Zechariah 4:7
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What are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become a plain. Then he will bring forth the capstone accompanied by shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’”
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
In this chapter we have another comfortable vision, which, as it was explained to the prophet, had much in it for the encouragement of the people of God in their present straits, which were so great that they thought their case helpless, that their temple could never be rebuilt nor their city replenished; and therefore the scope of the vision is to show that God would, by his own power, perfect the work, though the assistance given to it by its friends were ever so weak, and the resistance given to it by its enemies were ever so strong. Here is, I. The awakening of the prophet to observe the vision (Zac 4:1). II. The vision itself, of a candlestick with seven lamps, which were supplied with oil, and kept burning, immediately from two olive-trees that grew by it, one on either side (Zac 4:2, Zac 4:3). III. The general encouragement hereby intended to be given to the builders of the temple to go on in that good work, assuring them that it should be brought to perfection at last (Zac 4:4-10). IV. The particular explication of the vision, for the illustration of these assurances (Zac 4:11-14).
Open source ↗4:7 A mighty mountain . . . will become a level plain is a figure of speech in both Old Testament (see Isa 40:4; 49:11) and New Testament (see Matt 17:20; 1 Cor 13:2). Faith in God enables his servants to overcome seemingly impossible obstacles. • The capstone or headstone (final stone) completes a stone wall or building (see Ps 118:22). • May God bless it!: This prayer seeks God’s favor and blessing on the new Temple.
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.
“Behold, I am against you, O destroying mountain, you who devastate the whole earth, declares the LORD. I will stretch out My hand against you; I will roll you over the cliffs and turn you into a charred mountain.
“The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house, and his hands will complete it. Then you will know that the LORD of Hosts has sent me to you.
In the last days the mountain of the house of the LORD will be established as the chief of the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and the peoples will stream to it.
The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
the mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs.
To you who believe, then, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,”
Behold, I will make you into a threshing sledge, new and sharp, with many teeth. You will thresh the mountains and crush them, and reduce the hills to chaff.
O mountains, that you skipped like rams, O hills, like lambs?
This Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’
So this is what the Lord GOD says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; the one who believes will never be shaken.