Zechariah 6

Zechariah · Chapter 6

Zechariah 6:10

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
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;“Take an offering from the exiles—from Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah, who have arrived from Babylon—and go that same day to the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah.Take of them of the captivity, even of Heldai, of Tobijah, and of Jedaiah; and come thou the same day, and go into the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah, whither they are come from Babylon;

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

After the eight night visions, the LORD gives Zechariah a real-life task. He is to collect from three exiles newly come from Babylon, go that same day to the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah, and use silver and gold to make crowns for Joshua the high priest. Those crowns point to the man called The BRANCH, who will build the temple of the LORD. Zechariah 6:9Zechariah 6:10Zechariah 6:11Zechariah 6:12Zechariah overview

SpeakingThe LORD speaks. His word came to Zechariah the prophet. Zechariah 6:9Zechariah overview

ToZechariah himself, who is told to take, to come, and to go. Zechariah 6:9Zechariah 6:10

Also involvedHeldai, Tobijah and Jedaiah, exiles back from Babylon, and Josiah son of Zephaniah, in whose house they meet. In verse 14 Heldai is called Helem and Josiah is called Hen. Joshua the high priest receives the crowns. Zechariah 6:10Zechariah 6:11Zechariah 6:14Strong's H2469GStrong's H2977H

Zechariah is to take an offering from men who have just returned from Babylon. The next verse shows it is silver and gold for making crowns. The crowns are then kept in the temple as a memorial to these men. Zechariah 6:10Zechariah 6:11Zechariah 6:14Strong's H3947G

The task takes place in Jerusalem among the returned people. The men had come from Babylon, a city on the Euphrates. Zechariah overviewStrong's H0894Babylon 1

JUDAHBABYLONIABabylon 1JerusalemTyreSidonDamascusHamath 1GazaAshdodMegiddo

The eventsThis comes right after the night visions, during the years when the returned exiles were rebuilding the temple under Darius king of Persia. Zechariah overview

WrittenTraditional: Zechariah wrote it, with dated messages from about 520 to 518 BC. Scholarly: most scholars agree chapters 1-8, which include this verse, come from Zechariah in 520-518 BC. Zechariah overview

HereThe gift from the exiles supplies the silver and gold for the crowns that mark Joshua as a sign of The BRANCH, who will build the LORD's temple and be a priest upon his throne. Zechariah 6:11Zechariah 6:12Zechariah 6:13

In the whole of ScriptureOther Scripture shows the same pattern of silver and gold coming from Babylon for God's house in Jerusalem. Ezra was sent with silver and gold from the province of Babylon, and the priests carried it to the house of God. Verse 15 adds that those far off will come and build in the temple. Ezra 7:16Ezra 8:26Ezra 8:30Zechariah 6:15

For readersGod takes notice of ordinary people who give, and names them. Their gift is kept as a memorial in his house. The promise is tied to a condition: it will come to pass if the people diligently obey the voice of the LORD. Zechariah 6:10Zechariah 6:14Zechariah 6:15

  • captivityגּוֹלָה
    Hebrew · go.lah · H1473

    The word means exiles or captivity, and here it refers to the exiles as a group. These givers were people who had come back from Babylon. Strong's H1473Zechariah 6:10

  • takeלָקַח
    Hebrew · la.qach · H3947G

    Its meanings include take, receive and accept. The verse does not say what is taken, but verse 11 shows it was silver and gold received from the exiles. Strong's H3947GZechariah 6:11

  • Heldaiחֶלְדַּי
    Hebrew · chel.day · H2469G

    This returning exile is also called Helem in verse 14. So the Helem who is remembered there is the same man as the Heldai who gave here. Strong's H2469GZechariah 6:14

  • Josiahחֵן
    Hebrew · chen · H2977H

    This Josiah son of Zephaniah is also called Hen, meaning "favour," in verse 14. He was a contemporary of Zerubbabel, not the earlier King Josiah. Strong's H2977HStrong's H6846IZechariah 6:14

Takeaway

The LORD used a gift from returned exiles to make crowns pointing to The BRANCH, who would build his temple. He kept their names as a memorial in his house. Zechariah 6:10Zechariah 6:12Zechariah 6:14

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

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.

