11:4: These are the two oil trees … that stand before the Lord of the
earth.
Zechariah 4:14 in rabbinic literature. The two olive trees are
understood to refer to the following:
1. Moses and Aaron. — Exodus Rabbah 15 (76B): “These are the two sons
of oil who stand by the Lord of the whole earth” (Zech 4:14). R. Levi (ca. 300)
said, “This teaches that God searched again and again for some reason he could
redeem the Israelites. Yet he found nothing until he found the merit of Moses
and Aaron, and this assisted them; this is what is written, ‘These are the two
sons of oil’ (Zech 4:14).”
2. Aaron and David. — Numbers Rabbah 18 (184B): R. Levi (ca. 300)
said, “Why did Korah rebel against Moses?” He said, “I am a son of oil, the son
of Izhar (Exod 6:21), and Izhar means oil (see Deut 7:13); and with all liquids
into which oil is put, the latter is found as the uppermost. And not only this
but also it is written, ‘These are the two sons of oil who stand by the Lord of
the whole earth’ (Zech 4:14). Yet does oil have sons? This refers to Aaron and
David who were anointed with the oil of anointing. Aaron received the
priesthood and David the kingdom. Korah said, ‘If these, who were anointed only
with oil, received the priesthood and the kingdom, should I who am (as ben
Izhar) a son of oil, not be anointed and become priest and king?’ Immediately
he rebelled against Moses.” ‖ Sifra Leviticus 7:35 (172A): This is the
anointing of Aaron and the anointing of his sons (so Midr. Lev. 7:35, by
interpreting משחה = “anointing”) … R. Judah (ca. 150) said,
“Do Aaron and his sons need the oil of anointing also in the future (or are all
Aaron’s successors anointed in Aaron at the same time)? Scripture teaches,
‘This is the anointing of Aaron and the anointing of his sons’ (Lev 7:35; i.e.,
in Aaron all his successors are anointed for all times). Yet how do I then
maintain, ‘These are the two sons of oil who stand by the Lord of the whole
earth’ (Zech 4:14)?” (From the passage it appears to follow that each particular
high priest and king had to be anointed!) This refers to Aaron and David (as
representatives of the priesthood and kingdom). ‖ Midrash Lamentations 1:16
(58A): “Over this אלה
I weep” (Lam 1:16). R. Nehemiah (ca. 150) said, “Over the ceasing of the
priesthood and the kingdom. This is what ‘These אלה
are the two sons of oil who stand by the Lord of the whole earth’ (Zech 4:14)
means. These are Aaron and David: Aaron pleads concerning his priesthood, and
David pleads concerning his kingdom.”
3. Zerubbabel and Joshua. — Targum Zechariah 4:14: “These (Zerubbabel
and Joshua) are the two sons (descendants) of the princes who stand before the
Lord of the whole earth.” — The “princes” are David and Aaron, who are called
“oil” יצהר because they were anointed with the holy
oil of anointing. Their “sons” are Zerubbabel and Joshua as the holders of the
kingdom and priesthood at the time.
4. The righteous and the scholars. — Jerusalem Talmud Maʿaśer Šeni
5.56C.46: It is written, “These are the two sons of oil who stand by the Lord
of the whole earth” (Zech 4:14). R. Abbahu (ca. 300) said, “R. Yohanan († 279)
and R. Simeon b. Laqish (ca. 250) were of different opinions about this. The
one said, ‘This refers to those who come before God forcefully (insisting on
their right).’ And the other said, ‘This refers to those who come before God in
the power of the fulfillments of the commandments and good works.’ ” — The
reason for this interpretation appears to have been given by the expression עמד על, which was understood according to the
rabbinic עמד
על רגליו
= “to tread firmly.” ‖ Babylonian Talmud Sanhedrin 24A: “The two sons of oil”
(Zech 4:14). R. Isaac (ca. 300) said, “These are the students of the scholars
in the land of Israel, who are smooth like olive oil toward each other in the
halakah. ‘And two olive trees above’ (Zech 4:3): these are the students of the
scholars in Babylon, who are bitter (sharp) like an olive leaf toward each
other in the halakah.”
5. The Messiah and the high priest of the messianic age. — See ͗Abot
R. Nat. 34 (9A) at § Heb 7:20ff., #1.
6. The Messiah b. David and the Messiah b. Ephraim. — See Pesiq. Rab.
8 (30A) at § Luke 24:26, II, 1, n. d.
(Hermann L. Strack and Paul Billerbeck, A Commentary on the New
Testament from the Talmud and Midrash, ed. Jacob N. Cerone, 4 vols. [trans.
Andrew Bowden and Joseph Longarino; Bellingham, Wash.: Lexham Press, 2021], 3:949-50)
