Zechariah 4:6 (GNV)

Passage

Then he answered and spake vnto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord vnto Zerubbabel, saying, Neither by an armie nor strength, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hostes.

Nearby Context

Zechariah 4:4 So I answered, and spake to the Angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my Lord?

Zechariah 4:5 Then the Angel that talked with mee, answered and said vnto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my Lord.

Zechariah 4:6 Then he answered and spake vnto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord vnto Zerubbabel, saying, Neither by an armie nor strength, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hostes.

Zechariah 4:7 Who art thou, O great mountaine, before Zerubbabel? thou shalt be a plaine, and he shall bring foorth the head stone thereof, with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace vnto it.

Zechariah 4:8 Moreouer, the word of the Lord came vnto me, saying,

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "Spirit", "answered", "spake", "vnto", "saying", "word", "lord", and "zerubbabel". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "Spirit" and "answered", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 5's "Then the Angel that talked with mee..." into verse 7's "Who art thou O great mountaine before...", so "Spirit" and "answered" belong inside that flow. In Zechariah context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "Spirit" and "answered" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.