Zechariah 4:2
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
And said to me, What see you? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl on the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are on the top thereof:
American King James Version (AKJV)
And said to me, What see you? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl on the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are on the top thereof:
American Standard Version (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;
Basic English Translation (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's Revision
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.
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;
English Revised Version (ERV)
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:
Definitions for Zechariah 4:2
Clarke's Zechariah 4:2 Bible Commentary
A candlestick all of gold - This candlestick is formed in some measure after that of the sanctuary, Exodus 25:31, Exodus 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.
Barnes's Zechariah 4:2 Bible Commentary
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.
Wesley's Zechariah 4:2 Bible Commentary
4:2 With a bowl - Or basin. His seven lamps - The temple candlestick had just so many. And seven pipes - So each of the lamps had a pipe reaching from it to the bowl. On the top - These lamps were so set, as to stand somewhat higher than the body of the candlestick.