Zechariah 4:2

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible

Then said he unto me, What canst thou see? And I said - I have looked, and lo! a Lampstand - all of gold, with the Bowl thereof upon the top thereof, and its Seven Lamps upon it, Seven Pipes each, to the lamps which are upon the top thereof;

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
Then the angel asked me, "What do you see?" I said, "I see a solid gold lampstand. There are seven lamps on the lampstand, and there is a bowl on top of it. There are seven tubes coming from the bowl. One tube goes to each lamp. The tubes bring the oil in the bowl to each of the lamps.

New American Standard Bible
And he said to me, "What do you see?" And I said, "I see, and behold, a lampstand all of gold with its bowl on the top of it, and its seven lamps on it with seven spouts belonging to each of the lamps which are on the top of it;

New Century Version
He asked me, "What do you see?" I said, "I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl at the top. And there are seven lamps and also seven places for wicks.

Update Bible Version
And he said to me, What do you see? And I said, I have seen, and, look, a candlestick all of gold, with its bowl on the top of it, and its seven lamps thereon; there are seven pipes to each of the lamps, which are on the top thereof;

Webster's Bible Translation
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.

Amplified Bible
He said to me, "What do you see?" I said, "I see, and behold, a lampstand all of gold, with its bowl [for oil] on the top of it and its seven lamps on it with seven spouts belonging to each of the lamps which are on the top of it.

English Standard Version
And he said to me, "What do you see?" I said, "I see, and behold, a lampstand all of gold, with a bowl on the top of it, and seven lamps on it, with seven lips on each of the lamps that are on the top of it.

World English Bible
He said to me, "What do you see?" I said, "I have seen, and, behold, a lampstand all of gold, with its bowl on the top of it, and its seven lamps thereon; there are seven pipes to each of the lamps, which are on the top of it;

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he seide to me, What seest thou? And Y seide, Y saiy, and lo! a candilstike al of gold, and the laumpe therof on the heed therof, and seuene lanternes therof on it, and seuene vessels for to holde oyle to the lanternes, that weren on the heed therof.

English Revised Version
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:

Berean Standard Bible
"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 each of the lamps.

Contemporary English Version
Then he asked, "What do you see?" "A solid gold lampstand with an oil container above it," I answered. "On the stand are seven lamps, each with seven flames.

American Standard Version
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;

Bible in Basic English
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;

Complete Jewish Bible
and asked me, "What do you see?" I answered, "I've been looking at a menorah; it's all of gold, with a bowl at its top, seven lamps on it, and seven tubes leading to the lamps at its top.

Darby Translation
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;

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And he said unto me: 'What seest thou?' And I said: 'I have seen, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and its seven lamps thereon; there are seven pipes, yea, seven, to the lamps, which are upon the top thereof;

King James Version (1611)
And said vnto mee, What seest thou? and I said, I haue looked, and behold a candlesticke all of gold, with a bowle vpon the top of it, and his seuen lampes thereon, and seuen pipes to the seuen lampes, which were vpon the top thereof.

New Living Translation
"What do you see now?" he asked. I answered, "I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl of oil on top of it. Around the bowl are seven lamps, each having seven spouts with wicks.

New Life Bible
He said to me, "What do you see?" And I said, "I see a gold lamp-stand with a cup at the top and seven lamps on it. And there are seven places to hold oil, one on the top of each of the lamps.

New Revised Standard
He said to me, "What do you see?" And I said, "I see a lampstand all of gold, with a bowl on the top of it; there are seven lamps on it, with seven lips on each of the lamps that are on the top of it.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And saide vnto me, What seest thou? And I said, I haue looked, and beholde, a candlesticke all of gold with a bowle vpon the toppe of it, and his seuen lampes therein, and seuen pipes to the lampes, which were vpon the toppe thereof.

George Lamsa Translation
And he said to me, What do you see? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl on the top of it, and seven lamps on it, and seven mouths to the seven lamps which are on the top of it;

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he said to me: What seest thou? And I said: I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, and its lamp upon the top of it: and the seven lights thereof upon it: and seven funnels for the lights that were upon the top thereof.

Revised Standard Version
And he said to me, "What do you see?" I said, "I see, and behold, a lampstand all of gold, with a bowl on the top of it, and seven lamps on it, with seven lips on each of the lamps which are on the top of it.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And saide vnto me: what seest thou? And I saide: I haue loked, and beholde, a candelsticke all of golde, with a boule vpon it, and his seuen lampes therein, & vpon euery lampe seuen pypes.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And he said to me, What seest thou? And I said, I have seen, and behold a candlestick all of gold, and its bowl upon it, and seven lamps upon it, and seven oil funnels to the lamps upon it:

Good News Translation
"What do you see?" he asked. "A lampstand made of gold," I answered. "At the top is a bowl for the oil. On the lampstand are seven lamps, each one with places for seven wicks.

Christian Standard Bible®
He asked me, “What do you see?”

Hebrew Names Version
He said to me, "What do you see?" I said, "I have seen, and, behold, a menorah all of gold, with its bowl on the top of it, and its seven lamps thereon; there are seven pipes to each of the lamps, which are on the top of it;

King James Version
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:

Lexham English Bible
And he said to me, "What do you see?" And I said, "I see, and look, a lampstand all of gold, and a bowl was on its top, and its seven lamps on it, and seven lips on each of the lamps that are on its top.

Literal Translation
And he said to me, What do you see? And I said, I see, and behold, a lampstand, all of it gold, and a bowl on its top, and its seven lamps on it, and seven spouts each to the seven lamps on its top;

Young's Literal Translation
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,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
& sayde vnto me: What seist thou? And I sayde: I haue loked, and beholde: a candelsticke all of golde, with a boll vpon it & his vij. lampes therin, & vpon euery lampe vij. stalkes:

THE MESSAGE
He said, "What do you see?" I answered, "I see a lampstand of solid gold with a bowl on top. Seven lamps, each with seven spouts, are set on the bowl. And there are two olive trees, one on either side of the bowl."

New English Translation
He asked me, "What do you see?" I replied, "I see a menorah of pure gold with a receptacle at the top and seven lamps, with fourteen pipes going to the lamps.

New King James Version
And he said to me, "What do you see?" So I said, "I am looking, and there is a lampstand of solid gold with a bowl on top of it, and on the stand seven lamps with seven pipes to the seven lamps.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
He said to me, "What do you see?" And I said, "I see, and behold, a lampstand all of gold with its bowl on the top of it, and its seven lamps on it with seven spouts belonging to each of the lamps which are on the top of it;

Legacy Standard Bible
And he said to me, "What do you see?" And I said, "I see, and behold, a lampstand all of gold with its bowl on the top of it, and its seven lamps on it with seven spouts belonging to each of the lamps which are on the top of it,

Contextual Overview

¹ And once more the messenger who was speaking with me, roused me up, just as a man might be roused up out of his sleep. ² Then said he unto me, What canst thou see? And I said - I have looked, and lo! a Lampstand - all of gold, with the Bowl thereof upon the top thereof, and its Seven Lamps upon it, Seven Pipes each, to the lamps which are upon the top thereof; ³ and, Two Olive-trees, by it, - one upon the right hand of the bowl, and one upon the left hand thereof. ⁴ Then responded I, and said unto the messenger who was speaking with me, saying, - What are these, my lord? ⁵ Then answered the messenger who was speaking with me, and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these, are? And I said, No my lord. ⁶ Then responded he, and spake unto me, saying, This, is the word of Yahweh, unto Zerubbabel, saying, - Not by wealth, nor by strength, but by my spirit, saith Yahweh of hosts. ⁷ Who, art, thou, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel, brought down to a plain! So shall he bring forth the headstone, with thundering shouts Beautiful! Beautiful! thereunto. ⁸ Then came the word of Yahweh unto me, saying: ⁹ The hands of Zerubbabel, have founded this house, and, his hands, shall finish it, - So shalt thou know that, Yahweh of hosts, hath sent me unto you. ¹⁰ For who hath despised the day of small things? Yet shall they rejoice, when they see the plummet-stone in the hand of Zerubbabel, - these seven! The eyes of Yahweh, they are - running to and fro throughout all the earth.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

What: Zechariah 5:2, Jeremiah 1:11-13

a candlestick: Exodus 25:31-38, Exodus 37:17-24, Exodus 40:24, Exodus 40:25, 1 Kings 7:49, 1 Kings 7:50, 1 Chronicles 28:15, 2 Chronicles 4:7, 2 Chronicles 4:20-22, 2 Chronicles 13:11, Jeremiah 52:19, Matthew 5:14-16, Revelation 1:12, Revelation 1:20, Revelation 2:1

a bowl: Heb. her bowl, 1 Kings 7:50

seven: Exodus 25:37, Revelation 4:5

seven pipes to the seven lamps: or, seven several pipes to the lamps, etc. Zechariah 4:12

Reciprocal: Exodus 37:23 - General Leviticus 24:4 - the pure Joshua 6:4 - seven times Jeremiah 24:3 - What Jeremiah 31:26 - General Ezekiel 47:6 - hast thou Matthew 25:4 - oil Revelation 11:4 - two olive Revelation 14:1 - I looked

Cross-References

Genesis 3:23
So Yahweh God put him forth from the garden of Eden, - to till the ground wherefrom he had been taken.

Genesis 4:25
And Adam again knew his wife, and she bare a son, and called his name Seth, - For God hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, because Cain slew him!

Genesis 4:26
And to Seth - to him also, was born a son, and he called his name Enosh, - then, was a beginning made, to call on the name of Yahweh.

Genesis 9:20
And Noah began to he a husbandman, - so he planted a vineyard:

Genesis 37:13
So Israel said unto Joseph Are not, thy brethren, feeding the flock in Shechem? Come on! and let me send thee unto them. And he said to him Behold me!

Genesis 47:3
And Pharaoh said unto the brethren of Joseph - What is your occupation? And they said unto Pharaoh - Feeders of flocks, are thy servants, both we and our fathers.

Exodus 3:1
Now, Moses, was shepherding the flock of Jethro his father-in-law priest of Midian, - so he led forth the flock behind the desert, and came in unto the mountain of God to Horeb.

Psalms 127:3
Lo! an inheritance from Yahweh, are children, A reward, the fruit of the womb:

Amos 7:15
But Yahweh, took me away, from following the flock, - and Yahweh, said unto me, Go prophesy against my people Israel.

Luke 11:51
From the blood of Abel, unto the blood of Zachariah who was destroyed betwixt the altar and the house; Yea! I say unto you - It shall be sought out from this generation.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And said unto me, What seest thou?.... That is, after he was awake, and had looked about him:

And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all [of] gold; such an one as was in the tabernacle of Moses, only with this difference; that had no bowl on the top, nor seven pipes to it, nor two olive trees on each side of it, with two pipes to them, Exodus 25:31 such a candlestick was never in being, only in vision; and is an emblem of the church of Christ, into which the light of the Gospel is put by Christ, and held forth by it, and especially by its ministers; see Revelation 1:12 for the light put into this candlestick, the church, is not the light of nature or reason, which is "the candle of the Lord searching into the inward parts" of man; by which he may discern somewhat the being and perfections of God in his works, and of moral good and evil; but it is too dim to direct and guide him in the affair of salvation: nor the law of Moses, said to be a light, and a lamp; by which men might come to the knowledge of sin, but not of a Saviour from it: but the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, which was like a candle lighted up in the evening of the Jewish dispensation, and placed in the Christian church; and gave light, not only to the saints in Judea, but in all parts of the world, whither it has been carried; for this candlestick is portable, and has been removed from place to place; and wherever it is set, it gives light, and removes the darkness of error, infidelity, and immorality; and is useful to direct the saints in their walk and conversation, and render them more capable of working with delight and pleasure; and will blaze out more brightly in the end of the world, when it is about to be no more; and by the light of it lost sinners, like the lost piece of silver, are looked up, strayed ones are brought back, and backsliders restored; hypocrites and formalists, heretics and false teachers, and their doctrines, are discovered and detected; and saints are enlightened, comforted, and directed: and this candlestick being "all of gold" may denote the value of it; the true church of Christ, and the real members of it, are highly esteemed by Christ; the precious sons of Zion are comparable to fine gold, jewels, and precious stones; they are the excellent in the earth, in whom is his delight: and likewise its brightness and purity, splendour and glory; its members being possessed of the gifts and graces of the Spirit, of the pure and glorious doctrines of the Gospel, and exercising holy discipline, and living holy lives and conversations: and also the duration of it, which will be to the end of the world, the gates of hell not being able to prevail against it; and which is continued, not by might or power of man, but by the Spirit of the Lord, and his grace, which is sufficient for it, and with which it is supplied; not by any natural or artificial means, but by a wonderful and uncommon manner; signified by oil not pressed from the olive by the help of man, but flowing from two olive trees, on both sides the candlestick, of itself, freely, and constantly. This candlestick may primarily respect, and may be an emblem of, the then present state of the Jewish church, when this vision was seen; and point at how it was raised up, restored, and preserved; but has a further view to the church of God, under the Gospel dispensation, unto the end of the world:

with a bowl upon the top of it; an oil vessel, or cruet, round, and large enough to hold the oil, which supplied it, and each of its lamps, whereby its light was maintained and continued; and this may intend, either the fulness of grace in Christ, which is as "a fountain", as the word l here used signifies, Joshua 15:19 to supply his church and people; and from whence they have the oil of grace in measure, which is in him without measure, whereby their lamps are filled, and their lights are kept burning; and who is fitly placed as the Head of the church for this purpose, as this bowl was upon the top of the candlestick: or rather, since this "bowl" is but a measure, though it may be a large one it may signify that large portion of gifts and grace which is communicated to the church in all ages, and abides in it, and is severally divided to the ministers and members of it, for its profit and edification; to one one gift, to another another; to some greater, and others less; and all for mutual good; and which are given forth from Christ and his Spirit; who, as Capellus thinks, may be meant by the two olive trees, who of themselves, without pressing, having all fulness of grace in them without measure, freely and liberally impart it; and keep filling the bowl, so that there is constantly a supply of the Spirit, and grace for the church and people of Christ in all ages; according to Isaiah 59:21 "my Spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed saith the Lord, from henceforth, and for ever". Cocceius thinks the merit of Christ is meant by this bowl or cup, by which he obtained the promise of the Spirit:

and his seven lamps thereon; on the candlestick; such a number of lamps were on the candlestick in the tabernacle, Exodus 25:37 and may design the many members of the church bearing the lamps of profession; or rather the ministers of the Gospel, who are the lights of the world, and bright and burning ones, that hold forth the word of life both in doctrine and conversation; unless the gifts and graces of the Spirit, qualifying them for such work, should be meant; see Revelation 4:5 but rather ministers themselves are designed, who are called lights and lamps, Matthew 5:14 and the number seven, being a number of perfection, may denote a fulness and sufficiency of Gospel ministers, which Christ furnishes his church with, and will do unto the end of the world; he having a perfection of gifts in his hands for them, to fit them for his service; just as these are called the "seven pillars" of Wisdom's house, Proverbs 9:1. Cocceius thinks by these seven lamps are intended the seven churches, or the seven states of the church under several periods in the Gospel dispensation; the same with the seven churches of Asia, and the seven golden candlesticks, in the midst of which Christ was seen by John, Revelation 1:4:

and seven pipes to the seven lamps which were upon the top thereof; these pipes, infusers or funnels, were at the bottom of the bowl, in which were so many holes, that let out the oil into them, by which it was carried to the lamps; a pipe to every lamp. In the Hebrew text it is, "seven and seven pipes" m; that is, fourteen, two to every lamp; which Fortunatus Scacchus n thinks, they being joined to one another, the one put in the neck of the other, were for the better cleansing and purifying of the oil from any dregs that might be in it. Jarchi is of opinion there were seven to every lamp, in all forty nine, but without any foundation: by these are meant, not the seven sacraments, as say the Papists; but either the various gifts of the Spirit, fitting ministers for their service; or the various means they make use of to learn the mind of Christ in the Scriptures, to know the Gospel, and more of it, that they may hold it forth to others; such as reading, meditation, and prayer.

l גלה "fons", Pembellus; "scaturigo", Sanctius. m שבעה ושבעה "septem et septem", Pagninus, Montanus, Calvin, Piscator. n Sacrer. Elaeochrism. Myrothec. l. 1. c. 10. p. 53.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And I said, I have looked and behold a candlestick all of gold - The candlestick is the seven-branched candlestick of the tabernacle Exodus 25:31, but with variations purposely introduced to symbolize the fuller and more constant supply of the oil, itself the symbol of God’s Holy Spirit, who:

“Enables with perpetual light

The dullness of our blinded sight.”

The first variation is “her bowl on the top of the candlestick,” containing the oil; then (as dependent on this) the pipes to derive the oil into each lamp, “seven several pipes to the seven lamps,” that is, seven to each; and the two olive trees on either side of the bowl, whose extreme and fine branches poured through two golden pipes the golden oil into the bowl which supplied the lamp. The multiplied conduits imply the large and perfect supply of oil unceasingly supplied, the seven being symbolic of perfection or of the reconciling of God (symbolized by 3) unto the world (symbolized by 4, its four quarters); the spontaneous flow of the golden oil from the olive trees symbolizes the free gift of God.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Zechariah 4:2. A candlestick all of gold — This candlestick is formed in some measure after that of the sanctuary, Exodus 25:31-32: 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, &c.-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.