Zechariah 6
Berean Standard Bible · Compare translations · 519 BC – 518 BC · Return & rebuilding · Tap a verse to copy, share or highlight ·
15 verses · 374 words · ~2 min read · ~2 min listen
The Vision of the Four Chariots
1And again I lifted up my eyes and saw four chariots coming out from between two mountains—mountains of bronze. 2The first chariot had red horses, the second black horses, 3the third white horses, and the fourth dappled horses—all of them strong.
4So I inquired of the angel who was speaking with me, “What are these, my lord?”
5And the angel told me, “These are the four spirits of heaven, going forth from their station before the Lord of all the earth. 6The one with the black horses is going toward the land of the north, the one with the white horses toward the west, and the one with the dappled horses toward the south.”
7As the strong horses went out, they were eager to go and patrol the earth; and the Lord said, “Go and patrol the earth.” So they patrolled the earth.
8Then the Lord summoned me and said, “Behold, those going to the land of the north have given rest to My Spirit in the land of the north.”
The Crown and the Temple
9The word of the Lord also came to me, saying, 10“Take an offering from the exiles—from Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah, who have arrived from Babylon—and go that same day to the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah. 11Take silver and gold, make an ornate crown, and set it on the head of the high priest, Joshua son of Jehozadak.
12And you are to tell him that this is what the Lord of Hosts says: ‘Here is a man whose name is the Branch, and He will branch out from His place and build the temple of the Lord. 13Yes, He will build the temple of the Lord; He will be clothed in splendor and will sit on His throne and rule. And He will be a priest on His throne, and there will be peaceful counsel between the two.’
14The crown will reside in the temple of the Lord as a memorial to Helem, Tobijah, Jedaiah, and the gracious son of Zephaniah. 15Even those far away will come and build the temple of the Lord, and you will know that the Lord of Hosts has sent Me to you. This will happen if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God.”
Footnotes (6)
- a v5 Or winds
- b v6 Or the one with the white horses after them
- c v11 Jehozadak is a variant of Jozadak; see Ezra 3:2.
- d v13 Or And there will be a priest on His throne
- e v14 Hebrew; Syriac Heldai; see verse 10.
- f v14 Or and Hen; Syriac and Josiah; see verse 10.
Study notes on this chapter · 1
A righteous Branch for David
Jeremiah promises that God will raise up for David a righteous Branch who will reign wisely and do justice in the land, and Zechariah speaks of a Branch who will build the temple. The New Testament does not quote these verses, but Paul says Jesus was descended from David, and Revelation calls him the root and descendant of David.
When: Jeremiah, c. 600–586 BC; Zechariah, c. 520 BC.
Ways people read this (3)
- Christian reading: a title for the Messiah, the ideal king from David's line.
- Some see a first reference to Zerubbabel (Zechariah 3–4, 6), a descendant of David who rebuilt the temple.
- Jewish tradition has read these passages as promising a human Davidic king in the future.
Editorial note by BibleWay. Interpretations vary; dates are approximate scholarly estimates.