3And I see two olive trees, one on each side of the bowl.”

4Then I asked the angel, “What are these, my lord? What do they mean?”

5“Don’t you know?” the angel asked.

6Then he said to me, “This is what the Lord says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

7Nothing, not even a mighty mountain, will stand in Zerubbabel’s way; it will become a level plain before him! And when Zerubbabel sets the final stone of the Temple in place, the people will shout: ‘May God bless it! May God bless it!’4:7 Hebrew ‘Grace, grace to it.’”

8Then another message came to me from the Lord:

9“Zerubbabel is the one who laid the foundation of this Temple, and he will complete it. Then you will know that the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has sent me.

10Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand.”

11Then I asked the angel, “What are these two olive trees on each side of the lampstand,

12and what are the two olive branches that pour out golden oil through two gold tubes?”

13“Don’t you know?” he asked.

14Then he said to me, “They represent the two anointed ones4:14 Or two heavenly beings; Hebrew reads two sons of fresh oil. who stand in the court of the Lord of all the earth.”