in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot dappled horses, all of them powerful.
Parallel translations
- KJV And in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot grisled and bay horses.
- BSB the third white horses, and the fourth dappled horses—all of them strong.
- 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 6:2And 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 6:8And behold, a pale horse, and he who sat on it, his name was Death. Hades followed with him. Authority over one fourth of the earth, to kill with the sword, with famine, with death, and by the wild animals of the earth was given to him.
- 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 19:11I saw the heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it is called Faithful and True. In righteousness he judges and makes war.
- Rev 20:11I saw a great white throne, and him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. There was found no place for them.
- Dan 2:33its legs of iron, its feet part of iron, and part of clay.
- Dan 2:40–41The fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron, because iron breaks in pieces and subdues all things; and as iron that crushes all these, shall it break in pieces and crush.
- Zech 6:6–7The 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 6:3 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.