinderances out of thy way. He shall bring forth the headstone - As he has laid the foundation stone, so shall he put on the headstone: as he has begun the building, so shall he finish it! With shoutings - The universal acclamation of the people. Grace, grace unto it - How beautiful is this structure! May the favor of God ever rest upon it, and be manifested in it!

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 4:7 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.

מִֽי\־mi-who?H4310
אַתָּ֧ה'a.Tah[are] youH859
הַֽר\־har-O mountainH2022
הַגָּד֛וֹלha.ga.Dol<the> greatH1419
לִפְנֵ֥יlif.Nei<to> beforeH6440
זְרֻבָּבֶ֖לze.ru.ba.VelZerubbabelH2216
לְמִישֹׁ֑רle.mi.Shor<into> level groundH4334
וְהוֹצִיא֙ve.ho.Tzi'and he will bring forthH3318
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
הָאֶ֣בֶןha.'E.venthe stoneH68
הָרֹאשָׁ֔הha.ro.Shah<the> topH7222
תְּשֻׁא֕וֹתte.shu.'otshouting<s>H8663
חֵ֥ןchengraceH2580
חֵ֖ןchengraceH2580
לָֽהּ\׃\ \פLahto it

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

Cross references for Zechariah 4:7

  • Jeremiah 51:25

    Behold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain, saith the Lord, which destroyest all the earth: and I will stretch out mine hand upon thee, and roll thee down from the rocks, and will make thee a burnt mountain.

  • Zechariah 4:9

    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.

  • Micah 4:1

    But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it.

  • Psalms 118:22

    The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.

  • 1 Peter 2:7

    Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,

  • Psalms 114:4

    The mountains skipped like rams, and the little hills like lambs.

  • Haggai 2:21-23

    Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth; And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother. In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the Lord, and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the Lord of hosts.

  • Isaiah 41:15

    Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff.

  • Isaiah 28:16

    Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.

  • Psalms 114:6

    Ye mountains, that ye skipped like rams; and ye little hills, like lambs?

  • Zechariah 14:4-5

    And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.

  • Haggai 2:6-9

    For thus saith the Lord of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts. The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
O great.
14:4,5; Ps 114:4,6; Isa 40:3,4; 41:15; 64:1-3; Jer 51:25; Da 2:34,35
Mic 1:4; 4:1; Na 1:5,6; Hab 3:6; Hag 2:6-9,21-23; Mt 21:21; Lu 3:5
Re 16:20
headstone.
9; Ps 118:22; Isa 28:16; Mt 21:42; Mr 12:10; Lu 20:17; Ac 4:11
Eph 2:20; 1Pe 2:7
shoutings.
Ezr 3:11-13; 6:15-17; Job 38:6,7; Re 5:9-13; 19:1-6
Grace.
Jer 33:11; Ro 11:6; Eph 1:6,7; 2:4-8

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

Context

  • 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.

  • Zechariah 4:7

    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.

  • Zechariah 4:8

    Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

Read all of Zechariah 4

Zechariah 4:7 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		¿Quién eres tú, oh gran monte? Delante de Zorobabel serás reducido á llanura: él sacará la primera piedra con aclamaciones de Gracia, gracia á ella.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Qui es-tu, grande montagne, devant Zorobabel? Tu deviendras une plaine; et il fera sortir la pierre du faîte avec des acclamations: Grâce, grâce sur elle!
German
Elberfelder 1871		Wer bist du, großer Berg, vor Serubbabel? zur Ebene sollst du werden! Und er wird den Schlußstein herausbringen unter lautem Zuruf: Gnade, Gnade ihm! -
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Quis tu, mons magne, coram Zorobabel? In planum: et educet lapidem primarium, et exæquabit gratiam gratiæ ejus.