Zechariah 4:1-3

1. In this vision the interpreting angel appears first.

Came again The angel seems to have withdrawn temporarily; in the fourth vision he appears if at all only in Zechariah 3:1. Perhaps “he came again and waked me” is equivalent to “he waked me again,” to see a new vision. Evidently Zechariah recognizes that his condition during the visions is not the same as during the intervals that elapse between the separate visions.

Waked me What the prophet has seen and heard has overpowered him; he has become spiritually exhausted, and has fallen into a state resembling sleep (Luke 9:32); out of this condition the angel rouses him to show him the new vision.

What seest thou? The angel addresses this question to the prophet as soon as he opens his eyes (see on Amos 7:8; Amos 8:2; compare Jeremiah 1:11; Jeremiah 1:13).

The principal features of the new vision are described in Zechariah 4:2-3.

I have looked R.V., “seen”; perhaps better, I see.

A candlestick all of gold This candlestick may have been suggested by the candlestick in the tabernacle (Exodus 25:31; 1 Chronicles 4:20), which was of gold, but in some respects the candlestick in the vision differs from its prototype.

With a bowl upon the top of it This means a reservoir for the oil used in the lamps. The oil holder was absent from the candlestick in the tabernacle; there the oil was supplied daily by the priests. However, the bowl may have been suggested by the cups (Exodus 25:31; Exodus 25:33-34), though the Hebrew word used here is entirely different, and the cups served only as ornaments.

Seven lamps How they were attached is not stated.

Seven pipes To supply oil from the reservoir. This is another feature absent from the candlestick in the tabernacle. The Hebrew is literally “seven and seven pipes to the lamps,” which admits of a twofold interpretation; either, fourteen pipes to the seven lamps, that is, two to each, or, in a distributive sense, seven pipes to each one of the seven lamps (so R.V.), a total of forty-nine. The Hebrew permits either interpretation, and either is thinkable; the latter is more in accord with Hebrew usage. No indication is given how or where the pipes were connected with the lamps. LXX. and Vulgate omit one “seven” and read “seven pipes to the lamps,” that is, one to each, which simplifies the picture and may be original.

Which are upon the top thereof The meaning seems to be that the lamps are on the top of the candlestick; the same statement is made concerning the oil holder, which makes it very difficult to determine the exact relative position of the different parts of the candlestick. Some commentators favor the omission of the words as an erroneous repetition from the first part of the verse.

Two olive trees Another feature absent from the tabernacle (compare Revelation 11:4). One was upon the left, the other upon the right side of the oil holder; in Zechariah 4:11 it is said that they were beside the candlestick, which is equally true. Two branches from these trees, one from each, supplied the oil for the lamps.