Zechariah 4:10

KJV1611 – Modern English

For who has despised the day of small things? For they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

כִּ֣י מִ֣י בַז֮ לְי֣וֹם קְטַנּוֹת֒ וְשָׂמְח֗וּ וְרָא֞וּ אֶת־הָאֶ֧בֶן הַבְּדִ֛יל בְּיַ֥ד זְרֻבָּבֶ֖ל שִׁבְעָה־אֵ֑לֶּה עֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה הֵ֥מָּה מְשׁוֹטְטִ֖ים בְּכָל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃

Transliteration

For who has-despised lĕyôm qĕṭannôt? And-śāmĕḥû wĕrāʾû [direct object marker] the-ʾeben habbĕdîl in-hand-of Zĕrubbābel seven-these ʿênê YHWH they mĕšôṭĕṭîm in-all-the-ʾāreṣ

Grammar Details

• *lĕyôm*: preposition + noun, masculine singular - for day of
• *qĕṭannôt*: adjective, feminine plural - small things
• *śāmĕḥû*: qal perfect, 3rd plural - they will rejoice
• *wĕrāʾû*: waw + qal perfect, 3rd plural - and they will see
• *ʾeben*: noun, feminine singular - stone
• *habbĕdîl*: definite article + noun, masculine singular - the tin/plummet
• *Zĕrubbābel*: proper noun - Zerubbabel
• *ʿênê*: noun, feminine dual construct - eyes of
• *YHWH*: divine name - YHWH
• *mĕšôṭĕṭîm*: polel participle, masculine plural - roaming/ranging
• *ʾāreṣ*: noun, feminine singular - earth/land

Word Meanings

• *lĕyôm qĕṭannôt*: day of small things/day of small beginnings
• *śāmĕḥû*: they will rejoice/be glad/be happy
• *wĕrāʾû*: and they will see/observe/behold
• *ʾeben*: stone/rock
• *habbĕdîl*: the tin/plummet/lead weight/plumb line
• *ʿênê*: eyes of/sight of
• *mĕšôṭĕṭîm*: roaming/ranging/going to and fro/patrolling
• *ʾāreṣ*: earth/land/ground/world

Other Translations

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  For who has despised the day of small beginnings? These seven rejoice when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. They are the eyes of the LORD roaming throughout the whole earth.

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  For who hath despised{H936} the day{H3117} of small things?{H6996} for these seven shall rejoice,{H8055} and shall see{H7200} the plummet{H68} in the hand{H3027} of Zerubbabel;{H2216} [these]{H7651} [are] the eyes{H5869} of Jehovah,{H3068} which run to and fro{H7751} through the whole earth.{H776}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  For who hath despised{H936}{(H8804)} the day{H3117} of small things{H6996}? for they shall rejoice{H8055}{(H8804)}, and shall see{H7200}{(H8804)} the plummet{H68}{H913} in the hand{H3027} of Zerubbabel{H2216} with those seven{H7651}; they are the eyes{H5869} of the LORD{H3068}, which run to and fro{H7751}{(H8789)} through the whole earth{H776}.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  For he that hath bene despysed a litle season, shal reioyce, whe he seyth the tynne weight in Zorobabels honde. The vij. eyes are the LORDES, which go thorow the hole worlde.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  For who hath despised the day of the small thinges? but they shall reioyce, and shall see the stone of tinne in the hand of Zerubbabel: these seuen are the eyes of the Lord, which go thorow the whole world.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  For who hath despised the day of small thinges? they shall reioyce, and shall see the stone of tynne in the hande of Zorobabel: these seuen are the eyes of the lord, which go through ye whole worlde.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel [with] those seven; they [are] the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  Indeed, who despises the day of small things? For these seven shall rejoice, and shall see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. These are the eyes of Yahweh, which run back and forth through the whole earth."

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  For who trampled on the day of small things, They have rejoiced, And seen the tin weight in the hand of Zerubbabel, These seven `are' the eyes of Jehovah, They are going to and fro in all the land.'

• American Standard Version (1901)

  For 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.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  For 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.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  For who has had a poor opinion of the day of small things? for they will be glad when they see the weighted measuring-line in the hand of Zerubbabel. Then he said in answer to me, These seven lights are the eyes of the Lord which go quickly up and down through all the earth.

• World English Bible (2000)

  Indeed, who despises the day of small things? For these seven shall rejoice, and shall see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. These are the eyes of Yahweh, which run back and forth through the whole earth."

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  For who dares make light of small beginnings? These seven eyes will joyfully look on the tin tablet in Zerubbabel’s hand.(These are the eyes of the LORD, which constantly range across the whole earth.)

Referenced Verses

• Zech 3:9 : 9 For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall be seven eyes: behold, I will engrave its engraving, says the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.
• 2 Chr 16:9 : 9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars.
• Rev 5:6 : 6 And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth.
• 1 Cor 1:28-29 : 28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, God has chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are: 29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.
• Hag 2:3 : 3 Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? And how do you see it now? Is it not in your eyes as nothing compared to it?
• Prov 15:3 : 3 The eyes of the LORD are in every place, watching the evil and the good.
• Neh 4:2-4 : 2 And he spoke before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish in a day? Will they revive the stones from the heaps of rubbish that are burned? 3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, Even what they build, if a fox goes up, he will break down their stone wall. 4 Hear, O our God; for we are despised: turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them as prey in a land of captivity:
• Job 8:7 : 7 Though your beginning was small, yet your latter end would greatly increase.
• Amos 7:7-8 : 7 Thus he showed me: and, behold, the Lord stood upon a wall made with a plumbline, with a plumbline in his hand. 8 And the LORD said to me, Amos, what do you see? And I said, A plumbline. Then the Lord said, Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel: I will not pass by them anymore:
• Rev 8:2 : 2 And I saw the seven angels who stood before God, and they were given seven trumpets.
• Zech 1:10-11 : 10 And the man who stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, These are the ones whom the LORD has sent to walk to and fro throughout the earth. 11 And they answered the angel of the LORD who stood among the myrtle trees, and said, We have walked to and fro throughout the earth, and behold, all the earth sits still and is at rest.
• Matt 13:31-33 : 31 He told them another parable: The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32 Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches. 33 He told them still another parable: The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.
• Luke 15:5-9 : 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. 7 I say to you, that likewise there will be joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, more than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. 8 Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, and sweep the house, and seek diligently until she finds it? 9 And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I lost. 10 Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.
• Luke 15:32 : 32 It was right that we should make merry and be glad: for this your brother was dead and is alive again; and was lost and is found.
• Prov 4:18 : 18 But the path of the just is like the shining light, that shines more and more unto the perfect day.
• Ezra 3:12-13 : 12 But many of the priests and Levites and heads of the fathers' houses, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy, 13 So that the people could not distinguish the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people: for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard far away.
• Isa 66:11 : 11 That you may nurse and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that you may drink deeply, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory.
• Isa 66:14 : 14 And when you see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb: and the hand of the LORD shall be known toward his servants, and his indignation toward his enemies.
• Dan 2:34-35 : 34 You watched until a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, so that no trace of them was found: and the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.
• Hos 6:3 : 3 Then shall we know, if we pursue to know the LORD: his coming is as certain as the morning; and he will come to us like the rain, like the latter and former rain to the earth.