New King James Version
Zechariah 6:5
5And 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.
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 Living Translation (NLT)The angel replied, “These are the four spirits of heaven who stand before the Lord of all the earth. They are going out to do his work.
Context of Zechariah 6:5
3with the third chariot white horses, and with the fourth chariot dappled horses—strong steeds. 4Then I answered and said to the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?” 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. 6The one with the black horses is going to the north country, the white are going after them, and the dappled are going toward the south country.” 7Then the strong steeds went out, eager to go, that they might walk to and fro throughout the earth. And He said, “Go, walk to and fro throughout the earth.” So they walked to and fro throughout the earth.
Read all of Zechariah 6Zechariah 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 1:10And the man who stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, “These are the ones whom the Lord has sent to walk to and fro throughout the earth.”
- Psalms 68:17The chariots of God are twenty thousand, Even thousands of thousands; The Lord is among them as in Sinai, in the Holy Place.
- Psalms 104:3He lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters, Who makes the clouds His chariot, Who walks on the wings of the wind,
- Ezekiel 1:5Also from within it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man.
- Ezekiel 10:9And when I looked, there were four wheels by the cherubim, one wheel by one cherub and another wheel by each other cherub; the wheels appeared to have the color of a beryl stone.
- Ezekiel 11:22So the cherubim lifted up their wings, with the wheels beside them, and the glory of the God of Israel was high above them.
- Hebrews 1:7And of the angels He says: “Who makes His angels spirits And His ministers a flame of fire.”
- Revelation 14:6Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people—
- 1 Kings 19:11Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces 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 spoke, saying, “I saw 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? For these seven rejoice to see The plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. They are the eyes of the Lord, Which scan to and fro throughout the whole earth.”
- 1 Kings 22:19Then Micaiah said, “Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by, on His right hand and on His left.
- 2 Chronicles 18:18Then Micaiah 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 hand and 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 came also 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
In the dictionaries
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries