Zechariah 6
1 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.
World Behind This Chapter
Explore the people, places, language, history, and material world connected to Zechariah 6.
Do the four chariots match the four horsemen in chapter 1?
Both visions feature differently colored horses sent through the earth, creating a frame around the night-vision sequence. Chapter 6 adds chariots, bronze mountains, and winds or spirits, so the scenes correspond without being identical.
Why is a crown placed on the high priest Joshua?
The text describes making crowns, then placing a crown on Joshua, while speaking about the Branch who will build the temple. The relationship among Joshua, Zerubbabel, priesthood, and royal imagery is one of the chapter’s most debated textual and historical questions.
Was the crown meant to remain in the temple?
After the sign-act, the crown is to become a memorial in the temple for named participants. The object therefore moves from temporary performance to lasting commemoration, though no such crown has survived or been identified archaeologically.
WORTH A CLOSER LOOK
Trace how eight visions form one sequence
Compare the horse patrol in 1:7–17 with the chariots in 6:1–8: both send colored horses through the earth. Between them, track movement from threats against Jerusalem to priestly and civic restoration. The repeated interpreting messenger, questions, and transitions help test where one vision ends and another begins.
Research PathsCurated links for exploring this chapter 3
History & Daily Life1
- Judean Communities under Achaemenid Persian RuleEncyclopaedia Iranica
Scholarly overview of Jewish communities under Achaemenid rule, including Persian imperial policy, the return from Babylonian exile, temple reconstruction, provincial administration, and the growing authority of priests and governors. This setting illuminates the unusual crowning of Joshua the high priest and Zechariah’s effort to coordinate priestly and royal expectations.
Language & Literature1
- Zechariah 6 in Hebrew and EnglishMechon Mamre
Presents the Hebrew chapter beside an English translation. Useful for studying the colored horses, chariots, four winds or spirits, land of the north, crown or crowns, Joshua, the Branch, temple building, throne, priesthood, and the promise that distant people would participate in reconstruction.
Artifacts & Manuscripts1
- Achaemenid Gold Model ChariotBritish Museum
Visible Achaemenid gold model of a chariot drawn by four horses and carrying two figures. Produced within the wider Persian imperial world of Zechariah, it helps readers visualize the four horse-drawn chariots sent toward different regions in the chapter’s final night vision.
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