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Yes, He will build the temple of the LORD; He will be clothed in splendor and will sit on His throne and rule. And He will be a priest on His throne, and there will be peaceful counsel between the two.’
Zechariah 6:13 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB even he shall build Yahweh’s temple; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule on his throne; and he shall be a priest on his throne; and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.
  • KJV Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.
  • NKJV Yes, He shall build the temple of the Lord. He shall bear the glory, And shall sit and rule on His throne; So He shall be a priest on His throne, And the counsel of peace shall be between them both.” ’
  • NASB Yes, it is He who will build the temple of the Lord, and He who will bear the majesty and sit and rule on His throne. So He will be a priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace will be between the two offices.” ’
  • NLT Yes, he will build the Temple of the Lord. Then he will receive royal honor and will rule as king from his throne. He will also serve as priest from his throne, and there will be perfect harmony between his two roles.’

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

The Branch will build the temple, bear royal glory, rule on His throne, and be a priest there too, with peace between the two offices. This points to the Messiah who is both King and Priest.

Overview

In Israel kingship and priesthood were strictly separated, but here they are joined harmoniously in one person, 'the counsel of peace between them both.' This finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ, the priest-king after the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 7), who reigns and intercedes. His unified office secures the peace between God and His people that the verse foretells.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 36

  • Ps 110:4The LORD has sworn and will not change His mind: “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”
  • Isa 49:5–6And now says the LORD, who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant, to bring Jacob back to Him, that Israel might be gathered to Him—for I am honored in the sight of the LORD, and My God is My strength—
  • Heb 3:1Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, set your focus on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess.
  • Isa 11:10On that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples. The nations will seek Him, and His place of rest will be glorious.
  • Ps 21:5Great is his glory in Your salvation; You bestow on him splendor and majesty.
  • Ps 45:3–4Strap your sword at your side, O mighty warrior; appear in your majesty and splendor.
  • Rom 5:1Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
  • Isa 22:24So they will hang on him the whole burden of his father’s house: the descendants and the offshoots—all the lesser vessels, from bowls to every kind of jar.
  • Rev 3:21To the one who overcomes, I will grant the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
  • Ps 85:9–11Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, that His glory may dwell in our land.
  • Isa 9:6For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
  • Eph 2:13–18But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.
  • Zech 6:11Take silver and gold, make an ornate crown, and set it on the head of the high priest, Joshua son of Jehozadak.
  • Dan 9:25–27Know and understand this: From the issuance of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem, until the Messiah, the Prince, there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks. It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of distress.
  • Isa 54:10Though the mountains may be removed and the hills may be shaken, My loving devotion will not depart from you, and My covenant of peace will not be broken,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you.
  • Heb 10:12–13But when this Priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God.
  • Eph 1:20–23which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms,
  • Dan 7:13–14In my vision in the night I continued to watch, and I saw One like the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into His presence.
  • Mic 5:4He will stand and shepherd His flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majestic name of the LORD His God. And they will dwell securely, for then His greatness will extend to the ends of the earth.
  • Heb 4:14–16Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we profess.
  • Gen 14:18Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine—since he was priest of God Most High—
  • John 13:31–32When Judas had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him.
  • Jer 23:6In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is His name by which He will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness.
  • John 17:1–5When Jesus had spoken these things, He lifted up His eyes to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son may glorify You.
  • 1 Pet 3:22who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers subject to Him.
  • Heb 2:7–9You made him a little lower than the angels; You crowned him with glory and honor
  • Acts 10:36–43He has sent this message to the people of Israel, proclaiming the gospel of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.
  • Heb 6:20where Jesus our forerunner has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.
  • Col 1:2To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace and peace to you from God our Father.
  • Rev 19:11–16Then I saw heaven standing open, and there before me was a white horse. And its rider is called Faithful and True. With righteousness He judges and wages war.
  • Heb 7:24–28But because Jesus lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood.
  • Phil 2:7–11but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in human likeness.
  • Rev 5:9–13And they sang a new song: “Worthy are You to take the scroll and open its seals, because You were slain, and by Your blood You purchased for God those from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.
  • Zech 4:14So he said, “These are the two anointed ones who are standing beside the Lord of all the earth.”
  • Ps 72:17–19May his name endure forever; may his name continue as long as the sun shines. In him may all nations be blessed; may they call him blessed.
  • Col 1:18–20And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and firstborn from among the dead, so that in all things He may have preeminence.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (1)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Zechariah videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Zechariah 6:13YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on ZechariahMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

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 6:13 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.