In the first chariot were red horses; in the second chariot black horses;
Parallel translations
- KJV In the first chariot were red horses; and in the second chariot black horses;
- BSB The first chariot had red horses, the second black horses,
- NKJV With the first chariot were red horses, with the second chariot black horses,
- NASB With the first chariot were red horses, with the second chariot black horses,
- NLT The first chariot was pulled by red horses, the second by black horses,
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 sees four chariots drawn by red and black horses, beginning the eighth and final night vision. The colored teams represent God's agents going out to execute His sovereign rule over the earth.
Overview
This vision closes the series of eight night visions given to encourage the post-exilic community. The horses, recalling those of the first vision (1:8), depict the heavenly forces by which God patrols and governs the nations. Their varied colors mark distinct commissions sent out into the world. The scene assures the returned exiles that the Lord, not the great empires, directs world history.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- Zech 1:8“I had a vision in the night, and behold, a man riding on a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in a ravine; and behind him there were red, brown, and white horses.
- Rev 6:2–6And behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow. A crown was given to him, and he came out conquering, and to conquer.
- Rev 12:3Another sign was seen in heaven. Behold, a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven crowns.
- Rev 17:3He carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness. I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet-colored animal, full of blasphemous names, having seven heads and ten horns.
- Zech 6:6The one with the black horses goes out toward the north country; and the white went out after them; and the dappled went out toward the south country.”
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 6:2 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.