Zechariah 1:20

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Zechariah 1:20 in Multiple Translations

Berean Standard Bible BSB

Then the LORD showed me four craftsmen.

King James Version KJV

And the LORD shewed me four carpenters.

American Standard Version ASV

And Jehovah showed me four smiths.

Bible in Basic English BBE

And the Lord gave me a vision of four metal-workers.

Free Bible Version FBV

Then the Lord showed me four craftsmen.

Geneva Bible 1599 GNV

And the Lord shewed me foure carpenters.

Young's Literal Translation YLT

And Jehovah doth shew me four artisans.

World English Bible WEB

The LORD showed me four craftsmen.

Noah Webster Bible WBS

And the LORD showed me four carpenters.

Douay-Rheims 1899 DRV

And the Lord shewed me four smiths.

Translation for Translators T4T

Then Yahweh showed me four ◄craftsmen/men who make things from metal►.

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Berean Amplified Bible — Zechariah 1:20

BAB

Word Study

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Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.

Study Notes — Zechariah 1:20

Show Verse Quote Highlights

Context
Cross References
Zechariah 1:20 Summary
Frequently Asked Questions
Reflection Questions
Gill's Exposition on Zechariah 1:20
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Zechariah 1:20
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Zechariah 1:20
Trapp's Commentary on Zechariah 1:20
Ellicott's Commentary on Zechariah 1:20
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Zechariah 1:20
Cambridge Bible on Zechariah 1:20
Sermons on Zechariah 1:20

Context — The Vision of the Horns and the Craftsmen

18Then I looked up and saw four horns. 19So I asked the angel who was speaking with me, “What are these?” And he told me, “These are the horns that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.”

20Then the LORD showed me four craftsmen.

21“What are these coming to do?” I asked. And He replied, “These are the horns that scattered Judah so that no one could raise his head; but the craftsmen have come to terrify them and throw down these horns of the nations that have lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter it.”

Cross References

	Reference	Text (BSB)
1	Zechariah 10:3–5	“My anger burns against the shepherds, and I will punish the leaders. For the LORD of Hosts attends to His flock, the house of Judah; He will make them like His royal steed in battle. The cornerstone will come from Judah, the tent peg from him, as well as the battle bow and every ruler together. They will be like mighty men in battle, trampling the enemy in the mire of the streets. They will fight because the LORD is with them, and they will put the horsemen to shame.
2	Zechariah 12:2–6	“Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples. Judah will be besieged, as well as Jerusalem. On that day, when all the nations of the earth gather against her, I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who would heave it away will be severely injured. On that day, declares the LORD, I will strike every horse with panic, and every rider with madness. I will keep a watchful eye on the house of Judah, but I will strike with blindness all the horses of the nations. Then the leaders of Judah will say in their hearts: ‘The people of Jerusalem are my strength, for the LORD of Hosts is their God.’ On that day I will make the clans of Judah like a firepot in a woodpile, like a flaming torch among the sheaves; they will consume all the peoples around them on the right and on the left, while the people of Jerusalem remain secure there.
3	Zechariah 9:12–16	Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope; even today I declare that I will restore to you double. For I will bend Judah as My bow and fit it with Ephraim. I will rouse your sons, O Zion, against the sons of Greece. I will make you like the sword of a mighty man. Then the LORD will appear over them, and His arrow will go forth like lightning. The Lord GOD will sound the ram’s horn and advance in the whirlwinds of the south. The LORD of Hosts will shield them. They will destroy and conquer with slingstones; they will drink and roar as with wine. And they will be filled like sprinkling bowls, drenched like the corners of the altar. On that day the LORD their God will save them as the flock of His people; for like jewels in a crown they will sparkle over His land.
4	Micah 5:5–6	And He will be our peace when Assyria invades our land and tramples our citadels. We will raise against it seven shepherds, even eight leaders of men. And they will rule the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod with the blade drawn. So He will deliver us when Assyria invades our land and marches into our borders.
5	1 Samuel 12:11	So the LORD sent Jerubbaal, Barak, Jephthah, and Samuel, and He delivered you from the hands of your enemies on every side, and you dwelt securely.
6	Nehemiah 9:27	So You delivered them into the hands of enemies who oppressed them, and in their time of distress they cried out to You. From heaven You heard them, and in Your great compassion You gave them deliverers who saved them from the hands of their enemies.
7	Deuteronomy 33:25	May the bolts of your gate be iron and bronze, and may your strength match your days.”
8	Judges 11:16	But when Israel came up out of Egypt, they traveled through the wilderness to the Red Sea and came to Kadesh.
9	Obadiah 1:21	The deliverers will ascend Mount Zion to rule over the mountains of Esau. And the kingdom will belong to the LORD.
10	Judges 11:18	Then Israel traveled through the wilderness and bypassed the lands of Edom and Moab. They came to the east side of the land of Moab and camped on the other side of the Arnon. But they did not enter the territory of Moab, since the Arnon was its border.