Where

Locations from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Some ancient sites are uncertain.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
takeלָק֙וֹחַ֙la-KO-achH3947G
to take: take

לָקַח (la.qach) : take 1) to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to take, take in the hand 1a2) to take and carry along 1a3) to take from, take out of, take, carry away, take away 1a4) to take to or for a person, procure, get, take possession of, select, choose, take in marriage, receive, accept 1a5) to take up or upon, put upon 1a6) to fetch 1a7) to take, lead, conduct 1a8) to take, capture, seize 1a9) to take, carry off 1a10) to take (vengeance) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be captured 1b2) to be taken away, be removed …

from withמֵאֵ֣תme-'ETH0854
with

אֵת (et) 1) with, near, together with 1a) with, together with 1b) with (of relationship) 1c) near (of place) 1d) with (poss.) 1e) from...with, from (with other prep)

the exile[s]הַגּוֹלָ֔הha-go-LAHH1473
captivity

גּוֹלָה (go.lah) 1) exiles, exile, captivity 1a) exiles (coll) 1b) exile, captivity (abstract)

from Heldaiמֵחֶלְדַּ֕יme-chel-DAIH2469G
Heldai

חֶלְדַּי (chel.day) A man living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Zec.6.10; also called Helem at Zec.6.14; Also named: che.lem (חֵ֫לֶם "Helem" H2494) § Heldai = "worldly" 1) one of David's mighty warriors and the 12th captain of the monthly courses for the temple service 2) a returning exile in the time of Zechariah

and from withוּמֵאֵ֥תu-me-'ETH0854
with

אֵת (et) 1) with, near, together with 1a) with, together with 1b) with (of relationship) 1c) near (of place) 1d) with (poss.) 1e) from...with, from (with other prep)

Tobiahטוֹבִיָּ֖הtoi-YAHH2900J
Tobijah

טוֹבִיָּ֫הוּ (to.viy.yah) A man living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Zec.6.10 § Tobiah = "Jehovah is good" 1) head of a family who returned from exile with Zerubbabel but who were unable to prove their connection with Israel 2) the Ammonite who with Sanballat opposed the rebuilding of Jerusalem 3) a Levite in the reign of Jehoshaphat 4) a chief of the returning exiles

and from withוּמֵאֵ֣תu-me-'ETH0854
with

אֵת (et) 1) with, near, together with 1a) with, together with 1b) with (of relationship) 1c) near (of place) 1d) with (poss.) 1e) from...with, from (with other prep)

Jedaiahיְדַֽעְיָ֑הye-da'-YAHH3048J
Jedaiah

יְדַעְיָה (ye.da.yah) A man living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Zec.6.10 § Jedaiah = "Jehovah has known" 1) a priest in Jerusalem 2) a man who returned with Zerubbabel 3) a ruler of the priests in the days of Jeshua 4) a post exilic priest 5) one honoured by Jehovah, perhaps one of the above

and you will goוּבָאתָ֤u-va-TAH0935G
to come (in): come

בּוֹא (bo) : come/go_in 1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to enter, come in 1a2) to come 1a2a) to come with 1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy) 1a2c) to come to pass 1a3) to attain to 1a4) to be enumerated 1a5) to go 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to lead in 1b2) to carry in 1b3) to bring in, cause to come in, gather, cause to come, bring near, bring against, bring upon 1b4) to bring to pass 1c) (Hophal) 1c1) to be brought, brought in 1c2) to be introduced, be put

youאַתָּה֙'a-TAHH0859A
you

אַנְתָּה (an.tah) you, thou (second pers. sing.) Aramaic of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)

