Zechariah 6
International Standard Version
The Vision of the Four Chariots
6 Then I looked up and saw four chariots coming out from between two mountains! And the mountains were made of brass! 2 Attached to the first chariot were red horses. Attached to the second chariot were black horses. 3 Attached to the third chariot were white horses. Attached to the fourth chariot were speckled horses and gray[a] horses. 4 In response, I asked the angel who had been talking with me, “Sir, what are these?”
5 The angel told me, “These are four heavenly spirits that are going out on patrol after having presented themselves to the Lord of the whole earth. 6 The black horses are headed into the north country, and the white ones are headed out after them. The speckled horses are headed toward the south country.”
7 Then the gray horses went out. They were eager to go out on patrol throughout the earth, so the angel[b] said, “Go patrol the earth.” So they went out on patrol throughout the earth.
8 Then he called to me, “Look! The horses that went north have caused my spirit to rest in the north country.”
The Future Prosperity of the Branch
9 Then this message from the Lord came to me: 10 “Go take up an offering[c] from those who came out of[d] the Babylonian[e] exile, that is, from Heldai, from Tobijah, and from Jedaiah. Go along with them today into the house of Zephaniah’s son Josiah, who returned from Babylon. 11 Take silver and gold and fashion crowns to set upon the head of Joshua son of Johozadak, the High Priest. 12 Then tell him, ‘This is what the Lord of the Heavenly Armies says: “Here is the man whose name is The Branch.[f] He will branch out from where he is and will rebuild the Temple of the Lord. 13 Yes, he will indeed rebuild the Temple of the Lord, and he will exalt its majesty by sitting and ruling on his throne. He will serve as priest on his throne, and no contention[g] will exist between them. 14 The crowns will go to Helem, to Tobijah, to Jedaiah, and to Zephaniah’s son Hen, as a memorial in the Temple of the Lord. 15 Those who are now far away will come and do reconstruction work in the Temple of the Lord. Then you will know that the Lord of the Heavenly Armies has sent me to you. This will come about if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God.”’”
Footnotes
- Zechariah 6:3 Or strong
- Zechariah 6:7 Lit. he
- Zechariah 6:10 The Heb. lacks an offering
- Zechariah 6:10 The Heb. lacks those who came out of
- Zechariah 6:10 The Heb. lacks Babylonian
- Zechariah 6:12 i.e. Zerubbabel; cf. Zech 3:8
- Zechariah 6:13 Lit. and peaceful counsel
Zechariah 6
Lexham English Bible
Zechariah’s Eighth Vision
6 I looked up again,[a] and I saw, and look!—four chariots coming out from between two mountains, and the mountains were mountains of bronze. 2 With the first chariot there were red horses, and with the second chariot there were black horses. 3 And with the third chariot there were white horses, and with the fourth chariot there were strong[b] dappled horses. 4 And I answered and said to the angel that was talking to me, “What are these, my lord?” 5 And the angel answered and said to me, “These are the four winds[c] of the heavens going out after presenting themselves before the Lord of all the earth. 6 The one with[d] the black horses is going out to the north country, and the white horses go after them,[e] while the dappled ones go to the south country.” 7 When the strong horses went out, they were anxious to go to patrol the earth. And he[f] said, “Go, patrol the earth.” And they patrolled the earth. 8 And he cried out to me and said to me, “See those going out to the north country have set my spirit at rest in the north country.”
The Branch is Crowned
9 And the word of Yahweh came to me, saying, 10 “Collect[g] from the exiles—from Heldai, Tobijah, and from Jedaiah, all of whom came from Babylon—and go on that day, go to the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah. 11 Take the silver and gold and make a crown, and set it on the head of Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. 12 And say to him, ‘Thus says Yahweh of hosts: “Look, here is a man whose name is Branch,[h] and from his place he will sprout, and he will build the temple of Yahweh. 13 And he will build the temple of Yahweh, and he will bear majesty and will sit and rule on his throne. And he shall be a priest on his throne, and the counsel of peace will be between the two of them.”’[i] 14 And the crown will be for Helem,[j] for Tobijah, for Jedaiah, and for Hen[k] son of Zephaniah, as a memorial in the temple of Yahweh. 15 And those who are far off will come and build the temple of Yahweh, and you will know that Yahweh of hosts has sent me to you. And it will happen if you will listen diligently to the voice of Yahweh your God.”
Footnotes
- Zechariah 6:1 Literally “I did again, I lifted up my eyes”
- Zechariah 6:3 Other ancient versions read “grey” here
- Zechariah 6:5 Or “spirits” (The same Hebrew word can be translated “wind” or “spirit” depending on the context)
- Zechariah 6:6 Literally “Her with which”
- Zechariah 6:6 Some interpret the word “after” to indicate a westward direction
- Zechariah 6:7 That is, “Lord of all the earth”
- Zechariah 6:10 The imperative “Collect” has no object; many translations supply “silver and gold” or “an offering”
- Zechariah 6:12 Hebrew “Sprout” or “Shoot” (“Branch” is a traditional rendering in English)
- Zechariah 6:13 That is, between king and priest
- Zechariah 6:14 “Helem” is probably another name for Heldai (v. 10)
- Zechariah 6:14 “Hen” is frequently understood as a reference to Josiah (v. 10)
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