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The Lord’s Victory Throughout the Earth

I looked up again and saw four chariots going out from between the two mountains. They were mountains of bronze. The first chariot had red horses. The second had black horses. The third had white horses. And the fourth had strong, spotted horses. I asked the angel who was speaking with me, “What do these horses mean, sir?”

The angel answered, “They are the four spirits of heaven. They are going out after standing in the presence of the Adonay of the whole earth. The chariot with the black horses is going toward the north, and the white horses are following them. The spotted ones are going toward the south.”

When these strong horses went out, they were eager to patrol the earth.

He said, “Go, patrol the earth!” And they patrolled the earth.

Then he called out to me, “Look! Those who went to the north have made my Ruach rest in the north.”

Priest and King

Yahweh spoke his word to me. He said, 10 “Take an offering from the exiles Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah, who have arrived from Babylon. This same day go to the house of Josiah, son of Zephaniah. 11 Take the silver and gold, make a crown, and put it on the head of Chief Priest Joshua, son of Jehozadak. 12 Then say to him, ‘This is what Yahweh Tsebaoth says: Here is the man whose name is Branch. He will branch out from where he is, and he will rebuild Yahweh’s temple. 13 He will rebuild Yahweh’s temple and receive royal honor. He will sit and rule from his throne. He will be a priest on his throne. There will be a peaceful understanding between them. 14 The crown will be a reminder to Helem, Tobijah, Jedaiah, and Hen (son of Zephaniah) in Yahweh’s temple. 15 Those who are far away will come and rebuild Yahweh’s temple. Then you will know Yahweh Tsebaoth has sent me to you. This will happen if you obey Yahweh your Elohim completely.’”

Four Chariots

I looked up again, and there before me were four chariots(A) coming out from between two mountains—mountains of bronze. The first chariot had red horses, the second black,(B) the third white,(C) and the fourth dappled—all of them powerful. I asked the angel who was speaking to me, “What are these, my lord?”

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) 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.”

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.

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

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

  1. Zechariah 6:5 Or winds
  2. Zechariah 6:6 Or horses after them
  3. Zechariah 6:8 Or spirit
  4. Zechariah 6:11 Hebrew Jehozadak, a variant of Jozadak
  5. Zechariah 6:13 Or there
  6. Zechariah 6:14 Syriac; Hebrew Helem
  7. Zechariah 6:14 Or and the gracious one, the