on the dayבַּיּ֣וֹםbai-YOMH3117G
day

יוֹם (yom) : day/when/time/period 1) day, time, year 1a) day (as opposed to night) 1b) day (24 hour period) 1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1 1b2) as a division of time 1b2a) a working day, a day's journey 1c) days, lifetime (pl.) 1d) time, period (general) 1e) year 1f) temporal references 1f1) today 1f2) yesterday 1f3) tomorrow

the thatהַה֔וּאha-HU'H1931
he/she/it

הוּא (hu) pron 3p s 1) he, she, it 1a) himself (with emphasis) 1b) resuming subj with emphasis 1c) (with minimum emphasis following predicate) 1d) (anticipating subj) 1e) (emphasising predicate) 1f) that, it (neuter) demons pron 2) that (with article)

and you will goוּבָ֗אתָu-VA-taH0935G
to come (in): come

בּוֹא (bo) : come/go_in 1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to enter, come in 1a2) to come 1a2a) to come with 1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy) 1a2c) to come to pass 1a3) to attain to 1a4) to be enumerated 1a5) to go 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to lead in 1b2) to carry in 1b3) to bring in, cause to come in, gather, cause to come, bring near, bring against, bring upon 1b4) to bring to pass 1c) (Hophal) 1c1) to be brought, brought in 1c2) to be introduced, be put

[the] houseבֵּ֚יתbeitH1004B
to lodge

בִּית (but) (P'al) to pass the night, lodge Aramaic of ba.yit (בַּ֫יִת ": home" H1004B)

Josiahיֹאשִׁיָּ֣הyo-shi-YAHH2977H
Hen

חֵן (chen) A man living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Zec.6.10; son of: Zephaniah (H6846I); also called Hen at Zec.6.14; Another name of yo.shiy.yah (יֹאשִׁיָּ֫הוּ "Josiah" H2977H) § Hen = "favour" a contemporary of Zerubbabel

[the] son ofבֶן־ven-H1121A
son: child

בֵּן (ben) : child/son

Zephaniahצְפַנְיָ֔הtze-fan-YAHH6846I
Zephaniah

צְפַנְיָהוּ (tse.phan.yah) A man living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Zec.6.10; father of: Josiah (H2977H) § Zephaniah = "Jehovah has treasured" 1) the 9th in order of the 12 minor prophets; descendant of king Hezekiah of Judah and prophet in the time of king Josiah of Judah 2) son of Maaseiah and second priest in the reign of king Zedekiah of Judah; succeeded Jehoiada and an officer of the temple; slain at Riblah on the capture of Jerusalem 3) father of Josiah and Hen in the time of the prophet Zechariah 4) a Levite

whoאֲשֶׁר־'a-SHER-H0834A
which

אֲשֶׁר (a.sher) A: 1) (relative part.) 1a) which, who 1b) that which 2) (conj) 2a) that (in obj clause) 2b) when 2c) since 2d) as 2e) conditional if B: Beth+ 1) in (that) which 2) (adv) 2a) where 3) (conj) 3a) in that, inasmuch as 3b) on account of C: Mem+ 1) from (or than) that which 2) from (the place) where 3) from (the fact) that, since D: Kaph+ 1) (conj.), according as, as, when 1a) according to that which, according as, as 1b) with a causal force: in so far as, since 1c) with a temporal force: when

they have comeבָּ֖אוּBA-'uH0935G
to come (in): come

בּוֹא (bo) : come/go_in 1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to enter, come in 1a2) to come 1a2a) to come with 1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy) 1a2c) to come to pass 1a3) to attain to 1a4) to be enumerated 1a5) to go 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to lead in 1b2) to carry in 1b3) to bring in, cause to come in, gather, cause to come, bring near, bring against, bring upon 1b4) to bring to pass 1c) (Hophal) 1c1) to be brought, brought in 1c2) to be introduced, be put

from Babylonמִבָּבֶֽל׃mi-ba-VELH0894
Babylon

בָּבֶ֫ל, בָּבֶל (ba.vel) § Babel or Babylon = "confusion (by mixing)" Babel or Babylon, the ancient site and/or capital of Babylonia (modern Hillah) situated on the Euphrates

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