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

3with the third chariot white horses, and with the fourth chariot strong dappled horses. 4Then I spoke and said to the angel who was speaking with me, “What are these, my lord?” The angel replied to me, “These are the four spirits of heaven, going forth after standing before the Lord of all the earth, 6with one of which the black horses are going forth to the north country; and the white ones go forth after them, while the dappled ones go forth to the south country. 7When the strong ones went out, they were eager to go to patrol the earth.” And He said, “Go, 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

• The angelמַלְאָךְmal'âk · messenger: angelH4397
• repliedעָנָה‛ânâh · to answerH6030
• to me, “Theseאֵ֫לֶּה'êlleh · theseH428
• fourאַרְבַּע'arba‛ 'arbâ‛âh · fourH702
• spiritsרוּחַrûach · spirit: breathH7307
• of heavenשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064
• goingיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
• forthיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
• afterמִן־min minnîy minnêy · fromH4480
• standingיָצַבyâtsab · to standH3320
• beforeעַל‛al · uponH5921
• the Lordאֲדֹנָי'ădônây · LordH136
• of allכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
• the earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776

Cross-references for Zechariah 6:5

• Zechariah 1:10And the man who was standing among the myrtle trees answered and said, “These are those whom the Lord has sent to patrol the earth.”
• Psalms 68:17The chariots of God are myriads, thousands upon thousands; The Lord is among them as at Sinai, in holiness.
• Psalms 104:3He lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters; He makes the clouds His chariot; He walks upon 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, four wheels beside the cherubim, one wheel beside each cherub; and the appearance of the wheels was like the gleam of a Tarshish stone.
• Ezekiel 11:22Then the cherubim lifted up their wings with the wheels beside them, and the glory of the God of Israel hovered over them.
• Hebrews 1:7And of the angels He says, “Who makes His angels winds, And His ministers a flame of fire.”
• Revelation 14:6And I saw another angel flying in midheaven, having an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people;
• 1 Kings 19:11So He said, “Go forth and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord was passing by! And a great and strong wind was rending the mountains and breaking in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.
• Psalms 148:8Fire and hail, snow and clouds; Stormy wind, fulfilling His word;
• Daniel 7:2Daniel said, “I was looking in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea.
• Zechariah 4:10For who has despised the day of small things? But these seven will be glad when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel--these are the eyes of the Lord which range to and fro 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 of heaven standing by Him on His right and on His left.
• 2 Chronicles 18:18Micaiah said, “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 1:6Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them.
• Job 2:1Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan 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