The Skeptics Annotated Bible (716 page)

11 Then 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?

(4.11)
“What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side?”

12 And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves?

(4.12)
“What be these two olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil?”

13 And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.

14 Then said he,
These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth.

(4.14)
“These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the LORD of the whole earth.”
161 Who is the Lord of the earth?

(5.1-4) Zechariah sees a 30 foot flying scroll that burns down the houses of thieves and liars.

5
Then I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a flying roll.

(5.1)
“Then I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a flying roll.”

2 And he said unto me, What seest thou? And I answered,
I see a flying roll; the length thereof is twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof ten cubits.

(5.2)
“I see a flying roll; the length thereof is twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof ten cubits.”

3 Then said he unto me, This is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth: for every one that stealeth shall be cut off as on this side according to it; and every one that sweareth shall be cut off as on that side according to it.

4 I will bring it forth, saith the LORD of hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name: and it shall remain in the midst of his house, and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof.

(5.4)
“It shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name: and it shall … consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof.”

5 Then the angel that talked with me went forth, and said unto me, Lift up now thine eyes, and see what is this that goeth forth.

6 And I said, What is it? And he said, This is an ephah that goeth forth. He said moreover, This is their resemblance through all the earth.

(5.7-8) Evil is personified as a woman.

7 And,
behold, there was lifted up a talent of lead: and this is a woman that sitteth in the midst of the ephah.

(5.7)
“Behold, there was lifted up a talent of lead: and this is a woman that sitteth in the midst of the ephah.”

8 And
he said, This is wickedness
. And he cast it into the midst of the ephah; and he cast the weight of lead upon the mouth thereof.

(5.8)
“He said, This is wickedness.”

(5.9-11) Two women with stork-like wings fly off with an ephah to the land of Shinar.

9 Then lifted I up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold
, there came out two women, and the wind was in their wings; for they had wings like the wings of a stork
: and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heaven.

(5.9)
“There came out two women, and the wind was in their wings; for they had wings like the wings of a stork.”

10 Then said I to the angel that talked with me,
Whither do these bear the ephah?

(5.10-11)
“Whither do these bear the ephah? … To build it an house in the land of Shinar.”

11 And he said unto me,
To build it an house in the land of Shinar:
and it shall be established, and set there upon her own base.

(6.1-7) Zechariah sees four horses of different colors running to and fro between mountains of brass. They are the four spirits of the heavens.

6
And I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and,
behold, there came four chariots out from between two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of brass.

(6.1)
“Behold, there came four chariots out from between two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of brass.”

2
In the first chariot were red horses; and in the second chariot black horses;

3
And in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot grisled and bay horses.

(6.2-3)
“In the first chariot were red horses; and in the second chariot black horses; And in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot grisled and bay horses.”

4 Then I answered and said unto the angel that talked with me, What are these, my lord?

5 And the angel answered and said unto me,
These are the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth.

(6.5)
“These are the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth.”
161 Who is the Lord of the earth?

6
The black horses
which are therein go forth into the north country; and the white go forth after them; and the grisled go forth toward the south country.

(6.6)
“The black horses … go forth into the north country; and the white go forth after them; and the grisled go forth toward the south country.”

7
And the bay went forth, and sought to go that they might walk to and fro through the earth: and he said, Get you hence, walk to and fro through the earth. So they walked to and fro through the earth.

(6.7)
“And the bay went forth, and sought to go that they might walk to and fro through the earth: and he said, Get you hence, walk to and fro through the earth. So they walked to and fro through the earth.”

8 Then cried he upon me, and spake unto me, saying, Behold, these that go toward the north country have quieted my spirit in the north country.

9 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

10 Take of them of the captivity, even of Heldai, of Tobijah, and of Jedaiah, which are come from Babylon, and come thou the same day, and go into the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah;

11 Then take silver and gold, and make crowns, and set them upon the head of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest;

(6.12-13) The angel shows Zechariah a man named “BRANCH” who will build the temple of the Lord and bear the glory.

12 And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying,
Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD:

(6.12)
“Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD.”

13 Even
he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne
; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.

(6.13)
“He shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne.”