“Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.”
Therefore, who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain; and he shall bring forth the top stone amid shouts of 'Grace, grace to it!'\u2014establishing that the obstacles and impediments to reconstruction (symbolized as a great mountain) will be removed before Zerubbabel and the temple will be completed and dedicated. The mountain represents the difficulties, opposition, and material challenges facing the rebuilding effort; the transformation to a plain suggests that what appeared insurmountable will be leveled and removed. The bringing forth of the top stone (the capstone, final stone) signifies the completion of the structure; the shouts of grace accompanying this act establish that completion is not merely human achievement but the occasion for acknowledging God's grace. The designation of Zerubbabel as the agent who brings forth the stone indicates his role in completing the temple, but the preceding oracle establishes that his effectiveness depends on the Spirit. This verse combines encouragement with reminder: the work will be completed because the Spirit empowers it, transforming obstacles into plains and enabling the rejoicing of completion.
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