I lifted up my eyes, and saw, and behold, four horns.
Parallel translations
- KJV Then lifted I up mine eyes, and saw, and behold four horns.
- BSB Then I looked up and saw four horns.
- NKJV Then I raised my eyes and looked, and there were four horns.
- NASB Then I raised my eyes and looked, and behold, there were four horns.
- NLT Then I looked up and saw four animal horns.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Zechariah's second vision: he sees four horns. They symbolize hostile powers that scattered God's people.
Overview
Horns in Scripture commonly represent strength and political or military power. The number four may suggest the totality of nations from every direction that oppressed Israel. This brief vision introduces the theme of God confronting the powers that harmed His people, assuring the remnant that their oppressors will not have the last word.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Dan 8:3–14Then I lifted up my eyes, and saw, and behold, there stood before the river a ram which had two horns: and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last.
- 2 Kgs 24:1–20In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant three years. Then he turned and rebelled against him.
- Josh 5:13When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man stood in front of him with his sword drawn in his hand. Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us, or for our enemies?”
- Zech 5:9Then lifted I up my eyes, and saw, and behold, there were two women, and the wind was in their wings. Now they had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the ephah basket between earth and the sky.
- Zech 2:1I lifted up my eyes, and saw, and behold, a man with a measuring line in his hand.
- Dan 7:3–8Four great animals came up from the sea, diverse one from another.
- 2 Kgs 15:29In the days of Pekah king of Israel, Tiglath Pileser king of Assyria came and took Ijon, Abel Beth Maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali; and he carried them captive to Assyria.
- Zech 5:1Then again I lifted up my eyes, and saw, and behold, a flying scroll.
- Dan 2:37–43You, O king, are king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the strength, and the glory;
- 2 Kgs 17:1–6In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah, Hoshea the son of Elah began to reign in Samaria over Israel for nine years.
- Zech 5:5Then the angel who talked with me came forward, and said to me, “Lift up now your eyes, and see what is this that is appearing.”
- Dan 11:28–35Then he will return into his land with great substance; and his heart will be against the holy covenant; and he will take action, and return to his own land.
- 2 Kgs 18:9–12In the fourth year of king Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria, and besieged it.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Branch who is both priest and king, the shepherd struck and the flock scattered, the king coming humble on a donkey, the one they pierced, the fountain opened for sin — Zechariah is dense with Christ.
How Zechariah 1:18 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.