the third white horses, and the fourth dappled horses—all of them strong.
Parallel translations
- WEB in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot dappled horses, all of them powerful.
- KJV And in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot grisled and bay horses.
- NKJV with the third chariot white horses, and with the fourth chariot dappled horses—strong steeds.
- NASB with the third chariot white horses, and with the fourth chariot strong spotted horses.
- NLT the third by white horses, and the fourth by powerful dappled-gray 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
The remaining chariots have white and dappled horses, all of them powerful. The detail underscores that God's instruments are strong and fully equipped for their mission.
Overview
Completing the description of the four chariots, the verse stresses the vigor of the horses, emphasizing the readiness and might of the heavenly hosts. As in earlier visions, the precise meaning of each color is debated, but the thrust is clear: God commands forces able to carry out His purposes everywhere. The picture reassures a weak, rebuilding people that omnipotent power stands behind God's promises.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Rev 6:2So I looked and saw a white horse, and its rider held a bow. And he was given a crown, and he rode out to overcome and conquer.
- Rev 6:8Then I looked and saw a pale green horse. Its rider’s name was Death, and Hades followed close behind. And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill by sword, by famine, by plague, and by the beasts of the earth.
- Zech 1:8I looked out into the night and saw a man riding on a red horse. He was standing among the myrtle trees in the hollow, and behind him were red, sorrel, and white horses.
- Rev 19:11Then 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.
- Rev 20:11Then I saw a great white throne and the One seated on it. Earth and heaven fled from His presence, and no place was found for them.
- Dan 2:33its legs were iron, and its feet were part iron and part clay.
- Dan 2:40–41Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom as strong as iron; for iron shatters and crushes all things, and like iron that crushes all things, it will shatter and crush all the others.
- Zech 6:6–7The one with the black horses is going toward the land of the north, the one with the white horses toward the west, and the one with the dappled horses toward the south.”
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 6:3 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.