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

3to the third white horses, and to the fourth spotted horses, all of them strong. 4Then I asked the angelic messenger who was speaking with me, “What are these, sir?” The messenger replied, “These are the four spirits of heaven that have been presenting themselves before the Lord of all the earth. 6The chariot with the black horses is going to the north country and the white ones are going after them, but the spotted ones are going to the south country. 7All these strong ones are scattering; they have sought permission to go and walk about over the earth.” The Lord had said, “Go! Walk about over the earth!” So they are doing so.

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 1:10Then the man standing among the myrtle trees spoke up and said, “These are the ones whom the Lord has sent to walk about on the earth.”
• Psalms 68:17God has countless chariots; they number in the thousands. The Lord comes from Sinai in holy splendor.
• Psalms 104:3and lays the beams of the upper rooms of his palace on the rain clouds. He makes the clouds his chariot, and travels along on the wings of the wind.
• Ezekiel 1:5In the fire were what looked like four living beings. In their appearance they had human form,
• Ezekiel 10:9As I watched, I noticed four wheels by the cherubim, one wheel beside each cherub; the wheels gleamed like jasper.
• Ezekiel 11:22Then the cherubim spread their wings with their wheels alongside them while the glory of the God of Israel hovered above them.
• Hebrews 1:7And he says of the angels, “He makes his angels spirits and his ministers a flame of fire,”
• Revelation 14:6Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, and he had an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth – to every nation, tribe, language, and people.
• 1 Kings 19:11The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord. Look, the Lord is ready to pass by.” A very powerful wind went before the Lord, digging into the mountain and causing landslides, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the windstorm there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.
• Psalms 148:8O fire and hail, snow and clouds, O stormy wind that carries out his orders,
• Daniel 7:2Daniel explained: “I was watching in my vision during the night as the four winds of the sky were stirring up the great sea.
• Zechariah 4:10For who dares make light of small beginnings? These seven eyes will joyfully look on the tin tablet in Zerubbabel’s hand. (These are the eyes of the Lord, which constantly range across the whole earth.)
• 1 Kings 22:19Micaiah said, “That being the case, hear the word of the Lord. I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, with all the heavenly assembly standing on his right and on his left.
• 2 Chronicles 18:18Micaiah said, “That being the case, hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, with all the heavenly assembly standing on his right and on his left.
• Job 1:6Now the day came when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord – and Satan also arrived among them.
• Job 2:1Again the day came when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also arrived 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