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And I looked again, and lifted up mine eyes, and, hinei, there came arbah merkavot (four chariots) and they were coming out from between two harim (mountains); and the harim were harim of nechoshet (bronze).

In the merkavah harishonah were red-brown susim; and in the merkavah hashenit susim shechorim (black horses);

And in the merkavah hashlishit susim levanim (white horses); and in the merkavah harevi’it speckled, powerful susim.

Then I answered and said unto the malach that spoke with me, What are these, adoni?

And the malach answered and said unto me, These are the arba ruchot HaShomayim, which go forth from standing before Adon Kol HaAretz [T.N. See Malachi 3:1 where Moshiach is referred to similarly].

The one with the susim shechorim (black horses) go forth toward the eretz tzafon (land of the north); and the levanim (white ones) go forth after them; and the speckled go forth toward the eretz hateyman (land of the south).

And the powerful ones went forth, and strained to go around to and fro throughout ha’aretz; and He said, Get you hence, go to and fro throughout ha’aretz. So they went to and fro throughout ha’aretz.

Then called He to me, and spoke unto me, saying, Look, these that go toward the eretz tzafon have given rest to My Ruach [HaKodesh] in the eretz tzafon.

And the Devar Hashem came unto me, saying,

10 Take of them of the Golus, even of Cheldai, of Toviyah, and of Yedayah, which have arrived from Babylon, and thou go into the bais of Yoshiyah ben Tzephanyah;

11 Then take kesef and zahav, and make atarot (crowns), and set them upon the rosh Yehoshua ben Yehotzadak, the Kohen HaGadol

12 And speak unto him, saying, Thus saith Hashem Tzva’os: Hinei Ish, TZEMACH Shmo ; [Yehoshua is said to be the namesake of the coming Moshiach Ben Dovid; see Ezra 3:8 for the Aramaic translation of Yehoshua’s name, Yeshua; see Jer 23:5; 30:9; 33:15; Ezra 3:8; Zech 3:8; Mt 2:23; Isa 4:2; 9:2-7; 11:1-12; 53:2, 11; Moshiach the new “Joshua” Isa 49:8].]; and out of his place yitzmach (he [Moshiach] shall sprout up, Yeshayah 53:2), and he shall build the Heikhal Hashem.

13 It is he who shall build the Heikhal Hashem; and he shall carry hod (majesty), and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a kohen [Tehillim 110:4] upon his throne; and the atzat shalom (counsel of peace) shall be between them both.

14 And the atarot (crowns) shall be to Chelem, and to Toviyah, and to Yedayah, and to Chen ben Tzephanyah, for a memorial in the Heikhal Hashem.

15 And they that are far off shall come and build the Heikhal Hashem, and ye shall know that Hashem Tzva’os hath sent me unto you. And this shall come to pass, if ye will diligently obey the kol (voice) Hashem Eloheichem.

Four Chariots

I looked up again, and there before me were four chariots(A) coming out from between two mountains—mountains of bronze. The first chariot had red horses, the second black,(B) the third white,(C) and the fourth dappled—all of them powerful. I asked the angel who was speaking to me, “What are these, my lord?”

The angel answered me, “These are the four spirits[a](D) of heaven, going out from standing in the presence of the Lord of the whole world.(E) The one with the black horses is going toward the north country, the one with the white horses toward the west,[b] and the one with the dappled horses toward the south.”

When the powerful horses went out, they were straining to go throughout the earth.(F) And he said, “Go throughout the earth!” So they went throughout the earth.

Then he called to me, “Look, those going toward the north country have given my Spirit[c] rest(G) in the land of the north.”(H)

A Crown for Joshua

The word of the Lord came to me: 10 “Take silver and gold from the exiles Heldai, Tobijah and Jedaiah, who have arrived from Babylon.(I) Go the same day to the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah. 11 Take the silver and gold and make a crown,(J) and set it on the head of the high priest, Joshua(K) son of Jozadak.[d](L) 12 Tell him this is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Here is the man whose name is the Branch,(M) and he will branch out from his place and build the temple of the Lord.(N) 13 It is he who will build the temple of the Lord, and he will be clothed with majesty and will sit and rule on his throne. And he[e] will be a priest(O) on his throne. And there will be harmony between the two.’ 14 The crown will be given to Heldai,[f] Tobijah, Jedaiah and Hen[g] son of Zephaniah as a memorial(P) in the temple of the Lord. 15 Those who are far away will come and help to build the temple of the Lord,(Q) and you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you.(R) This will happen if you diligently obey(S) the Lord your God.”

Footnotes

  1. Zechariah 6:5 Or winds
  2. Zechariah 6:6 Or horses after them
  3. Zechariah 6:8 Or spirit
  4. Zechariah 6:11 Hebrew Jehozadak, a variant of Jozadak
  5. Zechariah 6:13 Or there
  6. Zechariah 6:14 Syriac; Hebrew Helem
  7. Zechariah 6:14 Or and the gracious one, the