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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?”
Zechariah 4:11 · World English Bible
Parallel translations
  • KJV 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?
  • BSB Then I asked the angel, “What are the two olive trees on the right and left of the lampstand?”
  • NKJV Then I answered and said to him, “What are these two olive trees—at the right of the lampstand and at its left?”
  • NASB Then I said to him, “What are these two olive trees on the right of the lampstand and on its left?”
  • NLT Then I asked the angel, “What are these two olive trees on each side of the lampstand,

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

Zechariah asks about the two olive trees beside the lampstand. He presses for the meaning of the supplying trees.

Overview

Having received the central message, the prophet now seeks understanding of the two olive trees. His persistent questioning shows a desire to grasp the full meaning of the vision. The answer, given shortly, identifies the trees as God's anointed servants through whom His Spirit's provision flows.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 2

  • Zech 4:3and two olive trees by it, one on the right side of the bowl, and the other on the left side of it.”
  • Rev 11:4These are the two olive trees and the two lamp stands, standing before the Lord of the earth.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (2)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Zechariah videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Zechariah 4:11YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on ZechariahMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

The Branch who is both priest and king, the shepherd struck and the flock scattered, the king coming humble on a donkey, the one they pierced, the fountain opened for sin — Zechariah is dense with Christ.

How Zechariah 4:11 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.