God’s Word Translation
Zechariah 1:8
8During that night I saw a man riding on a red horse. He was standing among the myrtle trees in a ravine. Behind him were red, chestnut, and white horses.
Zechariah 1:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)I saw by night, and behold a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in the bottom; and behind him were there red horses, speckled, and white.
- New International Version (NIV)During the night I had a vision, and there before me was a man mounted on a red horse. He was standing among the myrtle trees in a ravine. Behind him were red, brown and white horses.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"I saw in the night, and behold, a man riding on a red horse! He was standing among the myrtle trees in the glen, and behind him were red, sorrel, and white horses.
- New King James Version (NKJV)I saw by night, and behold, a man riding on a red horse, and it stood among the myrtle trees in the hollow; and behind him were horses: red, sorrel, and white.
Context of Zechariah 1:8
6Didn’t my warnings and my laws, which I’ve commanded my servants the prophets ⌞to preach⌟, finally catch up with your ancestors? Then your ancestors turned away from their sins and said, ‘The Lord of Armies has done to us what he had planned to do. He has dealt with us as our ways and deeds deserve.’ ” 7On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month (the month of Shebat) in Darius’ second year as king, the Lord spoke his word to the prophet Zechariah, who was the son of Berechiah and the grandson of Iddo. During that night I saw a man riding on a red horse. He was standing among the myrtle trees in a ravine. Behind him were red, chestnut, and white horses. 9“What do these horses mean, sir?” I asked. The angel who was speaking with me answered, “I will show you what they mean.” 10The man standing among the myrtle trees explained, “They’re the horses the Lord has sent to patrol the earth.”
Read all of Zechariah 1Zechariah 1:8 word by word
רָאִ֣יתִי׀ הַלַּ֗יְלָה וְהִנֵּה־אִישׁ֙ רֹכֵב֙ עַל־ס֣וּס אָדֹ֔ם וְה֣וּא עֹמֵ֔ד בֵּ֥ין הַהֲדַסִּ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּמְּצֻלָ֑ה וְאַחֲרָיו֙ סוּסִ֣ים אֲדֻמִּ֔ים שְׂרֻקִּ֖ים וּלְבָנִֽים׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- I sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seerH7200
- by nightלַ֫יְלָהlayil lêyl layelâh · nightH3915
- and behold a manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- ridingרָכַבrâkab · to rideH7392
- upon a redאָדֹם'âdôm · redH122
- horseסוּסsûs sûs · horseH5483
- and he stoodעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
- among the myrtle treesהֲדַסhădas · myrtleH1918
- in the bottomמְצֻלָהmetsûllâh · ravineH4699
- and behindאַחַר'achar · afterH310
- speckledשָׂרֹקώârûq · sorrelH8320
- and whiteלָבָןlâbân lâbên · whiteH3836
Cross-references for Zechariah 1:8
- Genesis 20:3God came to Abimelech in a dream one night and said to him, “You’re going to die because of the woman that you’ve taken! She’s a married woman!”
- 1 Kings 3:5In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream at night. He said, “What can I give you?”
- Job 4:13With disturbing thoughts from visions in the night, when deep sleep falls on people,
- Daniel 2:19The secret was revealed to Daniel in a vision during the night. So Daniel praised the God of heaven.
- Daniel 7:2In my visions at night I, Daniel, saw the four winds of heaven stirring up the Mediterranean Sea.
- Zechariah 13:7“Arise, sword, against my shepherd, against the man who is my friend,” declares the Lord of Armies. “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered. Then I will turn my hand against the little ones.”
- Joshua 5:13When Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you one of us or one of our enemies?”
- Psalms 45:3O warrior, strap your sword to your side with your splendor and majesty.
- Isaiah 63:1Who is this coming from Bozrah in Edom with his clothes stained bright red? Who is this dressed in splendor, going forward with great strength? “It is I, the Lord. I am coming to announce my victory. I am powerful enough to save ⌞you⌟.”
- Zechariah 6:2The first chariot had red horses. The second had black horses.
- Revelation 6:4A second horse went out. It was fiery red. Its rider was given the power to take peace away from the earth and to make people slaughter one another. So he was given a large sword.
- Revelation 19:19I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies gathered to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army.
- Isaiah 41:19I will plant cedar, acacia, myrtle, and wild olive trees in the desert. I will place cedar, fir, and cypress trees together in the wilderness.
- Isaiah 55:13Cypress trees will grow where thornbushes grew. Myrtle trees will grow where briars grew. This will be a reminder of the Lord’s name and an everlasting sign that will never be destroyed.
- Isaiah 57:15The High and Lofty One lives forever, and his name is holy. This is what he says: I live in a high and holy place. But I am with those who are crushed and humble. I will renew the spirit of those who are humble and the courage of those who are crushed.
- Revelation 2:1“To the messenger of the church in Ephesus, write: The one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, the one who walks among the seven gold lamp stands, says:
Commentaries on Zechariah 1:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8I saw by night - The time was emblematical of the affliction under which the Jews groaned. A man - An angel in the form of a man: supposed to have been the Lord Jesus; who seems to have appeared often in this way, as a prelude to his incarnation; see Joshua 5:13; Ezekiel 1:26; Daniel 7:13; Daniel 10:6. The same, probably, that appeared to Joshua with a drawn sword, as the captain of the Lord's host. Joshua 5:13-15. A red horse - An emblem of war and…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8I saw in the night - that is, that following on “the twenty-fourth day.” The darkness of the night perhaps was chosen, as agreeing with the dimness of the restored condition. Night too is, Dionysius), “through the silence of the senses and of the fancy, more suited for receiving divine revelations.” A man riding upon a red horse - The man is an angel of God, appearing in form of man, as Daniel says, “The man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-17Verses 7-17 The prophet saw a dark, shady grove, hidden by hills. This represented the low, melancholy condition of the Jewish church. A man like a warrior sat on a red horse, in the midst of this shady myrtle-grove. Though the church was in a low condition, Christ was present in the midst, ready to appear for the relief of his people. Behind him were angels ready to be employed by him, some in acts of judgment, others of mercy, others in mixed events…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8The vision during the night follows a standard pattern: an introductory statement, a description of the vision, the prophet’s request for an interpretation, and an angelic explanation. The myrtle trees were likely in the wooded Kidron Valley outside Jerusalem. The Lord had symbolically returned to the edge of the city. He had not yet entered Jerusalem because the temple was still being rebuilt. The colors of the red, brown, and white horses are not…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. by night--The Jews begin their day with sunset; therefore the night which preceded the twenty-fourth day of the month is meant (Zec 1:7). a man--Jehovah, the second person of the Trinity, manifested in man's form, an earnest of the incarnation; called the "angel of Jehovah" (Zec 1:11, 12), "Jehovah the angel of the covenant" (Mal 3:1; compare Ge 16:7 with Zec 1:13; Ge 22:11 with Zec 1:12; Ex 3:2 with Zec 1:4). Being at once divine and human, He must be…Read the comment
Topics related to Zechariah 1:8
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Zechariah 1
- 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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries