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 had white horses. And the fourth had strong, spotted horses. 4I asked the angel who was speaking with me, “What do these horses mean, sir?” The angel answered, “They are the four spirits of heaven. They are going out after standing in the presence of the Lord of the whole earth. 6The chariot with the black horses is going toward the north, and the white horses are following them. The spotted ones are going toward the south.” 7When these strong horses went out, they were eager to patrol the earth. He said, “Go, patrol the earth!” And 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

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 1:10The man standing among the myrtle trees explained, “They’re the horses the Lord has sent to patrol the earth.”
• Psalms 68:17The chariots of God are twenty thousand in number, thousands upon thousands. The Lord is among them. ⌞The God of⌟ Sinai is in his holy place.
• Psalms 104:3You lay the beams of your home in the water. You use the clouds for your chariot. You move on the wings of the wind.
• Ezekiel 1:5In the center of the cloud I saw what looked like four living creatures. They were shaped like humans,
• Ezekiel 10:9As I looked, I saw four wheels beside the angels, one wheel beside each of the angels. The wheels looked like beryl.
• Ezekiel 11:22Then the angels raised their wings, with the wheels beside them. The glory of the God of Israel was above them.
• Hebrews 1:7God said about the angels, “He makes his messengers winds. He makes his servants flames of fire.”
• Revelation 14:6I saw another angel flying overhead with the everlasting Good News to spread to those who live on earth—to every nation, tribe, language, and people.
• 1 Kings 19:11God said, “Go out and stand in front of the Lord on the mountain.” As the Lord was passing by, a fierce wind tore mountains and shattered rocks ahead of the Lord. But the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind came an earthquake. But the Lord wasn’t in the earthquake.
• Psalms 148:8lightning and hail, snow and fog, strong winds that obey his commands,
• Daniel 7:2In my visions at night I, Daniel, saw the four winds of heaven stirring up the Mediterranean Sea.
• Zechariah 4:10Who despised the day when little things began to happen? They will be delighted when they see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand. (These seven eyes of the Lord roam over all the earth.)”
• 1 Kings 22:19Micaiah added, “Then hear the Lord’s word. I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and the entire army of heaven was standing near him on his right and his left.
• 2 Chronicles 18:18Micaiah added, “Then hear the Lord’s word. I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and the entire army of heaven was standing on his right and his left.
• Job 1:6One day when the sons of God came to stand in front of the Lord, Satan the Accuser came along with them.
• Job 2:1One day when the sons of God came to stand in front of the Lord, Satan the Accuser came along with them.

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