Zechariah 4:5

“Do you not know what they are?” replied the angel. “No, my lord,” I answered.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — The angel who was speaking with Zechariah responds to the prophet’s question about the vision’s symbols. This exchange occurs immediately before the angel delivers the LORD’s message to Zerubbabel.

The words — הֲ/ל֥וֹא יָדַ֖עְתָּ (ha./Lo' ya.Da'.ta) translates literally as “do you not know?” and functions as a rhetorical prompt about the vision’s meaning.

The thread — The same dialogue structure appears in Zechariah 4:13, Jesus applies the identical rhetorical question to his parables in Mark 4:13, and Paul contrasts human reasoning with divine revelation in 1 Corinthians 2:12.

Why it lands — The text records Zechariah’s admission that he lacks understanding of what the angel shows him. It requires the reader to accept that spiritual perception depends on God’s explanation, not human insight.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַ֠יַּעַןVa/i.ya.'anand/ he answered הַמַּלְאָ֞ךְha./mal.'Akhthe/ angel הַדֹּבֵ֥רha./do.Verwho/ was speakingבִּי֙b/iwith/ meוַיֹּ֣אמֶרva/i.Yo.merand/ he said אֵלַ֔י'e.La/ito/ me הֲל֥וֹאha./Lo'¿/ not יָדַ֖עְתָּya.Da'.tado you know מָה־mah-what?הֵ֣מָּהHe.mahthey אֵ֑לֶּה'E.leh[are] these וָאֹמַ֖רva./'o.Marand/ I said לֹ֥אlo'no אֲדֹנִֽי׃'a.do.N/iO lord/ my

King James Version

Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.

Cross-references

Zechariah 4:13 “Do you not know what these are?” he inquired. “No, my lord,” I replied.
Mark 4:13 Then Jesus said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand any of the parables?
1 Corinthians 2:12 We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.
Genesis 41:16 “I myself cannot do it,” Joseph replied, “but God will give Pharaoh a sound answer.”
Psalms 139:6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.
Daniel 2:30 And to me this mystery has been revealed, not because I have more wisdom than any man alive, but in order that the interpretation might be made known to the king, and that you may understand the thoughts of your mind.
Zechariah 1:9 “What are these, my lord?” I asked. And the angel who was speaking with me replied, “I will show you what they are.”