Zechariah 6:5

Zechariah 6:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)The angel answered me, “These are the four spirits of heaven, going out from standing in the presence of the Lord of the whole world.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And the angel answered and said to me, "These are going out to the four winds of heaven, after presenting themselves before the Lord of all the earth.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And the angel answered and said to me, “These are four spirits of heaven, who go out from their station before the Lord of all the earth.

Context of Zechariah 6:5

3the third chariot had white horses (victory), and the fourth chariot had strong dappled horses (death through judgment). 4Then I said to the angel who was speaking with me, “What are these, my lord?” The angel answered me, “These are the four spirits of the heavens, which go out after presenting themselves before the Lord of all the earth, 6with the chariot with the black horses going toward the north country; then the one with the white horses follows after them [because there are two northern powers to overcome], and the chariot with the dappled horses goes toward the south country.” 7When the strong horses went out, they were eager to patrol the earth. And the Lord said, “Go, patrol the earth.” So they patrolled the earth [watching and protecting it].

Zechariah 6:5 word by word

וַיַּ֥עַן הַמַּלְאָ֖ךְ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֑י אֵ֗לֶּה אַרְבַּע֙ רֻח֣וֹת הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם יוֹצְא֕וֹת מֵֽהִתְיַצֵּ֖ב עַל־אֲד֥וֹן כָּל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And the angelמַלְאָךְmal'âk · messenger: angelH4397
• answeredעָנָה‛ânâh · to answerH6030
• and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• the fourאַרְבַּע'arba‛ 'arbâ‛âh · fourH702
• spiritsרוּחַrûach · spirit: breathH7307
• of the heavensשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064
• which go forthיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
• from standingיָצַבyâtsab · to standH3320
• before the Lordאָדוֹן'âdôn 'âdôn · lordH113
• of all the earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776

Cross-references for Zechariah 6:5

• Zechariah 1:10And the Man who stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, “These are the ones whom the Lord has sent to go throughout the earth and patrol it.”
• Psalms 68:17The chariots of God are myriads, thousands upon thousands; The Lord is among them as He was at Sinai, in holiness.
• Psalms 104:3Who lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters [above the firmament], Who makes the clouds His chariot, Who walks on the wings of the wind,
• Ezekiel 1:5Within it there were figures resembling four living beings. And this was their appearance: they had human form.
• Ezekiel 10:9Then I looked and behold, [there were] four wheels beside the cherubim, one wheel beside one cherub and another wheel beside each other cherub; and the appearance of the wheels was like a sparkling Tarshish stone (beryl).
• Ezekiel 11:22Then the cherubim lifted up their wings with the wheels beside them, and the [Shekinah] glory of the God of Israel hovered over them.
• Hebrews 1:7And concerning the angels He says, “Who makes His angels winds, And His ministering servants flames of fire [to do His bidding].”
• Revelation 14:6Then I saw another angel flying in midheaven, with an eternal gospel to preach to the inhabitants of the earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people;
• 1 Kings 19:11So He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord was passing by, and a great and powerful wind was tearing out the mountains and breaking the rocks in pieces before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind, [there was] an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.
• Psalms 148:8Lightning and hail, snow and fog; Stormy wind, fulfilling His orders;
• Daniel 7:2Daniel said, “I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea (the nations).
• Zechariah 4:10Who [with reason] despises the day of small things (beginnings)? For these seven [eyes] shall rejoice when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. They are the eyes of the Lord which roam throughout the earth.”
• 1 Kings 22:19Micaiah said, “Therefore, hear the word of the Lord. I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the host (army) of heaven standing by Him on His right hand and on His left.
• 2 Chronicles 18:18So Micaiah said, “Therefore, hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the host (army) of heaven standing on His right and on His left.
• Job 1:6Now there was a day when the sons of God (angels) came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan (adversary, accuser) also came among them.
• Job 2:1Again there was a day when the sons of God (angels) came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan (adversary, accuser) also came among them to present himself before the Lord.

Commentaries on Zechariah 6:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5The four spirits of the heavens - Ministers of God's wrath against the sinful nations of the world.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5These are the four spirits of the heavens - They cannot be literal winds: for spirits, not winds, stand before God, as His servants, as in Job, “the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord” (Job 1:6; Job 2:1. This they did, (Jerome), “for these four kingdoms did nothing without the will of God.” Zechariah sums up in one, what former prophets had said separately of the Assyrian, the Babylonian, Egyptian, Persian. “O Assyria, the rod of Mine…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5The four spirits (or the four winds) are members of a divine council. They report to God after their missions to the four directions of the earth (see Zechariah 2:6). God rules over the entire world. The teams of chariot horses carry out God's judgment.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. four spirits of the heavens--heavenly spirits who "stand before Jehovah" to receive God's commands (Zec 4:14; 1Ki 22:19; Job 2:1; Lu 1:19) in heaven (of which Zion is the counterpart on earth, see on Zec 6:1), and proceed with chariot speed (2Ki 6:17; Psa 68:17) to execute them on earth in its four various quarters (Psa 104:4; He 1:7, 14) [Pembellus]. Or, the secret impulses of God which emanate from His counsel and providence; the prophet implies that…Read the comment

Topics related to Zechariah 6:5

• Angel (a Spirit)
• Vision

In the dictionaries

• Angel
• Bible, the
• Chariot
• Four
• Joshua (3)
• Zechariah, Book of
• earth, land

Commentaries on Zechariah 6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings