^4:11Next I asked the messenger, “What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the menorah?” ^4:12Before he could reply I asked again, “What are these two extensions¹² of the olive trees, which are emptying out the golden oil through the two golden pipes?” ^4:13He replied, “Don’t you know what these are?” And I said, “No, sir.” ^4:14So he said, “These are the two anointed ones¹³ who stand by the Lord of the whole earth.”

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Footnotes

12 The usual meaning of the Hebrew term שְׁבֹּלֶת (shébolet) is “ears” (as in ears of grain). Here it probably refers to the produce of the olive trees, i.e., olives. Many English versions render the term as “branches,” but cf. “tufts.”
13 The usual word for “anointed (one),” מָשִׁיַח (mashiakh), is not used here but rather בְנֵי־הַיִּצְהָר (véne-hayyitshar), literally, “sons of fresh oil.” This is to maintain consistency with the imagery of olive trees. In the immediate context these two olive trees should be identified with Joshua and Zerubbabel, the priest and the governor. Only the high priest and king were anointed for office in the OT and these two were respectively the descendants of Aaron and David.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Then I said to him, “What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?” And a second time I answered and said to him, “What are these two branches of the olive trees, which are beside the two golden pipes from which the golden oil is poured out?” He said to me, “Do you not know what these are?” I said, “No, my lord.” Then he said, “These are the two anointed ones who stand by the Lord of the whole earth.”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Then I asked the angel, “What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?”

Again I asked him, “What are these two olive branches beside the two gold pipes that pour out golden oil?”

He replied, “Do you not know what these are?”

“No, my lord,” I said.

So he said, “These are the two who are anointed to serve the Lord of all the earth.”

CSBChristian Standard Bible

I asked him, “What are the two olive trees on the right and left of the lampstand?” And I questioned him further, “What are the two streams of the olive trees, from which the golden oil is pouring through the two golden conduits?”

Then he inquired of me, “Don’t you know what these are?”

“No, my lord,” I replied.

“These are the two anointed ones,” he said, “who stand by the Lord of the whole earth.”

NLTNew Living Translation

Then I asked the angel, “What are these two olive trees on each side of the lampstand, and what are the two olive branches that pour out golden oil through two gold tubes?”

“Don’t you know?” he asked.

“No, my lord,” I replied.

Then he said to me, “They represent the two anointed ones who stand in the court of the Lord of all the earth.”

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And I answered and said to him, “What are these two olive trees on the right of the lampstand and on its left?” And I replied a second time and asked him, “What are these two twigs of olive trees beside the two golden pipes that pour forth from themselves the golden oil?” And he replied to me, “Do you not know what these are?” And I said, “No, my lord.” And he said, “These are the two anointed ones standing by the Lord of the whole earth.”

KJV 1900King James Version

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? 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? And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord. Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth.

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