Zechariah 6:2-12

2 The first chariot had red horses, the second black,

3 the third white, and the fourth dappled—all of them powerful.

4 I asked the angel who was speaking to me, “What are these, my lord?”

5 The angel answered me, “These are the four spirits^[a] of heaven, going out from standing in the presence of the Lord of the whole world.

6 The one with the black horses is going toward the north country, the one with the white horses toward the west,^[b] and the one with the dappled horses toward the south.”

7 When the powerful horses went out, they were straining to go throughout the earth. And he said, “Go throughout the earth!” So they went throughout the earth.

8 Then he called to me, “Look, those going toward the north country have given my Spirit^[c] rest in the land of the north.”

A Crown for Joshua

9 The word of the LORD came to me:

10 “Take silver and gold from the exiles Heldai, Tobijah and Jedaiah, who have arrived from Babylon. Go the same day 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 the high priest, Joshua son of Jozadak.^[d]

12 Tell him this is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Here is the man whose name is the Branch, and he will branch out from his place and build the temple of the LORD.

Zechariah 6:2-12 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ZECHARIAH 6

This chapter contains a vision of four chariots, and the explanation of it; and an order to make crowns of gold and silver for certain uses mentioned; and a famous prophecy concerning the Messiah as the builder of the temple, the church. The chariots are described by their number, four; by the place, the mountains, from whence they came out; and by the different colour of the horses in each of them, Zec 6:1-3 upon the prophets inquiry what these were, an explanation is given of them; and they are said to be the four spirits of the heavens; and are described by their situation, standing before the Lord of the whole earth; by their mission from him; by each of the places to which they were sent; and by their success, or by the good effects produced, at least by some of them, Zec 6:4-8 then follows the order to make the crowns; and it is declared what they should be made of, gold and silver; from whom they were to be had, and who were to be concerned herein; and what was to be done with them; they were to be put upon the head of Joshua the high priest, Zec 6:9-11 who, being an eminent type of Christ, a prophecy concerning him is ordered to be delivered to him; who is described by his name, the man, the Branch; by the place he should grow up from; by the work he should do, building the temple of the Lord; by the glory he should have on account of it; and by the offices of King, Priest, and Prophet, he should execute, Zec 6:12,13 and after this was done, then the crowns were to be laid up in the temple of the Lord for a memorial, by the four men above mentioned, Zec 6:14 and though the Messiah is the chief builder of the temple, the church, yet it is suggested that others, and even Gentiles, should come and build in it; and which when done, it would be evident that the prophet had his mission to the Jews of the Lord; and the chapter is closed with a promise of the accomplishment of all this, should they diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord, Zec 6:15.

Cross References

• 1. Revelation 6:5
• 2. Revelation 6:2
• 3. S Ezekiel 37:9; Matthew 24:31; Revelation 7:1
• 4. S Joshua 3:11
• 5. Isaiah 43:6; Zechariah 1:8; Zechariah 1:10
• 6. S Ezekiel 5:13; S Ezekiel 24:13
• 7. S Zechariah 1:10
• 8. Ezra 7:14-16; Jeremiah 28:6
• 9. Psalms 21:3
• 10. S Ezra 2:2; S Zechariah 3:1
• 11. S 1 Chronicles 6:15; S Ezra 3:2
• 12. S Isaiah 4:2; S Ezekiel 17:22; Zechariah 3:8
• 13. Ezra 3:8-10; Zechariah 4:6-9

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "winds"
• [b]. Or "horses after them"
• [c]. Or "spirit"
• [d]. Hebrew "Jehozadak" , a variant of "Jozadak"