Zechariah 6
1 Again I lifted up my eyes, and saw, and look, four chariots came out from between two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of bronze.
Then I looked again and I saw four chariots coming out from between two mountains that looked like bronze.
2 In the first chariot were red horses; in the second chariot black horses;
The first chariot was pulled by red horses, the second by black horses,
3 in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot dappled horses, all of them powerful.
the third by white horses, and the fourth by dappled grey horses—all of them strong horses.
4 Then I asked the angel who talked with me, "What are these, my lord?"
“My lord, what are these?” I asked the angel I was talking to.
5 The angel answered me, "These are the four winds of the sky, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth.
“They are going out to the four winds of heaven, after presenting themselves to the Lord of all the earth,” the angel explained.
6 The one with the black horses goes out toward the north country; and the white went out after them; and the dappled went forth toward the south country."
The chariot with the black horses went north, the one with the white horses went west, and the one with the dappled grey horses went south.
7 The strong went out, and sought to go that they might walk back and forth through the earth: and he said, "Go around and through the earth." So they walked back and forth through the earth.
When the strong horses came out they were eager to set off to patrol the earth. And he said, “Go and patrol the earth!” So they left and patrolled the earth.
8 Then he called to me, and spoke to me, saying, "Look, those who go toward the north country have quieted my spirit in the north country."
Then the angel called to me, saying, “Look! Those who went north have achieved what the Lord wanted in the land of the north.”
9 The word of the LORD came to me, saying,
Then the Lord gave me another message:
10 "Take of them of the captivity, even of Heldai, of Tobijah, and of Jedaiah; and come the same day, and go into the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah, where they have come from Babylon.
Take the gifts brought by Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah, the exiles returning from Babylon, and go immediately to the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah.
11 Take silver and gold, and make a crown, and set it on the head of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the cohen hagadol;
Use the silver and the gold they brought to make a crown, and place it on the head of Josiah, son of Jehozadak, the high priest.
12 and speak to him, saying, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, "Look, 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;
Tell him this is what the Lord Almighty says: Look! The man who is called the Branch will grow from where he is and will build the Lord's Temple.
13 even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule on his throne; and he shall be a cohen on his throne; and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.
He is the one who will build the Lord's Temple, and he will be the one given the honor to rule from both the royal throne and the priestly throne and there will be peace and understanding between the two roles.
14 And the crown shall be to Heldai, and to Tobijah, and to Jedaiah, and to Josiah the son of Zephaniah, for a memorial in the temple of the LORD.
The crown will be kept in the Temple of the Lord as a memorial to Heldai, Tobijah, Jedaiah, and Joshua the son of Zephaniah.
15 Those who are far off shall come and build in the temple of the LORD; and you shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you. This will happen, if you will diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God."'"
People who live in distant lands will come and build the Temple of the Lord, and you will know that the Lord Almighty sent me to you. This will happen if you listen attentively to what the Lord tells you.
