ris3n's Apologetics Codex

Passage

Zechariah 4.1-6

Book: Zechariah · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

Immediate context (±2 verses)

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ASV (ASV)

"1. And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep. 2. 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; 3. and two olive-trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof. 4. And I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord? 5. Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these are? And I said, No, my lord. 6. Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of Jehovah unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith Jehovah of hosts."

"7. Who 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. 8. Moreover the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying," (Zechariah 4:1-8, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"1. The angel who talked with me came again, and wakened me, as a man who is wakened out of his sleep. 2. 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; 3. and two olive trees by it, one on the right side of the bowl, and the other on the left side of it.” 4. I answered and spoke to the angel who talked with me, saying, “What are these, my lord?” 5. Then the angel who talked with me answered me, “Don’t you know what these are?” I said, “No, my lord.” 6. Then he answered and spoke to me, saying, “This is Yahweh’s word to Zerubbabel, saying, ‘Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says Yahweh of Armies."

"7. Who are you, great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you are a plain; and he will bring out the capstone with shouts of ‘Grace, grace, to it!’” 8. Moreover Yahweh’s word came to me, saying," (Zechariah 4:1-8, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"1. And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep, 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: a bowl: Heb. her bowl seven pipes: or, seven several pipes to the lamps 3. And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof. 4. So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord? 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. 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. might: or, army"

"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. 8. Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying," (Zechariah 4:1-8, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"1. And the messenger who is speaking with me doth turn back, and stir me up as one who is stirred up out of his sleep, 2. 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, 3. and two olive-trees [are] by it, one on the right of the bowl, and one on its left.' 4. And I answer and speak unto the messenger who is speaking with me, saying, 'What [are] these, my lord?' 5. And 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.' 6. And he answereth and speaketh unto me, saying: 'This [is] a word of Jehovah unto Zerubbabel, saying: Not by a force, nor by power, But, by My Spirit, said Jehovah of Hosts."

"7. Who [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.' 8. And there is a word of Jehovah to me, saying," (Zechariah 4:1-8, YLT)

Setting

  • Speaker: Zechariah + LORD direct discourse (visions)
  • Audience: post-exilic returnees
  • Location: Jerusalem
  • Time period: ministry c. 520-518 BC

Theological reading

Key words

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

  • ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
  • WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
  • KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
  • YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.