Zechariah 6

Zechariah · Chapter 6

Zechariah 6:1

1And I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came four chariots out from between two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of brass.2In the first chariot were red horses; and in the second chariot black horses;3And in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot grisled and bay horses.4Then I answered and said unto the angel that talked with me, What are these, my lord?5And 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.6The black horses which are therein go forth into the north country; and the white go forth after them; and the grisled go forth toward the south country.7And the bay went forth, and sought to go that they might walk to and fro through the earth: and he said, Get you hence, walk to and fro through the earth. So they walked to and fro through the earth.8Then cried he upon me, and spake unto me, saying, Behold, these that go toward the north country have quieted my spirit in the north country.9And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,10Take of them of the captivity, even of Heldai, of Tobijah, and of Jedaiah, which are come from Babylon, and come thou the same day, and go into the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah;11Then take silver and gold, and make crowns, and set them upon the head of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest;12And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD:13Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.14And the crowns shall be to Helem, and to Tobijah, and to Jedaiah, and to Hen the son of Zephaniah, for a memorial in the temple of the LORD.15And they that are far off shall come and build in the temple of the LORD, and ye shall know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you. And this shall come to pass, if ye will diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
1And I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came four chariots out from between two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of brass.And again I lifted up my eyes and saw four chariots coming out from between two mountains—mountains of bronze.And again I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there came four chariots out from between two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of brass.

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

This verse opens the last of Zechariah's eight night visions. He sees four chariots come out from between two bronze mountains. The angel then explains that the chariots are "the four spirits of the heavens" that go out from standing before the LORD of all the earth. Zechariah 6:1Zechariah 6:5Zechariah overview

SpeakingThe prophet Zechariah, son of Berechiah, tells what he saw. Zechariah overviewZechariah 6:1

ToThe people of Judah who had come back from exile in Babylon, with Zerubbabel the governor and Joshua the high priest. Zechariah overview

Also involvedThe chariots go out toward the north country, the south country, and through the whole earth. So the vision concerns the lands around Judah, not Judah alone. Zechariah 6:6Zechariah 6:7Zechariah 6:8

Zechariah looks up and sees four chariots coming out between two mountains of bronze. The chariots are pulled by red, black, white, and grisled and bay horses. They go out at the LORD's command and walk to and fro through the earth. Zechariah 6:1Zechariah 6:2Zechariah 6:3Zechariah 6:5Zechariah 6:7

Zechariah lived and prophesied in Jerusalem among the returned exiles. The vision itself shows a heavenly scene. The text does not say where the two mountains stand. Zechariah overviewZechariah 6:1Zechariah 6:5

JUDAHMediterranean SeaJerusalemTyreSidonDamascusHamath 1GazaAshdodMegiddo

The eventsThe vision came during the rebuilding of the temple. That was after the exiles returned and work on the temple had stalled. Zechariah overview

WrittenTraditional view: Zechariah wrote it between about 520 and 518 BC, in the reign of Darius of Persia. Scholarly view: most scholars agree that chapters 1-8, which include this verse, come from Zechariah in those years. Zechariah overview

HereThe vision shows that God's agents go out from his presence and carry out his will across the earth. Of those that went north, the LORD says they "have quieted my spirit in the north country." Zechariah 6:5Zechariah 6:8

In the whole of ScriptureThis is the last of the eight night visions in 1:7-6:8. It opens with the same words as the vision of the four horns, "lifted I up mine eyes, and saw, and behold," and there too the angel explains what Zechariah sees. Right after this vision, the crowning of Joshua points to the BRANCH who will build the temple. Zechariah overviewZechariah 1:18Zechariah 1:19Zechariah 6:12Zechariah 6:13

For readersThe LORD is "Lord of all the earth," and his purposes over the nations cannot be turned back. Scripture says this elsewhere too: "the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it?" Zechariah 6:5Isaiah 14:26Isaiah 14:27

Christians read this differently

The angel explains the chariots (6:5), but no cited Scripture says what the two bronze mountains stand for. One reading links them to God's fixed purpose and counsel, which cannot be overturned (Isaiah 14:26-27; Acts 4:28; Ephesians 1:11). Another reading sees them as the gateway of God's presence, since the chariots "go forth from standing before the LORD." Zechariah 6:1Zechariah 6:5Isaiah 14:27Acts 4:28Ephesians 1:11

  • brassנְחֹ֫שֶׁת
    Hebrew · ne.cho.shet · H5178A

    The word means copper or bronze, a copper alloy. So the mountains in the vision are mountains of bronze. Strong's H5178AZechariah 6:1

  • came outיָצָא
    Hebrew · ya.tsa · H3318G

    The word means to go or come forth, including to come or go forth with purpose. The same idea returns when the angel says the spirits "go forth from standing before the LORD" and go toward the north and south. The chariots are sent out on a mission. Strong's H3318GZechariah 6:5Zechariah 6:6

Takeaway

Zechariah 6:1 opens a vision of four chariots, which the angel names as heavenly spirits sent from God's presence. They go out to carry out his will over all the earth. For returned exiles rebuilding the temple, it was assurance that the Lord of all the earth was at work. Zechariah 6:1Zechariah 6:5Zechariah 6:7Zechariah overview

Drafted by AI from the Scripture and data shown under “Show sources,” then checked automatically and by a second AI pass. Updated 2026-10-28.

The world around the text

Behind this verse

Riders on patrol
The Persian kings kept mounted messengers stationed along their roads. Herodotus says nothing mortal travels faster. Zechariah sees horsemen sent "to walk to and fro through the earth." Zechariah 1:8-11Zechariah 6:7Herodotus, Histories 8.98

About 520-518 BC. King of Persia: Darius I (522-486 BC). Where Zechariah prophesied. A small, poor community was rebuilding the temple among the ruins of the city Babylon had burned.

Who ruled
  • King of PersiaDarius I522-486 BC

    Zechariah dates his messages by the years of Darius. Darius confirmed Cyrus's decree and ordered the temple work to go on at royal expense. Zechariah 1:1Zechariah 7:1Ezra 6:1-12Haggai 1:1Behistun Inscription

  • Governor of JudahZerubbabelc. 520 BC

    A descendant of David who led the rebuilding. "The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it." Zechariah 4:6-10Haggai 1:1Ezra 3:8

  • High priestJoshua the high priestc. 520 BC

    Called Jeshua in Ezra. He stands in Zechariah's vision clothed in filthy garments, which are taken away, and later receives crowns as a sign. Zechariah 3:1-10Zechariah 6:11Haggai 1:1Ezra 3:2

  • Persian governor "on this side the river"Tattenaic. 520 BC

    The governor of the province west of the Euphrates. He asked who had allowed the building, wrote to Darius, and was told to let the work go on. Ezra 5:3-6Ezra 6:6-13

What was happening, 539 BC to 332 BC
  1. 539 BC
    WarBabylon falls to Cyrus

    Cyrus king of Persia took Babylon, ending the empire that had destroyed Jerusalem. Daniel 5:30-31Nabonidus Chronicle (ABC 7)Cyrus Cylinder

  2. 538 BC
    God's peopleThe first return

    Cyrus let the exiles go home to build the LORD's house. About fifty thousand returned with Zerubbabel and Jeshua. Ezra 1:1-4Ezra 2:1-2Ezra 2:64-65

  3. c. 536 BC
    God's peopleThe foundation is laid, then the work stops

    The returned exiles laid the temple's foundation with shouting and weeping. Opposition from their neighbors stopped the work until the second year of Darius. Ezra 3:10-13Ezra 4:4-5Ezra 4:24

  4. 525 BC
    WarPersia conquers Egypt

    Cyrus's son Cambyses invaded and took Egypt, bringing the whole region from the Nile to the Indus under one king. Herodotus, Histories 3.1-16

  5. 522-521 BC
    WarDarius crushes the revolts

    When Darius took the throne, provinces across the empire rebelled, Babylon twice. By 520 he had put them all down. Compare the riders' report in Zechariah's first vision: "all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest." Behistun InscriptionHerodotus, Histories 3.150-159Zechariah 1:11

  6. 520 BC
    God's peopleHaggai and Zechariah stir the people to build

    In Darius's second year the two prophets urged the people to take up the temple work again, and Zerubbabel and Jeshua began to build. Ezra 5:1-2Haggai 1:1-15Zechariah 1:1

  7. c. 520-519 BC
    RulersDarius confirms Cyrus's decree

    Tattenai questioned the building. A search found Cyrus's decree at Achmetha, and Darius ordered the work to continue and be paid for from royal taxes. Ezra 5:3-6:12

  8. 515 BC
    BuildingThe second temple is finished

    The temple was finished on the third day of Adar in Darius's sixth year and dedicated with joy. Ezra 6:14-18Zechariah 4:9

  9. 490-479 BC
    WarPersia's wars with Greece

    Persia invaded Greece twice and was turned back at Marathon (490), Salamis (480) and Plataea (479). Greece, which Zechariah names in 9:13, was becoming Persia's great rival. Herodotus, Histories 6.102-117Herodotus, Histories 8.40-96Herodotus, Histories 9.1-89Zechariah 9:13

  10. 445 BC
    BuildingNehemiah rebuilds Jerusalem's walls

    Under the Persian king Artaxerxes, Nehemiah came from Shushan and rebuilt the walls in fifty-two days. Nehemiah 2:1-8Nehemiah 6:15

  11. 332 BC
    WarAlexander takes Tyre and Gaza

    Alexander the Great besieged island Tyre for seven months and then Gaza for two, on his way to Egypt. Zechariah 9 speaks of Tyre's "strong hold" and of Gaza, Ashkelon, Ekron and Ashdod. Arrian, Anabasis of Alexander 2.15-27Zechariah 9:3-7

