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 white horses, and the fourth dappled horses—all of them strong. 4So I inquired of the angel who was speaking with me, “What are these, my lord?” And the angel told me, “These are the four spirits of heaven, going forth from their station before the Lord of all the earth. 6The one with the black horses is going toward the land of the north, the one with the white horses toward the west, and the one with the dappled horses toward the south.” 7As the strong horses went out, they were eager to go and patrol the earth; and the LORD said, “Go and patrol the earth.” So they patrolled the earth.

Zechariah 6:5 word by word

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

• Andעָנָה‛ânâh · to answerH6030
• the angelמַלְאָךְmal'âk · messenger: angelH4397
• toldאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• meאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
• Theseאֵ֫לֶּה'êlleh · theseH428
• are the fourאַרְבַּע'arba‛ 'arbâ‛âh · fourH702
• spiritsרוּחַrûach · spirit: breathH7307
• of heavenשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064
• going forthיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
• from their stationיָצַבyâtsab · to standH3320
• beforeעַל‛al · uponH5921
• the Lordאָדוֹן'âdôn 'âdôn · lordH113
• of allכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
• the earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776

Cross-references for Zechariah 6:5

• Zechariah 1:10Then the man standing among the myrtle trees explained, “They are the ones the LORD has sent to patrol the earth.”
• Psalms 68:17The chariots of God are tens of thousands— thousands of thousands are they; the Lord is in His sanctuary as He was at Sinai.
• Psalms 104:3laying the beams of His chambers in the waters above, making the clouds His chariot, walking on the wings of the wind.
• Ezekiel 1:5and within it was the form of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: They had a human form,
• Ezekiel 10:9Then I looked and saw four wheels beside the cherubim, one wheel beside each cherub. And the wheels gleamed like a beryl stone.
• Ezekiel 11:22Then the cherubim, with the wheels beside them, spread their wings, and the glory of the God of Israel was above them.
• Hebrews 1:7Now about the angels He says: “He makes His angels winds, His servants flames of fire.”
• Revelation 14:6Then I saw another angel flying overhead, with the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation and tribe and tongue and people.
• 1 Kings 19:11Then the LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD. Behold, the LORD is about to pass by.” And a great and mighty wind tore into the mountains and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake.
• Psalms 148:8lightning and hail, snow and clouds, powerful wind fulfilling His word,
• Daniel 7:2Daniel declared: “In my vision in the night I looked, and suddenly the four winds of heaven were churning up the great sea.
• Zechariah 4:10For who has despised the day of small things? But these seven eyes of the LORD, which scan the whole earth, will rejoice when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel.”
• 1 Kings 22:19Micaiah continued, “Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by Him on His right and on His left.
• 2 Chronicles 18:18Micaiah continued, “Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing on His right and on His left.
• Job 1:6One day the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them.
• Job 2:1On another day the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them to present himself before Him.

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