Zechariah 6:1

turned, and lift up Rather, lifted up again. Comp. Zechariah 5:1 .

looked Rather, saw.

four chariots These have very commonly been identified with the four great powers or kingdoms of Daniel's visions (chap. 2, 7). The first chariot, as to the destination of which the vision is silent, will then represent the Babylonian empire, of which the power was already broken, and which had therefore no future to be foretold. The second and third chariots are, on this supposition, the Medo-Persian and Macedo-Grecian empires, by which successively the overthrow of Babylon, "the north country," was to be completed; while the fourth chariot, the power of Rome, triumphing first over Egypt, "the south country," extends its victorious sway over all the earth. This view, however, is not without its difficulties, and some commentators prefer to regard the chariots generally, in accordance with the interpretation put upon them by the Angel (Zechariah 6:5), as swift and mighty engines of destruction (four in number like "the winds of heaven"), which fall with twofold vengeance (Zechariah 6:6) on Babylon the latest enemy of Israel, while they execute wrath also upon Egypt (Ib.), her earlier oppressor, and thus cause that "shaking of all nations," which was the promised precursor of good. Haggai 2:7.

two mountains Lit. the two mountains. The use of the definite article has been held to indicate the (well-known) mountains, either of Zion and Moriah (which, however, do not appear to have been generally regarded by the Jews as two), or more commonly of Zion and Olives. The chariots would then travel along the valley of Jehoshaphat. This is not, however, necessarily the force of the article (comp. "theephah," Zechariah 6:6). It may only mean that the prophet saw the chariots coming into view between "the two mountains," which he had previously noticed though he has not previously mentioned them, as the side-scenes of the picture.

mountains of brass Denoting, perhaps, that the great powers or agencies, which overthrow empires and shape the destinies of nations, as they come forth from God (Zechariah 6:5), so also have their course defined by the counsels of His irresistible and immutable will.