Zechariah 4:10

For who dares make light of small beginnings? These seven eyes ¹  will joyfully look on the tin tablet ²  in Zerubbabel’s hand. (These are the eyes of the Lord, which constantly range across the whole earth.)

2Ch 16:9; Ezr 3:12,13; Ne 4:2-4; Job 8:7; Pr 4:18; Pr 15:3; Isa 66:11,14; Da 2:34,35; Ho 6:3; Am 7:7,8; Hag 2:3; Zec 1:10,11; Zec 3:9; Mt 13:31-33; Lu 15:5-10,32; 1Co 1:28,29; Re 5:6; Re 8:2

¹ tn Heb “these seven.” Eyes are clearly intended in the ellipsis as v. 10b shows. As in 3:9 the idea is God’s omniscience. He who knows the end from the beginning rejoices at the completion of his purposes.

² tn This term is traditionally translated “plumb line” (so NASB, NIV, NLT; cf. KJV, NRSV “plummet”), but it is more likely that the Hebrew בְּדִיל (bÿdil) is to be derived not from בָּדַל (badal), “to divide,” but from a root meaning “tin.” This finds support in the ancient Near Eastern custom of placing inscriptions on tin plates in dedicatory foundation deposits.