Zechariah 6:1

Zechariah 6:1

Vision of the Four Chariots

1 Then I turned and raised my eyes and looked, and behold, four chariots were coming from between two mountains, and the mountains were mountains of bronze.

2 With the first chariot were ^ared horses, with the second chariot ^bblack horses,

3 with the third chariot white horses, and with the fourth chariot dappled horses—strong steeds.

4 Then I answered ^aand said to the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?”

5 And the angel answered and said to me, ^a“These are four spirits of heaven, who go out from their ^bstation before the Lord of all the earth.

6 The one with the black horses is going to ^athe north country, the white are going after them, and the dappled are going toward the south country.”

7 Then the strong steeds went out, eager to go, that they might ^awalk to and fro throughout the earth. And He said, “Go, walk to and fro throughout the earth.” So they walked to and fro throughout the earth.

8 And He called to me, and spoke to me, saying, “See, those who go toward the north country have given rest to My ^aSpirit in the north country.”

The Command to Crown Joshua

9 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying:

10 “Receive the gift from the captives—from Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah, who have come from Babylon—and go the same day and enter the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah.

11 Take the silver and gold, make ^aan elaborate crown, and set it on the head of ^bJoshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest.

12 Then speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, saying:
“Behold, ^athe Man whose name is the ^bBRANCH!
From His place He shall¹ branch out,
^cAnd He shall build the temple of the Lord;

13 Yes, He shall build the temple of the Lord.
He ^ashall bear the glory,
And shall sit and rule on His throne;
So ^bHe shall be a priest on His throne,
And the counsel of peace shall be between¹ them both.” ’

14 “Now the¹ elaborate crown shall be ^afor a memorial in the temple of the Lord² for Helem, Tobijah, Jedaiah, and Hen the son of Zephaniah.

15 Even ^athose from afar shall come and build the temple of the Lord. Then you shall know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me to you. And this shall come to pass if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God.”

Commentaries:

Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown

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EIGHTH VISION. THE FOUR CHARIOTS. (Zechariah 6:1-8)

four chariots—symbolizing the various dispensations of Providence towards the Gentile nations which had been more or less brought into contact with Judea; especially in punishing Babylon. Compare Zechariah 6:8 ("the north country," that is, Babylon); Zechariah 1:15; Zechariah 2:6. The number "four" is specified not merely in reference to the four quarters of the horizon (implying universal judgments), but in allusion to the four world kingdoms of Daniel.

from between two mountains—the valley of Jehoshaphat, between Moriah and Mount Olivet [MOORE]; or the valley between Zion and Moriah, where the Lord is (Zechariah 2:10), and whence He sends forth His ministers of judgment on the heathen [MAURER]. The temple on Mount Moriah is the symbol of the theocracy; hence the nearest spot accessible to chariots in the valley below is the most suitable for a vision affecting Judah in relation to the Gentile world powers. The chariot is the symbol of war, and so of judgments.

of brass—the metal among the ancients representing hard solidity; so the immovable and resistless firmness of God's people (compare Jeremiah 1:18). CALVIN explains the "two mountains" thus: The secret purpose of God from eternity does not come forth to view before the execution, but is hidden and kept back irresistibly till the fit time, as it were between lofty mountains; the chariots are the various changes wrought in nations, which, as swift heralds, announce to us what before we knew not. The "two" may thus correspond to the number of the "olive trees" (Zechariah 4:3); the allusion to the "two mountains" near the temple is not necessarily excluded in this view. HENDERSON explains them to be the Medo-Persian kingdom, represented by the "two horns" (Daniel 8:3-4), now employed to execute God's purpose in punishing the nations; but the prophecy reaches far beyond those times.

**Other Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown entries containing Zechariah 6:1:**

Zechariah 1:18
Zechariah 6:1
Zechariah 6:5
Revelation 6:2

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Zechariah 6:2 >>

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