The Four Chariots: God's Judgments Abroad
Zechariah 6:1-8
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Zec.6.1 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ואשב: VERB,qal,perf,1,m,sg
- ואשא: VERB,qal,impf,1,?,sg
- עיני: NOUN,f,pl,cons+1s
- ואראה: VERB,qal,imperfect,1,com,sg
- והנה: ADV
- ארבע: NUM,card,f
- מרכבות: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- יצאות: VERB,qal,ptc,3,f,pl
- מבין: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- שני: NUM,m,pl,construct
- ההרים: NOUN,m,pl,def
- וההרים: CONJ+NOUN,m,pl,def
- הרי: NOUN,m,pl,def
- נחשת: NOUN,f,sg,abs
Parallels
- Zechariah 1:8 (verbal): Uses the same visionary formula ('I lifted up mine eyes, and saw') and horse/horseman imagery that frames the earlier vision in Zechariah, creating a close verbal echo.
- Zechariah 1:7-11 (thematic): Earlier vision of horses and riders ('red horses among myrtle trees' and patrols over the earth) develops the motif of heavenly horsemen/agents found again in the four chariots.
- Revelation 6:1-8 (allusion): Both passages present four mounted figures (or chariots) functioning as divine agents who bring judgment or execute God's purposes—likely a later literary echo of the Zecharian imagery.
- 2 Kings 2:11 (thematic): The chariot and horses of fire that take Elijah into heaven share striking visual parallels with prophetic chariot imagery—divine, otherworldly vehicles bridging heaven and earth.
- Ezekiel 1:15-21 (structural): Ezekiel's vision of living creatures and moving wheels presents a comparable visionary structure: fourfold, mobile heavenly agents whose movement and ubiquity resemble Zechariah's chariots.
Alternative generated candidates
- And I sat and lifted up my eyes and looked; behold, four chariots came out from between two mountains, and the mountains were bronze.
- I turned and lifted up my eyes and saw—behold, four chariots were coming out from between two mountains, and the mountains were mountains of bronze.
Zec.6.2 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- במרכבה: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- הראשנה: ADJ,f,sg,def
- סוסים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- אדמים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- ובמרכבה: CONJ+PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- השנית: ADJ,ord,f,sg,def
- סוסים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- שחרים: ADJ,m,pl,abs
Parallels
- Zechariah 1:8 (verbal): Same vision motif and similar wording — a man among the myrtle trees with horses of specific colors (including a red horse), linking the colored-horse imagery to Zechariah’s earlier oracle.
- Zechariah 1:11 (verbal): Reports that the riders of the horses go to and fro through the earth; connects directly with the function of the chariot-horses in Zech 6 as agents sent throughout the land.
- Zechariah 6:3 (structural): Immediate parallel within the same vision describing the third and fourth chariots and their horses (white and dappled), completing the set of colored horses and showing the full four‑chariot configuration.
- Revelation 6:1–8 (allusion): Four horsemen on horses of different colors (white, red, black, pale) form a closely related apocalyptic motif; Revelation appears to echo Zechariah’s multi‑colored equine imagery and their roles in divine judgment/movement over the earth.
- Habakkuk 1:8 (thematic): Uses swift, terrifying horses as instruments of violence sent out over the land — a similar prophetic trope of horses as divine/warrior agents executing judgment.
Alternative generated candidates
- In the first chariot were red horses, and in the second chariot black horses.
- In the first chariot were red horses; in the second chariot, black horses.
Zec.6.3 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ובמרכבה: CONJ+PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- השלשית: ADJ,f,sg,def
- סוסים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- לבנים: PREP+NOUN,m,pl,abs
- ובמרכבה: CONJ+PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- הרבעית: ADJ,f,sg,abs
- סוסים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- ברדים: ADJ,m,pl,abs
- אמצים: ADJ,m,pl,abs
Parallels
- Rev.6:1-8 (verbal): Four horsemen with horses of different colors (white, red, black, pale) — direct verbal and thematic correspondence to Zechariah’s four chariots/horses.
- Zech.1:8 (verbal): Earlier Zechariah vision explicitly mentions ‘red horses’ among myrtle trees — repeats the motif of colored horses in Zechariah’s visions.
- Ezek.1:15-21 (structural): Vision of living creatures and interlocking wheels moving in four directions — structural parallel to chariots sent out to the four points of the earth.
- Ps.68:17 (thematic): ‘The chariots of God are twenty thousand’ — theme of divine chariots and heavenly forces accompanying Yahweh’s presence.
- Isa.66:15 (thematic): The Lord comes ‘with fire…and with his chariots like a whirlwind’ — prophetic image of divine judgment associated with chariots/war-horses.
Alternative generated candidates
- And in the third chariot were white horses, and in the fourth chariot dappled, strong horses.
- In the third chariot were white horses; and in the fourth chariot were dappled, powerful horses.
Zec.6.4 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ואען: VERB,qal,impf,1,_,sg
- ואמר: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,sg
- אל: NEG
- המלאך: NOUN,m,sg,def
- הדבר: NOUN,m,sg,def
- בי: PREP+PRON,1,sg
- מה: PRON,int
- אלה: DEM,pl,abs
- אדני: NOUN,m,sg,abs,1,sg
Parallels
- Zech.1.9 (verbal): Same wording and situation in the same book: the prophet replies to an angel with the formula 'What are these, my lord?' when asking for the meaning of a vision.
- Dan.8.15-16 (thematic): Daniel, distressed by a vision, seeks its meaning and an angel (Gabriel) is sent to explain — parallels Zechariah's question to an angel and the request for interpretation.
- Rev.7.13-14 (thematic): A seer asks (or prompts an explanation about) the identity of figures in a vision and receives authoritative clarification — similar Q&A about the identity and role of visionary figures.
- Zech.4.1-2 (structural): Another angel–seer exchange in Zechariah where the angel prompts the prophet ('What do you see?') and the prophet reports the vision — parallels the dialogic reporting and interpretive pattern in 6:4.
Alternative generated candidates
- And I answered and said to the angel who was speaking with me, 'What are these, my lord?'
- I answered and said to the angel who had been speaking with me, "What are these, my lord?"
Zec.6.5 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויען: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- המלאך: NOUN,m,sg,def
- ויאמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- אלי: PREP+PRON,1,sg
- אלה: DEM,pl,abs
- ארבע: NUM,card,f
- רחות: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- השמים: NOUN,m,pl,def
- יוצאות: VERB,qal,ptcp,3,f,pl
- מהתיצב: PREP+VERB,hith,perf,3,m,sg
- על: PREP
- אדון: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- כל: DET
- הארץ: NOUN,f,sg,def
Parallels
- Daniel 7:2-3 (verbal): Explicit mention of the 'four winds of heaven' that stir the sea and bring forth four beasts — a close verbal and thematic parallel to 'four spirits (winds) of the heavens' sent forth.
- Revelation 7:1 (allusion): Four angels standing at the four corners of the earth holding back the four winds — an apocalyptic echo of heavenly agents controlling the winds/spirits sent over the earth.
- Zechariah 6:6 (structural): Immediate continuation within the same vision: the chariots are identified as 'the spirits of the heavens' — a direct explanatory parallel within Zechariah's narrative.
- Psalm 104:4 (verbal): Describes God's angels as 'spirits' (or 'winds') — a theological parallel in terminology for heavenly agents sent by God.
- Ezekiel 37:9-10 (verbal): Calls for breath/spirit to come 'from the four winds' to vivify the dead — uses the same motif of spirits/winds coming from the four directions as agents of God's action.
Alternative generated candidates
- And the angel answered and said to me, 'These are the four spirits of the heavens that go forth, standing before the Lord of all the earth.'
- And the angel answered and said to me, "These are the four spirits of heaven, going forth from their standing before the Lord of all the earth."
Zec.6.6 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- אשר: PRON,rel
- בה: PREP+PRON,3,f,sg
- הסוסים: NOUN,m,pl,def
- השחרים: ADJ,m,pl,def
- יצאים: VERB,qal,ptc,3,mp,pl
- אל: NEG
- ארץ: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- צפון: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- והלבנים: CONJ+ADJ,m,pl,def
- יצאו: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,pl
- אל: NEG
- אחריהם: PREP,3,m,pl
- והברדים: CONJ+NOUN,m,pl,def
- יצאו: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,pl
- אל: NEG
- ארץ: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- התימן: NOUN,m,sg,def
Parallels
- Zechariah 1:8 (verbal): Same prophetic vision vocabulary of horses of different colors going about the land; both passages portray mounted figures/horses as agents surveying Israel.
- Revelation 6:1-8 (verbal): Series of horses of specific colors (white, red, black, pale) whose movements bring cosmic judgment — echoes the colored-horse motif and directional/missional movement.
- Revelation 19:11-16 (thematic): Imagery of a rider on a white horse who executes divine rule/judgment recalls the motif of horses as instruments of God's action and sovereign intervention.
- 2 Kings 6:15-17 (thematic): Vision of chariots/armies of heaven protecting God's servant (Elisha) — parallels the idea of heavenly steeds/chariots functioning as divine agents sent across the land.
Alternative generated candidates
- By them the black horses went out to the land of the north, and the white ones followed after them; and the dappled ones went out to the land of the south.
- The black horses went out toward the land of the north; the white ones followed after them; and the dappled ones went out toward the land of the south.
Zec.6.7 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- והאמצים: CONJ+NOUN,m,pl,def
- יצאו: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,pl
- ויבקשו: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,pl
- ללכת: VERB,qal,inf
- להתהלך: VERB,hitpael,inf
- בארץ: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,def
- ויאמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- לכו: VERB,qal,imp,2,m,pl
- התהלכו: VERB,hitp,perf,3,m,pl
- בארץ: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,def
- ותתהלכנה: CONJ+VERB,hithpael,impf,3,f,pl
- בארץ: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,def
Parallels
- Zechiah 6:5 (structural): Immediate context: identifies the four chariots as 'the four spirits of heaven, which go forth,' directly explaining the agents who 'went forth' and 'walked to and fro in the earth.'
- Zechariah 1:8-11 (thematic): Earlier vision in Zechariah of horses/chariots among myrtle trees and their movement; both passages depict celestial chariots/horses sent out over the earth.
- Job 1:7 (verbal): Uses the same idiom of going 'to and fro in the earth'—Satan reports he has been 'going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it,' a close verbal parallel to the movement described in Zech 6:7.
- Revelation 6:1-8 (thematic): Vision of four horsemen sent forth upon opening the seals; thematically parallels Zechariah's four chariots/spirits dispatched over the earth to carry out divine purposes.
- 1 Kings 22:19-23 (allusion): Council of heavenly spirits where a spirit volunteers to go forth as a lying spirit to entice Ahab—parallels the motif of spirits being commissioned and sent forth from the heavenly court to act on earth.
Alternative generated candidates
- And the strong ones went out and sought to go about and walk over the earth. And he said, 'Go; walk to and fro over the earth.' So they walked to and fro over the earth.
- And the powerful ones went out and sought to walk about in the land. He said, "Go—walk about in the land." So they walked about in the land.
Zec.6.8 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויזעק: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- אתי: PRON,1,sg
- וידבר: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- אלי: PREP+PRON,1,sg
- לאמר: INF,qal,infc
- ראה: VERB,qal,imperat,2,m,sg
- היוצאים: VERB,qal,ptc,act,m,pl,def
- אל: NEG
- ארץ: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- צפון: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- הניחו: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,pl
- את: PRT,acc
- רוחי: NOUN,f,sg,abs+1cs
- בארץ: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,def
- צפון: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Zech.6.6 (verbal): Immediate context: the same vision identifies 'those who go to the north country' and explicitly links the four spirits/horses with the north—the same language and idea repeated in 6:8.
- Zech.1.8-11 (thematic): Earlier Zechariah vision of horses/spirits sent to patrol the earth; parallels the motif of heavenly horses/spirits moving among the four directions and reporting back (background for 6:8).
- Rev.7.1 (structural): John's vision of four angels at the four corners holding back the four winds echoes the biblical motif of four winds/spirits sent to the earth's four quarters (similar structural imagery to Zech.'s four spirits and the north).
- Jer.50.3 (thematic): Jeremiah frequently portrays invaders (Babylon) coming 'out of the north.' Zech.'s 'north country' functions as the same geo-political/theological locus of exile and divine action.
- Ezek.37.1 (thematic): Ezekiel's opening line 'the hand of the LORD was upon me'/'the Spirit brought me' uses ruach/spirit to describe prophetic movement and action—paralleling Zechariah's use of 'my spirit' moving to or resting in the north in a visionary context.
Alternative generated candidates
- And he cried to me and spoke to me, saying, 'Look: those who go toward the land of the north—leave my spirit in the land of the north.'
- Then he called to me and spoke to me, saying, "Look: those going out to the land of the north—let my spirit remain in the land of the north."
And I sat and lifted up my eyes and saw, and behold: four chariots came out from between two mountains; and the mountains were of bronze.
In the first chariot were red horses, and in the second chariot black horses. And in the third chariot were white horses, and in the fourth chariot dappled, strong horses. And I answered and said to the angel who was speaking with me, "What are these, my lord?" And the angel answered and said to me, "These are the four spirits of the heavens that go out from standing in the presence of the Lord of all the earth."
The black horses went out toward the land of the north; the white ones followed after them; and the dappled ones went out toward the land of the south. And the strong ones went out and sought to go to patrol the earth. And he said, "Go, patrol the earth." So they patrolled the earth. And he called to me and spoke to me, saying, "See: those who go out to the land of the north—let my spirit remain in the land of the north."