The full picture: places, culture and daily life. Scripture first, then ancient records (the Behistun Inscription, the Cyrus Cylinder, the Babylonian Chronicles) and ancient writers (Herodotus, Arrian, Josephus). Drafted by Claude and not yet reviewed by a person.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
and I returnedוָאָשֻׁ֗בva-'a-SHUVH7725J
to return: return

שׁוּב (shuv) : return 1) to return, turn back 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to turn back, return 1a1a) to turn back 1a1b) to return, come or go back 1a1c) to return unto, go back, come back 1a1d) of dying 1a1e) of human relations (fig) 1a1f) of spiritual relations (fig) 1a1f1) to turn back (from God), apostatise 1a1f2) to turn away (of God) 1a1f3) to turn back (to God), repent 1a1f4) turn back (from evil) 1a1g) of inanimate things 1a1h) in repetition 1b) (Polel) 1b1) to bring back 1b2) to restore, refresh, repair (fig) 1b3) to lead away (enticingly) 1b4) to show turning, apostatise 1c) (Pual) restored (participle) …

and I lifted upוָאֶשָּׂ֤אva-'e-SA'H5375M
to lift: raise

נָשָׂא (na.sa) : raise/take_up 1) to lift, bear up, carry, take 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to lift, lift up 1a2) to bear, carry, support, sustain, endure 1a3) to take, take away, carry off, forgive 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be lifted up, be exalted 1b2) to lift oneself up, rise up 1b3) to be borne, be carried 1b4) to be taken away, be carried off, be swept away 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to lift up, exalt, support, aid, assist 1c2) to desire, long (fig.) 1c3) to carry, bear continuously 1c4) to take, take away 1d) (Hithpael) to lift oneself up, exalt oneself 1e) (Hiphil) 1e1) to cause one to bear (iniquity) …

eyes myעֵינַי֙'ei-NAIH5869A
eye

עַ֫יִן (a.yin) : eye 1) eye 1a) eye 1a1) of physical eye 1a2) as showing mental qualities 1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)

and I sawוָֽאֶרְאֶ֔הva-'er-'EHH7200G
to see: see

רָאָה (ra.ah) : see/show 1) to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to see 1a2) to see, perceive 1a3) to see, have vision 1a4) to look at, see, regard, look after, see after, learn about, observe, watch, look upon, look out, find out 1a5) to see, observe, consider, look at, give attention to, discern, distinguish 1a6) to look at, gaze at 1a7) to provide, choose 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to appear, present oneself 1b2) to be seen 1b3) to be visible 1c) (Pual) to be seen 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to cause to see, show 1d2) to cause to look intently at, behold, cause to gaze at 1e) (Hophal) …

and there!וְהִנֵּ֨הve-hi-NEHH2009
behold

הִנֵּה (hin.neh) behold, lo, see, if

fourאַרְבַּ֤ע'ar-BA'H0702
four

אַרְבַּע (ar.ba) four

chariotsמַרְכָּבוֹת֙mar-ka-VOTH4818
chariot

מֶרְכָּבָה (mer.ka.vah) chariot

[were] coming forthיֹֽצְא֔וֹתyo-tze-'otH3318G
to come out: come

יָצָא (ya.tsa) : come/go_out/escape 1) to go out, come out, exit, go forth 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to go or come out or forth, depart 1a2) to go forth (to a place) 1a3) to go forward, proceed to (to or toward something) 1a4) to come or go forth (with purpose or for result) 1a5) to come out of 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out 1b2) to bring out of 1b3) to lead out 1b4) to deliver 1c) (Hophal) to be brought out or forth

from betweenמִבֵּ֖יןmi-BEINH0996G
between

בַּ֫יִן (ba.yin) : between between, among, in the midst of (with other preps), from between

[the] twoשְׁנֵ֣יshe-NEIH8147
two

שְׁנַ֫יִם (she.na.yim) 1) two 1a) two (the cardinal number) 1a1) two, both, double, twice 1b) second (the ordinal number) 1c) in combination with other numbers 1d) both (a dual number)

the mountainsהֶֽהָרִ֑יםhe-ha-RIMH2022G
mountain: mount

הַר (har) : mount/hill hill, mountain, hill country, mount

and the mountainsוְהֶהָרִ֖יםve-he-ha-RIMH2022G
mountain: mount

הַר (har) : mount/hill hill, mountain, hill country, mount

[were] mountains ofהָרֵ֥יha-REIH2022G
mountain: mount

הַר (har) : mount/hill hill, mountain, hill country, mount

bronzeנְחֹֽשֶׁת׃ne-CHO-shetH5178A
bronze

נְחֹ֫שֶׁת (ne.cho.shet) 1) copper, bronze 1a) copper (ore), bronze (as copper alloy) 1b) fetters (of copper or bronze) 1c) copper (as value)

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.