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Zechariah 6
Contemporary English Version
Zechariah 6
Contemporary English Version
Eighth Vision: Four Chariots
6 Finally, I looked up and saw four chariots coming from between two bronze mountains. 2 (A) The first chariot was pulled by red horses, and the second by black horses; 3 (B) the third chariot was pulled by white horses, and the fourth by spotted gray[a] horses.
4 “Sir,” I asked the angel. “What do these stand for?”
5 (C) Then he explained, “These are the four winds[b] of heaven, and now they are going out, after presenting themselves to the Lord of all the earth. 6 The chariot with black horses goes toward the north, the chariot with white horses goes toward the west,[c] and the one with spotted horses goes toward the south.”
7 The horses came out eager to patrol the earth, and the angel told them, “Start patrolling the earth.”
When they had gone on their way, 8 he shouted to me, “Those that have gone to the country in the north will do what the Lord's Spirit[d] wants them to do there.”[e]
The Chosen Leader
9 The Lord said to me:
10-11 Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah have returned from Babylonia. Collect enough silver and gold from them to make a crown.[f] Then go with them to the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah and put the crown on the head of the high priest Joshua son of Jehozadak.[g] 12-13 (D) Tell him that I, the Lord All-Powerful, say, “Someone will reach out from here like a branch and build a temple for me. I will name him ‘Branch,’ and he will rule with royal honors. A priest will stand beside his throne,[h] and the two of them will be good friends. 14 This crown will be kept in my temple as a reminder and will be taken care of by Heldai,[i] Tobijah, Jedaiah, and Josiah.”[j]
15 When people from distant lands come and help build the temple of the Lord All-Powerful, you will know that the Lord is the one who sent me. And this will happen, if you truly obey the Lord your God.
Footnotes
- 6.3 spotted gray: Or “strong.”
- 6.5 winds: Or “spirits.” The Hebrew word may mean either.
- 6.6 goes toward the west: Or “follows behind.”
- 6.8 Lord's Spirit: Or “Lord.”
- 6.8 will do … to do there: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 6.10,11 a crown: Two ancient translations; Hebrew “some crowns.”
- 6.10,11 Heldai … Jehozadak: Or “Go to the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah, where you will find Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah, who have returned from Babylonia. Collect enough silver and gold from them to make a crown. Then put it on the head of the high priest Joshua son of Jehozadak.”
- 6.12,13 stand beside his throne: Or “sit on a throne.”
- 6.14 Heldai: One ancient translation; Hebrew “Helem.”
- 6.14 Josiah: One ancient translation; Hebrew “Hen.”
Zechariah 6
New International Version
Zechariah 6
New International Version
Four Chariots
6 I looked up again, and there before me were four chariots(A) coming out from between two mountains—mountains of bronze. 2 The first chariot had red horses, the second black,(B) 3 the third white,(C) 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](D) of heaven, going out from standing in the presence of the Lord of the whole world.(E) 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.(F) 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(G) in the land of the north.”(H)
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.(I) Go the same day to the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah. 11 Take the silver and gold and make a crown,(J) and set it on the head of the high priest, Joshua(K) son of Jozadak.[d](L) 12 Tell him this is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Here is the man whose name is the Branch,(M) and he will branch out from his place and build the temple of the Lord.(N) 13 It is he who will build the temple of the Lord, and he will be clothed with majesty and will sit and rule on his throne. And he[e] will be a priest(O) on his throne. And there will be harmony between the two.’ 14 The crown will be given to Heldai,[f] Tobijah, Jedaiah and Hen[g] son of Zephaniah as a memorial(P) in the temple of the Lord. 15 Those who are far away will come and help to build the temple of the Lord,(Q) and you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you.(R) This will happen if you diligently obey(S) the Lord your God.”
Footnotes
- Zechariah 6:5 Or winds
- Zechariah 6:6 Or horses after them
- Zechariah 6:8 Or spirit
- Zechariah 6:11 Hebrew Jehozadak, a variant of Jozadak
- Zechariah 6:13 Or there
- Zechariah 6:14 Syriac; Hebrew Helem
- Zechariah 6:14 Or and the gracious one, the
Zechariah 6
King James Version
Zechariah 6
King James Version
6 And I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came four chariots out from between two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of brass.
2 In the first chariot were red horses; and in the second chariot black horses;
3 And in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot grisled and bay horses.
4 Then I answered and said unto the angel that talked with me, What are these, my lord?
5 And the angel answered and said unto me, These are the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth.
6 The black horses which are therein go forth into the north country; and the white go forth after them; and the grisled go forth toward the south country.
7 And the bay went forth, and sought to go that they might walk to and fro through the earth: and he said, Get you hence, walk to and fro through the earth. So they walked to and fro through the earth.
8 Then cried he upon me, and spake unto me, saying, Behold, these that go toward the north country have quieted my spirit in the north country.
9 And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
10 Take of them of the captivity, even of Heldai, of Tobijah, and of Jedaiah, which are come from Babylon, and come thou the same day, and go into the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah;
11 Then take silver and gold, and make crowns, and set them upon the head of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest;
12 And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The Branch; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord:
13 Even he shall build the temple of the Lord; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.
14 And the crowns shall be to Helem, and to Tobijah, and to Jedaiah, and to Hen the son of Zephaniah, for a memorial in the temple of the Lord.
15 And they that are far off shall come and build in the temple of the Lord, and ye shall know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto you. And this shall come to pass, if ye will diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God.
Contemporary English Version (CEV) 
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New International Version (NIV) 
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