Zechariah 4:8-10
New English Translation
8 Moreover, the Lord’s message came to me as follows: 9 “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundations of this temple,[a] and his hands will complete it. Then you will know that the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has sent me to you. 10 For who dares make light of small beginnings? These seven eyes[b] will joyfully look on the tin tablet[c] in Zerubbabel’s hand. These are the eyes of the Lord, which constantly range across the whole earth.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Zechariah 4:9 tn Heb “house” (so NAB, NRSV).
- Zechariah 4:10 tn Heb “these seven.” Eyes are clearly intended in the ellipsis as v. 10b shows. As in 3:9 the idea is God’s omniscience. He who knows the end from the beginning rejoices at the completion of his purposes.
- Zechariah 4:10 tn This term is traditionally translated “plumb line” (so NASB, NIV, NLT; cf. KJV, NRSV “plummet”), but it is more likely that the Hebrew בְּדִיל (bedil) is to be derived not from בָּדַל (badal), “to divide,” but from a root meaning “tin.” This finds support in the ancient Near Eastern custom of placing inscriptions on tin plates in dedicatory foundation deposits.
Zechariah 4:8-10
New International Version
8 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 9 “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation(A) of this temple; his hands will also complete it.(B) Then you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me(C) to you.
10 “Who dares despise the day(D) of small things,(E) since the seven eyes(F) of the Lord that range throughout the earth will rejoice when they see the chosen capstone[a] in the hand of Zerubbabel?”(G)
Footnotes
- Zechariah 4:10 Or the plumb line
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