Zechariah 4:11
New International Version
Then I asked the angel, “What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?”

New Living Translation
Then I asked the angel, “What are these two olive trees on each side of the lampstand,

English Standard Version
Then I said to him, “What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?”

Berean Standard Bible
Then I asked the angel, “What are the two olive trees on the right and left of the lampstand?”

King James Bible
Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof?

New King James Version
Then I answered and said to him, “What are these two olive trees—at the right of the lampstand and at its left?”

New American Standard Bible
Then I said to him, “What are these two olive trees on the right of the lampstand and on its left?”

NASB 1995
Then I said to him, “What are these two olive trees on the right of the lampstand and on its left?”

NASB 1977
Then I answered and said to him, “What are these two olive trees on the right of the lampstand and on its left?”

Legacy Standard Bible
Then I answered and said to him, “What are these two olive trees on the right of the lampstand and on its left?”

Amplified Bible
Then I said to him [who was speaking with me], “What are these two olive trees on the right side of the lampstand and on its left?”

Christian Standard Bible
I asked him, “What are the two olive trees on the right and left of the lampstand? ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
I asked him, “What are the two olive trees on the right and left of the lampstand?”

American Standard Version
Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive-trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof?

Contemporary English Version
Then I asked the angel, "What about the olive trees on each side of the lampstand? What do they represent?

English Revised Version
Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
I asked the angel, "What do these two olive trees at the right and the left of the lamp stand mean?"

Good News Translation
Then I asked him, "What do the two olive trees on either side of the lampstand mean?

International Standard Version
Then I asked the angel, "What are these two olive trees, one on the right of the menorah and one on the left?"

Majority Standard Bible
Then I asked the angel, “What are the two olive trees on the right and left of the lampstand?”

NET Bible
Next I asked the messenger, "What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the menorah?"

New Heart English Bible
Then I asked him, "What are these two olive trees on the right side of the lampstand and on the left side of it?"

Webster's Bible Translation
Then I answered, and said to him, What are these two olive-trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon its left side?

World English Bible
Then I asked him, “What are these two olive trees on the right side of the lamp stand and on the left side of it?”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And I answer and say to him, “What [are] these two olive-trees, on the right of the lampstand, and on its left?”

Young's Literal Translation
And I answer and say unto him, 'What are these two olive-trees, on the right of the candlestick, and on its left?'

Smith's Literal Translation
And I shall answer and say to him, What these two olive trees upon the right of the candlestick and upon its left?
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And I answered, and said to him: What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick, and upon the left side thereof?

Catholic Public Domain Version
And I responded and said to him, “What are these two olive trees to the right of the candlestick, and to its left?”

New American Bible
I then asked him, “What are these two olive trees, on the right of the lampstand and on its left?”

New Revised Standard Version
Then I said to him, “What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Then I answered and said to him, What are these two olive trees on the right side of the candlestick and on its left side?

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
I answered and I said to him: ”And what are these two olive trees that are at the right of the bowl and at its left?”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Then answered I, and said unto him: 'What are these two olive-trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof?'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And I answered, and said to him, What are these two olive-trees, which are on the right and left hand of the candlestick?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Vision of the Lampstand and Olive Trees
10For who has despised the day of small things? But these seven eyes of the LORD, which scan the whole earth, will rejoice when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel.” 11Then I asked the angel, “What are the two olive trees on the right and left of the lampstand?” 12And I questioned him further, “What are the two olive branches beside the two gold pipes from which the golden oil pours?”…

Cross References
Revelation 11:3-4
And I will empower my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” / These witnesses are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.

Revelation 1:12-13
Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned, I saw seven golden lampstands, / and among the lampstands was One like the Son of Man, dressed in a long robe, with a golden sash around His chest.

Revelation 1:20
This is the mystery of the seven stars you saw in My right hand and of the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

Revelation 4:5
From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings, and peals of thunder. Before the throne burned seven torches of fire. These are the seven spirits of God.

Revelation 11:10
And those who dwell on the earth will gloat over them and celebrate and send one another gifts, because these two prophets had tormented them.

Revelation 11:11
But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God entered the two witnesses, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell upon those who saw them.

Revelation 11:13
And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand were killed in the quake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.

Matthew 17:3
Suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared before them, talking with Jesus.

Matthew 17:4
Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If You wish, I will put up three shelters—one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

Matthew 17:5
While Peter was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him!”

Exodus 25:31-40
Then you are to make a lampstand of pure, hammered gold. It shall be made of one piece, including its base and shaft, its cups, and its buds and petals. / Six branches are to extend from the sides of the lampstand—three on one side and three on the other. / There are to be three cups shaped like almond blossoms on the first branch, each with buds and petals, three on the next branch, and the same for all six branches that extend from the lampstand. ...

Exodus 37:17-24
Then he made the lampstand out of pure hammered gold, all of one piece: its base and shaft, its cups, and its buds and petals. / Six branches extended from the sides, three on one side and three on the other. / There were three cups shaped like almond blossoms on the first branch, each with buds and petals, three on the next branch, and the same for all six branches that extended from the lampstand. ...

1 Kings 6:23-28
In the inner sanctuary he made two cherubim, each ten cubits high, out of olive wood. / One wing of the first cherub was five cubits long, and the other wing was five cubits long as well. So the full wingspan was ten cubits. / The second cherub also measured ten cubits; both cherubim had the same size and shape, ...

1 Kings 7:49
the lampstands of pure gold in front of the inner sanctuary, five on the right side and five on the left; the gold flowers, lamps, and tongs;

2 Chronicles 4:20
the lampstands of pure gold and their lamps, to burn in front of the inner sanctuary as prescribed;


Treasury of Scripture

Then answered I, and said to him, What are these two olive trees on the right side of the candlestick and on the left side thereof?

What.

Zechariah 4:3
And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof.

Revelation 11:4
These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.

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Zechariah 4
1. By the golden candlestick is foreshown the good success of Zerubbabel's foundation;
11. by the two olive trees the two anointed ones.














Then I asked him
This phrase indicates a direct inquiry from the prophet Zechariah to the angelic messenger. The Hebrew root for "asked" is "שָׁאַל" (sha'al), which implies a seeking of understanding or knowledge. In the context of Zechariah's visions, this reflects a deep desire for divine revelation and clarity. Zechariah's role as a prophet is not just to receive visions but to actively engage with them, seeking God's wisdom to understand their meaning. This interaction underscores the importance of seeking God in prayer and study to gain insight into His plans.

What are the two olive trees
The "two olive trees" are symbolic elements in Zechariah's vision. In the Hebrew context, olive trees are often associated with peace, prosperity, and the anointing of kings and priests. The olive tree is a symbol of endurance and blessing, as it is a hardy plant that can thrive in difficult conditions. Historically, olive oil was used in the anointing of priests and kings, signifying the presence and empowerment of the Holy Spirit. In this vision, the two olive trees are later identified as "the two anointed ones" (Zechariah 4:14), representing Joshua the high priest and Zerubbabel the governor, who were instrumental in the rebuilding of the temple. This imagery points to God's provision and empowerment for His chosen leaders.

on the right and the left of the lampstand
The placement of the olive trees "on the right and the left of the lampstand" signifies balance and support. The lampstand, or menorah, is a central symbol in Jewish worship, representing the light of God and His presence among His people. In the tabernacle and temple, the menorah was a source of light, symbolizing God's guidance and truth. The positioning of the olive trees suggests that they are the source of the oil that fuels the lampstand, indicating that God's anointed leaders are empowered by the Holy Spirit to provide spiritual light and leadership to the people. This imagery reinforces the idea that God's work is sustained by His Spirit, and His chosen servants are channels of His light and truth in the world.

Verse 11. - Then answered I. The prophet had received a general explanation of the vision; he had probably understood that the candelabrum represented the theocracy, of whose restoration and life the temple was the symbol and vehicle. One point was still obscure, and he asks, What are these two olive trees? (ver. 3). To this question no answer is immediately forthcoming, the answer being delayed in order to augment the prophet's desire of understanding the vision, and to induce him to make the question more definite.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then I asked
וָאַ֖עַן (wā·’a·‘an)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 6030: To answer, respond

[the angel],
אֵלָ֑יו (’ê·lāw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

“What
מַה־ (mah-)
Interrogative
Strong's 4100: What?, what!, indefinitely what

are the
הָאֵ֔לֶה (hā·’ê·leh)
Article | Pronoun - common plural
Strong's 428: These, those

two
שְּׁנֵ֤י (šə·nê)
Number - mdc
Strong's 8147: Two (a cardinal number)

olive trees
הַזֵּיתִים֙ (haz·zê·ṯîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 2132: An olive, the tree, the branch, the berry

on
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the right
יְמִ֥ין (yə·mîn)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 3225: The right hand, side, the south

and left
שְׂמֹאולָֽהּ׃ (śə·mō·w·lāh)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 8040: Dark, the north, the left hand

of the lampstand?”
הַמְּנוֹרָ֖ה (ham·mə·nō·w·rāh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4501: A chandelier


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OT Prophets: Zechariah 4:11 Then I asked him What are these (Zech. Zec Zc)
Zechariah 4:10
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