1Again I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, four chariots were coming out from between two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of bronze.
2In the first chariot were red horses, and in the second chariot black horses,
3and in the third chariot white horses, and in the fourth chariot dappled, strong horses.
4Then I answered and said to the angel who was speaking with me, “What are these, my lord?”
5And the angel answered and said to me, “These are the four winds of heaven, going out after standing before the Lord of all the earth.
6The one with the black horses goes out to the land of the north, and the white ones go out after them, and the dappled ones go out to the land of the south.
7And the strong ones went out and sought to go, to range through the earth. And he said, “Go, range through the earth.” So they ranged through the earth.
8Then he cried out to me and spoke to me, saying, “See, those going out to the land of the north have set my spirit at rest in the land of the north.”
9And the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,
10Take from the exiles, from Heldai, from Tobijah, and from Jedaiah; and you yourself go on that day, and go to the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah, to which they have come from Babylon.
11And you shall take silver and gold and make crowns, and set them on the head of Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest.
12And you shall say to him, saying, ‘Thus says Yahweh of hosts, saying: Behold, a man—Branch is his name—and from his place he shall branch out, and he shall build the temple of Yahweh.
13Indeed, he shall build the temple of Yahweh, and he shall bear royal majesty and shall sit and rule on his throne. And there shall be a priest by his throne, and peaceful counsel shall be between the two of them.’
14And the crowns shall be for Helem, and for Tobijah, and for Jedaiah, and for Hen son of Zephaniah, as a memorial in the temple of Yahweh.
15And those who are far off shall come and build in the temple of Yahweh, and you shall know that Yahweh of hosts has sent me to you. And this shall come to pass if you diligently obey the voice of Yahweh your God.”
Open in the interactive reader →