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Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

Zechariah 6:1-15

The Eighth Vision. The Symbolic Crowning

1-8. Four war-chariots, with variously coloured horses, go forth to execute God's judgments against the enemies of oppressed Israel in different parts of the earth. Two, in particular, go. northwards, to 'quiet His spirit' (i.e. to satisfy His anger) upon Babylon.

9-15. Zechariah is commanded to take gold and silver from the Temple offerings, and make a crown for Joshua the high priest. At the same time, the Messiah ('Branch') is again promised. Under Him the Temple will be completed with the help of people from afar, probably returned exiles.

1. It is noteworthy that the first vision showed God's universal providence in mercy (messengers coming from all parts of the earth), the last vision reveals God's universal providence in judgment (war chariots going forth in all directions). And I turned, and lifted] RV 'Then again I lifted.' In Heb. to 'turn' and do something is to do it 'again.' Chariots] used for military purposes, and also on state occasions, therefore symbolical of power and majesty. They are four because they go to the four quarters of the earth.

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See also Zechariah 6:1-15 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    CHAPTER VI _The vision of the four chariots drawn by several sorts of_ _horses_, 1-8. _The other vision in thus chapter may refer in its primary_ _sense to the establishment of the civil and relig...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    BEHOLD, FOUR CHARIOTS GOING FORTH - Alb.: “By the secret disposal of God into the theater of the world,” “from between two mountains of brass.” Both Jews and Christians have seen that the four chariot...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 6 _ 1. The eighth vision (Zechariah 6:1) _ 2. The crowning of Joshua, the High-Priest (Zechariah 6:9) Zechariah 6:1. The last vision is the vision of the four chariots. We notice the similar...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    A MORE DEFINITE VERSION OF THE ALLEGORY IN ZECHARIAH 1:8 FF. Here, however, the horsemen of the former allegory, who represent messengers, are replaced by chariots which symbolise warlike agencies. By...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    AND LOOKED. Thus is the eighth vision TWO MOUNTAINS. Compare Zechariah 1:8 and Zechariah 4:7. BRASS. copper or bronze. Compare Deuteronomy 8:9...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _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...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    BEHOLD, THERE CAME FOUR CHARIOTS— These denote the four great empires which subdued the then known parts of the world. They are represented as coming from between two mountains, because mountains are...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    CHAPTER XXXIV A VISION OF WAR CHARIOTS Zechariah 6:1-8 RV. And again I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there came four chariots out from between two mountains; and the mountains were moun...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    And 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. FOUR CHARIOTS - symbolizing the v...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    VI. SEVENTH VISION. — THE FOUR CHARIOTS. (1) AND I TURNED... EYES. — Better, _And again I lifted up my eyes_ (Zechariah 4:1; Zechariah 5:1; Zechariah 8:3). THERE CAME. — Better, coming for

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    A SERIES OF SEVEN VISIONS. Zechariah 1:7 to Zechariah 6:15. Between the commencement of Zechariah’s prophetic labours and the incidents recorded in Zechariah 1:7 to...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וָ אָשֻׁ֗ב וָ אֶשָּׂ֤א עֵינַי֙ וָֽ אֶרְאֶ֔ה

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    THE VISIONS OF ZECHARIAH Zechariah 1:7; Zechariah 2:1; Zechariah 3:1; Zechariah 4:1;...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    THE VISION OF THE CHARIOTS Zechariah 6:1-15 This is a vision of protection and deliverance. Four chariots issue from the mountains around Jerusalem. The colors of the horses represent the commission...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    In the last vision the prophet observed four chariots, coming out from between two mountains of brass, one drawn by red horses, one by black horses, one by white horses, and one by grizzled horses. In...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    And I turned, and lifted up my eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came four (a) chariots out from between (b) two mountains; and the mountains [were] mountains of brass. (a) By chariots here, as by...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Four chariots. The four great empires of the Chaldeans, Persians, Greeks, and Romans; or, perhaps, by the fourth chariot are represented the kings of Egypt and of Asia, the descendants of Ptolemeus an...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    CONTENTS The Prophet is still favored with visions. Here are the vision of the four chariots; silver and gold crowns; and Christ represented under the well known character of the Branch....

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    "And 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. (2) In the first chariot were red h...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    Lectures on the Minor Prophets. W. Kelly. Zechariah was plainly a contemporary of Haggai. Like him he dates his prophecies from the second imperial power of the Gentiles; but he goes a great deal far...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    Here we have another vision; and the Prophet distinguishes it from the former visions by saying, that he _turned_, as though he had said, that there had been some intervening time. They were not then...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    In chapter 6 we are shewn the government of God in the four monarchies, but neither as immediate government on God's part nor merely that of human government. We have seen power committed to man in th...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND I TURNED, AND LIFTED UP MINE EYES, AND LOOKED,.... When he saw another vision, as follows: AND, BEHOLD, THERE CAME FOUR CHARIOTS; by which are meant, not the four Gospels; rather the apostles of...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    And 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. Ver. 1. _And I turned, and lift u...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _And I turned and looked_, &c. “The main design of this eighth and last vision is to confirm the Jews in their faith in, and dependance upon God, by showing them that, weak and defenceless as they see...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THE VISION OF THE FOUR CHARIOTS...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    And I turned and lifted up mine eyes, or, "And again I lifted up my eyes,". AND LOOKED, AND, BEHOLD, THERE CAME FOUR CHARIOTS OUT FROM BETWEEN TWO MOUNTAINS, the location of the vision being somewhere...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    THE EIGHTH VISION - FOUR CHARIOTS (vv. 1-8) The last of Zechariah's visions is of four chariots coming forth between the two mountains (JND). Note that the definite article "the" is used here, and i...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-8 This vision may represent the ways of Providence in the government of this lower world. Whatever the providences of God about us are, as to public or private affairs, we should see them all as co...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    ZECHARIAH CHAPTER 6 The vision of the four chariots, MALACHI 6:1. By the crowns of Joshua the high priest are showed Christ the Branch, and his church and kingdom, MALACHI 6:9. AND I TURNED, AND LIFTE...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Zechariah 6:1 turned H7725 (H8799) raised H5375 (H8799) eyes H5869 looked H7200 (H8799) four H702

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    THE EIGHTH VISION. THE FOUR CHARIOTS - THE FOUR WINDS OF HEAVEN - AND THEIR ACTIVITY ON EARTH (ZECHARIAH 6:1). Whereas in chapter 1 the horsemen were scouts going out to see if any activity was going...

  • Scofield's Bible Commentary

    FOUR CHARIOTS The interpretation of the tenth vision must be governed by the authoritative declaration of (Zechariah 6:5). That which is symbolized by the four chariots with their horses is not the f...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Vision of the four chariots. The symbolic crowning of Joshua. CHARACTERS: God, Jesus, Zechariah, angel, Joshua, Heldai, Tobijah, Jedaiah, Josiah. CONCLUSION: Following the day when God's j...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Zechariah 6:1. _Four chariots._ The four great monarchies seen in vision by Daniel, under the form of four beasts: chap. 7. The mountains of brass are expressive of the strength of those empires. Dani...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Behold there came four chariots out from between two mountains _ THE FOUR CHARIOTS The general meaning of this vision is very clear. The enemies of the Church shall be punished, is the motto of the...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    ZECHARIAH—NOTE ON ZECHARIAH 6:1 Zechariah’s eighth vision begins with FOUR CHARIOTS with horses of different colors (vv. Zechariah 6:1). The chariots go out from b

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL NOTES.] CHARIOTS] Symbolic of four great empires described (Daniel 2:31; Daniel 7:3): or of the four winds of heaven (Zechariah 6:5). TWO MOUNTAINS] Between Moriah and Zion, some; others, emb...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION ZECHARIAH 6:1 § 10. _The eighth vision: the four chariots._ ZECHARIAH 6:1 I TURNED, AND LIFTED UP MINE EYES (see note on Zechariah

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Zechariah, chapter 6. Now as we pointed out, the Lord gave to Zechariah ten visions. Visions are subject to interpretation. Oftentimes the meaning of them is rather veiled. And unless the Lord gives t...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Samuel 2:8; Acts 4:28; Daniel 2:38; Daniel 4:15; Daniel 4:35;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Four chariots — Angels who are sometimes styled chariots of God. These as employed in the affairs of church and empire, act their part in the revolution and changes of things, 'till the gospel be prea...

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