And I said: Since the prophet’s words are a question, it may be helpful to indicate this in the introductory words, and say, “I asked” (as in Moffatt, New English Bible/ Revised English Bible, Good News Translation, New International Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Bible en français courant, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente).

For comments on the angel who talked with me, see verse 1.

What are these, my lord?: These may refer to the olive trees (Baldwin, Petersen), the lamps (Driver), or, more probably, both (Mitchell, Merrill). Several translations convey the sense that it refers to both by saying “these things” (Good News Translation) or “those things” (Jerusalem Bible/New Jerusalem Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). The question is about meaning rather than identity. Good News Translation makes this clear by saying, “What do these things stand for, sir?” and Contemporary English Version has “But, sir, what do these mean?” Translators could also say, “Sir, what does all this mean?” as do Bible en français courant and Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente.

The Hebrew word for lord is not the personal name of God here. It is simply a polite form of address, and is adequately translated into English as “sir” (Moffatt, New English Bible/ Revised English Bible, Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version).

Quoted with permission from Clark, David J. & Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Zechariah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2002. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .