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Contemporary English Version

Zechariah 6:5

Then he explained, "These are the four winds of heaven, and now they are going out, after presenting themselves to the Lord of all the earth.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Angel (a Spirit);   Vision;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Horses;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Vision;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Chariots;   Zechariah, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Colours;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Numbers (2);   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Horse;   Zechariah, Prophecy of;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Black;   Red;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Chariot;   Four;   Zechariah, Book of;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Merkabah;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The angel told me, “These are the four spirits of heaven going out after presenting themselves to the Lord of the whole earth.
Hebrew Names Version
The angel answered me, "These are the four winds of the sky, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the eretz.
King James Version (1611)
And the Angel answered and said vnto me, These are the foure spirits of the heauens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth.
King James Version
And 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.
English Standard Version
And the angel answered and said to me, "These are going out to the four winds of heaven, after presenting themselves before the Lord of all the earth.
New American Standard Bible
The angel replied to me, "These are the four spirits of heaven, going out after taking their stand before the Lord of all the earth,
New Century Version
He said, "These are the four spirits of heaven. They have just come from the presence of the Lord of the whole world.
Amplified Bible
The angel answered me, "These are the four spirits of the heavens, which go out after presenting themselves before the Lord of all the earth,
Geneva Bible (1587)
And the Angell answered, and sayde vnto mee, These are the foure spirites of the heauen, which goe foorth from standing with the Lorde of all the earth.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
The angel replied to me, "These are the four spirits of heaven, going forth after standing before the Lord of all the earth,
Legacy Standard Bible
And the angel answered and said to me, "These are the four spirits of heaven, going forth after standing before the Lord of all the earth,
Berean Standard Bible
And the angel told me, "These are the four spirits of heaven, going out from their station before the Lord of all the earth.
Complete Jewish Bible
The angel answered me, "These are the four winds of the sky that go out, after presenting themselves before the Lord of all the land.
Darby Translation
And 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.
Easy-to-Read Version
The angel said, "These are the four winds. They have just come from the Lord of the whole world.
George Lamsa Translation
And the angel answered and said to me, These are the four spirits of the heavens, who stand in the presence of the LORD of all the earth.
Good News Translation
He answered, "These are the four winds; they have just come from the presence of the Lord of all the earth."
Lexham English Bible
And the angel answered and said to me, "These are the four winds of the heavens going out after presenting themselves before the Lord of all the earth.
Literal Translation
And the angel answered and said to me, These are the four spirits of Heaven who go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth.
American Standard Version
And the angel answered and said unto me, These are the four winds of heaven, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth.
Bible in Basic English
And the angel, answering, said to me, These go out to the four winds of heaven from their place before the Lord of all the earth.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the angel answered and said unto me: 'These chariots go forth to the four winds of heaven, after presenting themselves before the Lord of all the earth.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
The angel aunswerd & saide vnto me: These are the foure spirites of the heauen, which be come foorth to stand before the ruler of all the earth.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the angel that talked with me answered and said, These are the four winds of heaven, and they are going forth to stand before the Lord of all the earth.
English Revised Version
And the angel answered and said unto me, These are the four winds of heaven, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth.
World English Bible
The angel answered me, "These are the four winds of the sky, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And the aungel aunsweride, and seide to me, These ben foure wyndis of heuene, whiche goen out, that thei stonde bifor the lordschipere of al erthe.
Update Bible Version
And the angel answered and said to me, These are the four winds of heaven, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth.
Webster's Bible Translation
And the angel answered and said to me, These [are] the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth.
New English Translation
The messenger replied, "These are the four spirits of heaven that have been presenting themselves before the Lord of all the earth.
New King James Version
And the angel answered and said to me, "These are four spirits of heaven, who go out from their station before the Lord of all the earth.
New Living Translation
The angel replied, "These are the four spirits of heaven who stand before the Lord of all the earth. They are going out to do his work.
New Life Bible
The angel said to me, "These are the four spirits of heaven, going away from standing before the Lord of All the earth.
New Revised Standard
The angel answered me, "These are the four winds of heaven going out, after presenting themselves before the Lord of all the earth.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And the messenger answered, and said unto me, - These, are the four winds of the heavens, coming forward after each hath presented itself near the Lord of all the earth.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the angel answered, and said to me: These are the four winds of the heaven, which go forth to stand before the Lord of all the earth.
Revised Standard Version
And the angel answered me, "These are going forth to the four winds of heaven, after presenting themselves before the LORD of all the earth.
Young's Literal Translation
And the messenger answereth and saith unto me, `These [are] four spirits of the heavens coming forth from presenting themselves before the Lord of the whole earth.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The angel answered, & sayde vnto me: These are the iiij. wyndes of the heauen, which be come forth to stode before the ruler of all ye earth.
THE MESSAGE
The angel answered, "These are the four winds of heaven, which originate with the Master of the whole earth. The black horses are headed north with the white ones right after them. The dappled horses are headed south." The powerful horses galloped out, bursting with energy, eager to patrol through the earth. The Messenger-Angel commanded: "On your way! Survey the earth!" and they were off in every direction.

Contextual Overview

1 Finally, I looked up and saw four chariots coming from between two bronze mountains. 2 The first chariot was pulled by red horses, and the second by black horses; 3 the third chariot was pulled by white horses, and the fourth by spotted gray horses. 4 "Sir," I asked the angel. "What do these stand for?" 5 Then he explained, "These are the four winds of heaven, and now they are going out, after presenting themselves to the Lord of all the earth. 6 The chariot with black horses goes toward the north, the chariot with white horses goes toward the west, and the one with spotted horses goes toward the south." 7 The horses came out eager to patrol the earth, and the angel told them, "Start patrolling the earth." When they had gone on their way, 8 he shouted to me, "Those that have gone to the country in the north will do what the Lord 's Spirit wants them to do there."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

These: Zechariah 1:10, Zechariah 1:11, Psalms 68:17, Psalms 104:3, Psalms 104:4, Ezekiel 1:5-28, Ezekiel 10:9-19, Ezekiel 11:22, Hebrews 1:7, Hebrews 1:14, Revelation 14:6-13

spirits: or, winds, 1 Kings 19:11, Psalms 148:8, Daniel 7:2

go: Zechariah 4:10, 1 Kings 22:19, 2 Chronicles 18:18, 2 Chronicles 18:19, Job 1:6, Job 2:1, Job 2:2, Daniel 7:10, Matthew 18:10, Luke 1:19

the Lord: Zechariah 4:14, Isaiah 54:5

Reciprocal: Joshua 3:11 - the Lord Daniel 9:22 - he informed Micah 4:13 - the Lord of Zechariah 1:9 - the angel Zechariah 3:7 - I will Revelation 1:4 - from the

Cross-References

Genesis 6:1
More and more people were born, until finally they spread all over the earth. Some of their daughters were so beautiful that supernatural beings came down and married the ones they wanted.
Genesis 6:3
Then the Lord said, "I won't let my life-giving breath remain in anyone forever. No one will live for more than one hundred twenty years."
Genesis 6:4
The children of the supernatural beings who had married these women became famous heroes and warriors. They were called Nephilim and lived on the earth at that time and even later.
Genesis 6:9
and this is the story about him. Noah was the only person who lived right and obeyed God.
Genesis 6:19
Bring into the boat with you a male and a female of every kind of animal and bird, as well as a male and a female of every reptile. I don't want them to be destroyed.
Genesis 6:21
Store up enough food both for yourself and for them.
Genesis 8:21
The smell of the burning offering pleased God, and he said: Never again will I punish the earth for the sinful things its people do. All of them have evil thoughts from the time they are young, but I will never destroy everything that breathes, as I did this time.
Genesis 13:13
where the people were evil and sinned terribly against the Lord .
Deuteronomy 29:19
You may be an Israelite and know all about the Lord 's agreement with us, but he won't bless you if you rebel against him. You may think you can get away with it, but you will cause the rest of Israel to be punished along with you.
Job 15:16
what chance do humans have? We are so terribly evil that we thirst for sin.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the angel answered and said unto me,.... In order to grant him his request, and explain the vision of the chariots:

these [are] the four spirits of the heavens; or, "the four winds of the heavens"; the apostles and ministers of the Gospel may be compared to "the winds", because their ministry is the ministration of the Spirit, which is like wind that blows invisibly, powerfully, and where it listeth; and because in and by it the Spirit breathes life and comfort into the souls of men; and because of the powerful efficacy and penetrating nature of the word preached by them, and their swiftness and readiness to do the will of God: angels are called "spirits" or "winds", Psalms 104:3 they are created spirits, and so differ from God; are incorporeal ones, and so differ from men; and are immaterial and immortal, and so die not: they are spiritual subsistences, and spirits of the heavens, or heavenly spirits; heaven being the place of their abode and residence; and they may be compared to "winds", for their invisibility, wonderful penetration into places and things, their very great swiftness, and prodigious power and strength. The Targum paraphrases the words thus,

"these are the four kingdoms, which are as the winds of heaven;''

and so the same are signified by the four winds in Daniel 7:2 to which they may be compared for their swift and forcible carrying all before them, and for their fickleness and changeableness; and to which, the several parts of the world, into which they went, agree:

which go forth, from standing before the Lord of all the earth: so the apostles of Christ, and ministers of the Gospel, stood before him in his eternal purposes and decrees from everlasting; and went forth, having their commission from him in time; and were sent by him into the several parts of the world he is the Lord of; and by whom they were filled with gifts, grace, and courage, fitting them for their work. Angels also stand before him, ministering unto him; always behold him; are in his presence, and enjoy his favour; and go forth from him, being sent forth by him on various accounts into all the parts of the world; which Jehovah is the Creator, Upholder, and Governor of: moreover, this is applicable to the four monarchies; these stood before the Lord in his vast and infinite mind; in the secret decrees of it, before the world was; and the sending and going forth of them from him show that they were powers ordained of God, who has the government of the whole world in his hands.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

These are the four spirits of the heavens - They cannot be literal winds: for spirits, not winds, stand before God, as His servants, as in Job, “the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord” (Job 1:6; Job 2:1. This they did, (Jerome), “for these four kingdoms did nothing without the will of God.” Zechariah sums up in one, what former prophets had said separately of the Assyrian, the Babylonian, Egyptian, Persian. “O Assyria, the rod of Mine anger - I will send him against an ungodly nation, and against the people of My wrath I will give him a charge” Isaiah 10:5. “I will send and take all the families of the north, and Nebuchadrezzar, the king of Babylon, My servant, and will bring them against this land” Jeremiah 25:9. “The Lord shall hiss for the fly, that is in the uttermost part of Egypt, and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria, and they shall come, and shall rest, all of them, in the desolate valleys” Isaiah 7:18-19. “I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north, saith the Lord; and they shall come, and shall set every one his throne at the entering of the gates of Jerusalem” Jeremiah 1:15. Whatever the human impulse or the human means, all stand before the Lord of the whole earth, ministering to His will whose are all things, the Judge of all, who withholdeth the chastisement till the iniquity is full, and then, through man’s injustice, executes His own just judgment. Osorius: “He says that they went forth from where they had stood before the Lord of the whole earth, to show that their power had been obtained by the counsel of God, that they might serve His will. For no empire was ever set up on earth without the mind, counsel and power of God. He exalts the humble and obscure, He prostrates the lofty, who trust overmuch in themselves, arms one against the other, so that no fraud or pride shall be without punishment.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Zechariah 6:5. The four spirits of the heavens — Ministers of God's wrath against the sinful nations of the world.


 
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