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Eighth night vision

I looked up again
    and saw four chariots coming out from between two mountains;
            the mountains were made of bronze.
        The first chariot had red horses,
        and the second chariot had black horses.
        The third chariot had white horses,
        and the fourth chariot had horses that were heavily spotted.
I responded and said to the messenger speaking with me,
    “What are these, sir?”
The messenger answered and said to me,
    “These are the four winds of heaven that are going out
        after presenting themselves to the Lord of all the earth.
The one with the black horses is going to the north country;
        the white ones are going to the west;[a]
        and the spotted ones are going south.”
Then the powerful ones approached, intent on going to patrol the earth.
He said, “Go! Patrol the earth!”
    So they patrolled the earth.
Then he called out and said to me,
    “Look, the ones going north have provided rest for my spirit in the north.”

The Lord’s word came to me:
10     Take silver and gold[b] from the exiles who came from Babylon,
        from Heldai, from Tobijah, and from Jedaiah.
        As for you, go that same day to the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah.
11     Take silver and gold and make a crown.[c]
        Place it on the head of the high priest Joshua, Jehozadak’s son.
12 Say to him,
    “The Lord of heavenly forces proclaims:
        Here is a man.
        His name is Branch, and he will branch out from his place;
            he will build the Lord’s temple.
13         He will build the Lord’s temple.
        He will be majestic;
            he will sit and rule on his throne.
        There will be a priest on his throne,
            and the two of them will share a peaceable plan.
14         The crown will be a memorial in the Lord’s temple
            for Helem, Tobijah, Jedaiah, and for Hen, Zephaniah’s son.
15                 People from far away will come and build the Lord’s temple
                so you might know that the Lord of heavenly forces has sent me to you.
        It will happen if you truly obey the voice of the Lord your God.”

Footnotes

  1. Zechariah 6:6 Or after them
  2. Zechariah 6:10 Heb lacks silver and gold; cf 6:11.
  3. Zechariah 6:11 LXX; Heb crowns, so also 6:14

Again I lifted up my eyes, and saw, and behold, four chariots came out from between two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of bronze. In the first chariot were red horses. In the second chariot were black horses. In the third chariot were white horses. In the fourth chariot were dappled horses, all of them powerful. Then I asked the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?”

The angel answered me, “These are the four winds of the sky, which go out from standing before the Lord of all the earth. The one with the black horses goes out toward the north country; and the white went out after them; and the dappled went out toward the south country.” The strong went out, and sought to go that they might walk back and forth through the earth. He said, “Go around and through the earth!” So they walked back and forth through the earth.

Then he called to me, and spoke to me, saying, “Behold, those who go toward the north country have quieted my spirit in the north country.”

Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, 10 “Take of them of the captivity, even of Heldai, of Tobijah, and of Jedaiah; and come the same day, and go into the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah, where they have come from Babylon. 11 Yes, take silver and gold, and make crowns, and set them on the head of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest; 12 and speak to him, saying, ‘Yahweh of Armies says, “Behold, the man whose name is the Branch! He will grow up out of his place; and he will build Yahweh’s temple. 13 He will build Yahweh’s temple. He will bear the glory, and will sit and rule on his throne. He will be a priest on his throne. The counsel of peace will be between them both. 14 The crowns shall be to Helem, to Tobijah, to Jedaiah, and to Hen the son of Zephaniah, for a memorial in Yahweh’s temple.

15 Those who are far off shall come and build in Yahweh’s temple; and you shall know that Yahweh of Armies has sent me to you. This will happen, if you will diligently obey Yahweh your God’s voice.”’”[a]

Footnotes

  1. 6:15 The Hebrew word rendered “God” is “אֱלֹהִ֑ים” (Elohim).