Zechariah 1:20 Summary

[This verse, Zechariah 1:20, shows us that God is in control and has a plan to deliver His people from the forces that have scattered them, just like He did for the Israelites in Exodus 14:13-14. The four craftsmen represent God's agents of judgment and deliverance, and their work is a testament to God's power and sovereignty, as seen in Jeremiah 30:11. As we trust in God's plan, we can have confidence that He will bring about justice and protection, just as He promised in Isaiah 41:10. By looking to God and His Word, we can find hope and comfort in times of trouble, knowing that He is our Rock and Deliverer, as in Psalm 18:2.]

Frequently Asked Questions

Who are the four craftsmen in Zechariah 1:20?

The four craftsmen in Zechariah 1:20 are symbolic of the agents of God's judgment and deliverance, as seen in the context of Zechariah 1:21, where they are said to terrify and throw down the horns of the nations that have scattered Judah, much like God's deliverance in Exodus 14:13-14.

What is the significance of the number four in this verse?

The number four in Zechariah 1:20 may represent the four directions or the entirety of the earth, as seen in other biblical references such as Ezekiel 7:2 and Isaiah 11:12, emphasizing the comprehensive nature of God's judgment and deliverance.

How do the craftsmen relate to the horns in Zechariah 1:18-19?

The craftsmen in Zechariah 1:20 are the instruments of God's judgment against the horns that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem, as explained in Zechariah 1:21, highlighting God's sovereignty over the nations and His protection of His people, similar to His promise in Jeremiah 30:11.

What can we learn from the Lord showing Zechariah the four craftsmen?

The fact that the Lord showed Zechariah the four craftsmen in Zechariah 1:20 indicates God's desire to reveal His plans and purposes to His people, as seen in Amos 3:7, and to assure them of His presence and deliverance in times of trouble, much like His promise in Isaiah 41:10.

Reflection Questions

What are the 'horns' in my life that need to be thrown down, and how can I trust God to send His 'craftsmen' to deliver me?
In what ways can I be a part of God's plan to bring deliverance and judgment, as seen in the role of the craftsmen in Zechariah 1:20-21?
How can I apply the principle of God's sovereignty over the nations, as seen in Zechariah 1:20-21, to my own life and circumstances, trusting in His promise to work all things for good, as in Romans 8:28?
What does this verse reveal about God's character, and how can I worship and praise Him for His power and deliverance, as seen in Psalm 107:1-2?

Gill's Exposition on Zechariah 1:20

And the Lord showed me four carpenters. To saw and cut in pieces the four horns; or rather "four blacksmiths" (y); these horns were horns of iron; so the word is rendered a "smith" in 1 Samuel 13:19

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Zechariah 1:20

Then lifted I up mine eyes, and saw, and behold four horns. The power of the Jews' foes shall be dissipated. Verse 18. Behold, four horns.

Matthew Poole's Commentary on Zechariah 1:20

The Lord; Jehovah, who before is the Angel, i.e. Christ, he is the eternal One, the great God. Showed me; both proposed the thing to be seen, and gave eyes to see and discern it. Four carpenters; known by their garb and tools to be carpenters, or smiths, as the Hebrew bears it. The Lord; Jehovah, who before is the Angel, i.e. Christ, he is the eternal One, the great God. Four carpenters; known by their garb and tools to be carpenters, or smiths, as the Hebrew bears it.

