Zechariah 4:9 - Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

The hands; perhaps (as is customary) he did lay the first stone with his own hands; or rather, his direction, and command, and under his conduct. Have laid the foundation, in the second year of Cyrus, perhaps forty years ago, likelier seventeen, but be those years more or less, he shall finish it: thus the prophet expressly promiseth from the Lord, both continuance of Zerubbabel's life, care, and power, as also his success in this work, to encourage both him and the Jews. And thou, whoever thou art that dost hear me, both Zerubbabel and all among the Jews, shalt know, shall be fully assured, and certainly know, that the Lord of hosts, God of truth and mercy, our God from our fathers, who remembers his covenant, hath sent me, commanded me to preach these things, unto you, returned captives and poor builders of this stately and magnificent house.