The Meaning of Zechariah 4:6 Explained

Zechariah 4:6

KJV: Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.

YLT: And he answereth and speaketh unto me, saying: 'This is a word of Jehovah unto Zerubbabel, saying: Not by a force, nor by power, But -- by My Spirit, said Jehovah of Hosts.

Darby: And he answered and spoke 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.

ASV: Then 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.

Discover Zechariah 4:6

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Zechariah 4:6?

MEANING: What does Zechariah 4:6 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Zechariah 4:6 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Zechariah 4:6?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Then he answered  and spake  unto me, saying,  This [is] the word  of the LORD  unto Zerubbabel,  saying,  Not by might,  nor by power,  but by my spirit,  saith  the LORD  of hosts. 

What does Zechariah 4:6 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The angel announced a word of explanation from Yahweh that Zechariah was to pass on to Zerubbabel, the descendant of David who became the leader of the first group of returnees from exile. [1] He was to tell him, "not by might [2] nor by power [3] but by the Spirit [4] of Yahweh of hosts."
"This principle is an elliptical sentence: "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of hosts," a kind of motto, as it were, to guide all endeavors and enterprises of the nation in these evil days. If we were to complete the ellipsis we might formulate the statement somewhat after the following fashion: If success is to be gained in the achievements of the people of God it will not be secured by what man can do but by the Spirit"s work." [5]
Since Zerubbabel was leading the rebuilding of the temple and the restoration of the community, the Lord"s word to him was a word of encouragement. These restorations would not need an army of workers, as Solomon"s temple did ( 1 Kings 5:13-18), nor unusually strong laborers. The strength of the workers, in fact, failed because the work was so strenuous (cf. Nehemiah 4:10). The work would succeed because of the supernatural grace (help) that the Lord would provide by His Spirit (cf. Genesis 1:2; Exodus 15:8; Exodus 15:10; Exodus 28:3; Exodus 31:3; Numbers 11:17-29; Judges 3:10; Judges 6:34; Judges 11:29; Judges 13:25; Judges 14:6; Judges 14:19; Judges 15:14; Judges 15:19; 2 Samuel 22:16; Ezekiel 37:1-14). This Isaiah , of course, true of any work that seeks to carry out God"s will in the world (cf. 2 Corinthians 12:9).

Context Summary

Zechariah 4:1-14 - "not By Might Nor By Power"
Zerubbabel had faltered in the great work of reconstruction and had practically lost heart. Here he is encouraged to renew his efforts and persevere to the top-stone. He might be weak and flexible as a wick but none of his deficiencies could hinder him from finishing his life-work, if only his spirit was kindled with the divine fire and fed by the grace of the Holy Spirit. [source]

Chapter Summary: Zechariah 4

1  By the golden candlestick is foreshown the good success of Zerubbabel's foundation;
11  by the two olive trees the two anointed ones

What do the individual words in Zechariah 4:6 mean?

So he answered and said to me saying this [is] the word of Yahweh to Zerubbabel saying Not by might nor by power for but by My Spirit says Yahweh of hosts
וַיַּ֜עַן וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלַי֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר זֶ֚ה דְּבַר־ יְהוָ֔ה אֶל־ זְרֻבָּבֶ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר לֹ֤א בְחַ֙יִל֙ וְלֹ֣א בְכֹ֔חַ כִּ֣י אִם־ בְּרוּחִ֔י אָמַ֖ר יְהוָ֥ה צְבָאֽוֹת

וַיַּ֜עַן  So  he  answered 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: לְעַנּׄות 
Sense: to answer, respond, testify, speak, shout.
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֵלַי֙  to  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
לֵאמֹ֔ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
זֶ֚ה  this  [is] 
Parse: Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
דְּבַר־  the  word 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
יְהוָ֔ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
זְרֻבָּבֶ֖ל  Zerubbabel 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: זְרֻבָּבֶל  
Sense: the grandson of king Jehoiachin and leader of the first group of returning exiles from Babylon.
לֵאמֹ֑ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
בְחַ֙יִל֙  by  might 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: חַיִל 
Sense: strength, might, efficiency, wealth, army.
וְלֹ֣א  nor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
בְכֹ֔חַ  by  power 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּחַ 
Sense: strength, power, might.
בְּרוּחִ֔י  by  My  Spirit 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, common singular construct, first person common singular
Root: רוּחַ  
Sense: wind, breath, mind, spirit.
אָמַ֖ר  says 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוָ֥ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
צְבָאֽוֹת  of  hosts 
Parse: Noun, common plural
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host.

What are the major concepts related to Zechariah 4:6?

Loading Information...

Similar Scriptures for Zechariah 4:6

2 Chronicles 32:7-8 [79]
2 Corinthians 10:4-5 [72]
1 Corinthians 2:4-5 [60]
Isaiah 11:2-4 [50]
Psalms 33:16 [47]
Psalms 33:20-21 [45]
Psalms 20:6-8 [39]
Hosea 1:7 [38]
Haggai 2:2-5 [31]
2 Chronicles 14:11 [30]
Psalms 44:3-7 [29]
read more (8)
Ezekiel 37:11-14 [27]
Isaiah 32:15 [26]
Isaiah 30:1 [26]
Ezra 5:2 [25]
Isaiah 63:10-14 [23]
Numbers 27:16 [20]
1 Peter 1:12 [19]
Zechariah 9:13-15 [18]
read less