Trapp's Commentary on Zechariah 1:20

Zechariah 1:20 And the LORD shewed me four carpenters.Ver. 20. And the Lord showed me four carpenters] He that before was called an angel is here called Jehovah, this shows him to be Christ, who is God blessed for ever. In respect of his eternal essence he is called the Lord; in respect of his office or mediatorship, an angel. Four carpenters] Or smiths; so many horns, so many artificers to batter and break them. God wants not ways and means to help his own at a dead lift; he knows how to deliver, saith Peter, 2 Peter 2:9, and herein usually he goeth a way by himself. Many times he setteth the enemies together by the ears among themselves; while that I withal escape, saith David, Psalms 141:9. Thus by Nebuchadnezzar, as by a club or beetle, he brake the rest of those horrible horns; as at this day the Pope by the Turk, and Spaniard by the French, and that the Church may have her halcyons. No marvel I slept so soundly seeing Antipater was by and watched, said Philip of Macedon. We may better say of Antipater, our gracious Father and guardian, the keeper of his Israel.

Ellicott's Commentary on Zechariah 1:20

(20) Carpenters.—Better, workmen, for the Hebrew word does not mean “carpenters,” unless followed by the word meaning “wood.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on Zechariah 1:20

Verse 20. Four carpenters.] Four other powers, who should defeat the powers intended by the horns. These are the same as the four chariots mentioned Zechariah 6:1-3; Zechariah 6:6-7. The first was NABOPOLASSAR, father of Nebuchadnezzar, who overturned the empire of the Assyrians. The second was CYRUS, who destroyed the empire of the Chaldeans. The third was ALEXANDER the Great, who destroyed the empire of the Persians. And the fourth was PTOLEMY, who rendered himself master of Egypt. Some of these had already been cast down; the rest were to follow. Calmet gives this interpretation, and vindicates it at length.

Cambridge Bible on Zechariah 1:20

20. the Lord] Jehovah, from whom the whole series of visions proceeded, Zechariah 1:7. four carpenters] Rather, artificers, or workmen; (smiths, R. V.). The word is used of working in wood, but also in metals and in stone. Isaiah 44:12-13; 2 Samuel 5:11. There is no ground for the idea that these artificers represent angelic ministries. They rather indicate generally the various human agencies, corresponding in number and variety to the enemies of Israel, by the instrumentality of which those enemies should be overthrown. “Comparat gentes, quæ infestæ fuerant Judæis, cornibus: postea comparet fabris alios hostes, quorum manu et opera utitur Deus ad frangendos conatus eorum omnium, qui molesti erunt ecclesiæ.” Calvin.

Sermons on Zechariah 1:20

	Sermon	Description
	Leaving Home by Dick Brogden	Dick Brogden preaches about the true essence of Christmas, emphasizing that while it has become a season of comfort and gift-giving, the original Christmas was about God leaving th
	Dvd 16 the Time of Jacobs Trouble by Art Katz	This sermon delves into the prophetic insights regarding God's dealings with the Jewish people in the last days, focusing on the time of Jacob's trouble as foretold in Jeremiah 30.
	Glimpses of the Future - Part 4 by Derek Prince	This sermon delves into various prophetic glimpses of the future, focusing on events related to Israel, including unique tribulation, the sealing of 144,000 young Israelis, Israel'
	Prophecy and World Events by Dave Hunt	This sermon delves into the theological implications of prophecy as it relates to world events, emphasizing the unique nature of Bible prophecy and its fulfillment in current times
	The Place of Israel in God's Purposes - Part 1 by Derek Prince	This sermon by Derek Prince focuses on the unique position of Israel in God's purposes, highlighting the historical and prophetic significance of the Jewish people. Derek emphasize
	(Amos) Raising Up the Ruins by David Guzik	In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes that the judgment of God is inescapable. He compares God to a boss of a demolition squad or a commander of an invading army, showing that Go
	Studies in Zechariah 08 Zechariah 9: by John W. Bramhall	In this sermon, the speaker focuses on the book of Zechariah and its four divisions. The first division emphasizes the call for national repentance among God's covenant people, Isr