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Zechariah 4:9

Old Testament Minor Prophet ASV (1901)

What does Zechariah 4:9 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that Jehovah of hosts hath sent me unto you.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that Jehovah of hosts hath sent me unto you.
Zechariah 4:9 — American Standard Version

Context — Zechariah 4

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
6Then 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.
7Who 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.
8Moreover the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,
9The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that Jehovah of hosts hath sent me unto you.
10For who hath despised the day of small things? for these seven shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel; [these are] the eyes of Jehovah, which run to and fro through the whole earth.
11Then 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?
12And I answered the second time, and said unto him, What are these two olive-branches, which are beside the two golden spouts, that empty the golden [oil] out of themselves?
← Zechariah 4:8Zechariah 4:10 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house, etc.] The temple at Jerusalem, which was laid, or however renewed, after it had been long neglected, even the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, two months before this vision and prophecy, (<370218>Haggai 2:18) compared with (<380107>Zechariah 1:7): his hands shall also finish it: signified by bringing in the head or top stone, (<380407>Zechariah 4:7) and so Christ our great Zerubbabel has laid the foundation of his church, which is no other than himself; and is a foundation firm and strong, sure and certain, immovable and everlasting; and his hands will finish the building of it, by bringing and laying every elect soul…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Zerubbabel . . . shall . . . finish it-- (Ezr 6:15) in the sixth year of Darius' reign. Lord . . . sent me unto you-- (Zac 2:9). The Divine Angel announces that in what He has just spoken, He has been commissioned by God the Father.”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Thou - Zerubbabel and all the Jews. Zechariah 4:10”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“have: Ezr 3:8-13, Ezr 5:16 his hands: Zac 6:12, Zac 6:13; Ezr 6:14, Ezr 6:15; Mat 16:18; Heb 12:2 and: Zac 2:8, Zac 2:9, Zac 2:11, Zac 6:15; Isa 48:16; Joh 3:17, Joh 5:36, Joh 5:37, Joh 8:16-18, Joh 17:21 Zechariah 4:10”
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Related study paths

Read Zechariah 4 in contextBrowse Hebrew word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification