Zechariah 6:6
New International Version
The one with the black horses is going toward the north country, the one with the white horses toward the west, and the one with the dappled horses toward the south.”

New Living Translation
The chariot with black horses is going north, the chariot with white horses is going west, and the chariot with dappled-gray horses is going south.”

English Standard Version
The chariot with the black horses goes toward the north country, the white ones go after them, and the dappled ones go toward the south country.”

Berean Standard Bible
The 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.”

King James Bible
The black horses which are therein go forth into the north country; and the white go forth after them; and the grisled go forth toward the south country.

New King James Version
The one with the black horses is going to the north country, the white are going after them, and the dappled are going toward the south country.”

New American Standard Bible
with one of which the black horses are going out to the north country; and the white ones are to go out after them, while the spotted ones are to go out to the south country.”

NASB 1995
with one of which the black horses are going forth to the north country; and the white ones go forth after them, while the dappled ones go forth to the south country.

NASB 1977
with one of which the black horses are going forth to the north country; and the white ones go forth after them, while the dappled ones go forth to the south country.

Legacy Standard Bible
with one of which the black horses are going forth to the north country; and the white ones go forth after them, and the dappled ones go forth to the south country.

Amplified Bible
with the chariot with the black horses going toward the north country; then the one with the white horses follows after them [because there are two northern powers to overcome], and the chariot with the dappled horses goes toward the south country.”

Christian Standard Bible
The one with the black horses is going to the land of the north, the white horses are going after them, but the dappled horses are going to the land of the south.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The one with the black horses is going to the land of the north, the white horses are going after them, but the dappled horses are going to the land of the south.”

American Standard Version
The chariot wherein are the black horses goeth forth toward the north country; and the white went forth after them; and the grizzled went forth toward the south country.

Contemporary English Version
The chariot with black horses goes toward the north, the chariot with white horses goes toward the west, and the one with spotted horses goes toward the south."

English Revised Version
The chariot wherein are the black horses goeth forth toward the north country; and the white went forth after them; and the grisled went forth toward the south country.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The chariot with the black horses is going toward the north, and the white horses are following them. The spotted ones are going toward the south."

Good News Translation
The chariot pulled by the black horses was going north to Babylonia, the white horses were going to the west, and the dappled horses were going to the country in the south.

International Standard Version
The black horses are headed into the north country, and the white ones are headed out after them. The speckled horses are headed toward the south country."

Majority Standard Bible
The 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.”

NET Bible
The chariot with the black horses is going to the north country and the white ones are going after them, but the spotted ones are going to the south country.

New Heart English Bible
The one with the black horses goes out toward the north country; and the white went out after them; and the dappled went forth toward the south country."

Webster's Bible Translation
The black horses which are therein go forth into the north country; and the white go forth after them; and the grizzled go forth towards the south country.

World English Bible
The 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.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
The brown horses that [are] therein, are coming forth to the land of the north; and the white have come forth to their back part; and the spotted have come forth to the land of the south;

Young's Literal Translation
The brown horses that are therein, are coming forth unto the land of the north; and the white have come forth unto their hinder part; and the grisled have come forth unto the land of the south;

Smith's Literal Translation
The black horses which are in it, going forth into the land of the north; and the white went forth after them; and the sprinkled with spots went forth to the land of the south.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
That in which were the black horses went forth into the land of the north, and the white went forth after them: and the grisled went forth to the land of the south.

Catholic Public Domain Version
The one with the black horses was departing into the land of the North, and the white went forth after them, and the speckled went forth towards the land of the South.

New American Bible
The one with the black horses is going toward the land of the north, and the white horses go toward the west, and the dappled ones go toward the land of the south.”

New Revised Standard Version
The chariot with the black horses goes toward the north country, the white ones go toward the west country, and the dappled ones go toward the south country.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
The chariot in which are black horses goes forth to the north country; and the white go forth after them; and the grizzled go forth to the south country,

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
That which has black horses on it is going out to the north land, and the white ones are going out after them, and the spotted ones are going out to the land of the south
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
That wherein are the black horses goeth forth toward the north country; and the white went forth after them; and the grizzled went forth toward the south country;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
As for the chariot in which were the black horses, they went out to the land of the north; and the white went out after them; and the piebald went out to the land of the south.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Vision of the Four Chariots
5And the angel told me, “These are the four spirits of heaven, going forth from their station before the Lord of all the earth. 6The 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.” 7As the strong horses went out, they were eager to go and patrol the earth; and the LORD said, “Go and patrol the earth.” So they patrolled the earth.…

Cross References
Revelation 6:2-8
So 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. / And when the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” / Then another horse went forth. It was bright red, and its rider was granted permission to take away peace from the earth and to make men slay one another. And he was given a great sword. ...

Ezekiel 1:4-28
I looked and saw a whirlwind coming from the north, a great cloud with fire flashing back and forth and brilliant light all around it. In the center of the fire was a gleam like amber, / and within it was the form of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: They had a human form, / but each had four faces and four wings. ...

Daniel 7:2-3
Daniel declared: “In my vision in the night I looked, and suddenly the four winds of heaven were churning up the great sea. / Then four great beasts came up out of the sea, each one different from the others:

Jeremiah 1:14
Then the LORD said to me, “Disaster from the north will be poured out on all who live in the land.

Jeremiah 25:9
behold, I will summon all the families of the north, declares the LORD, and I will send for My servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, whom I will bring against this land, against its residents, and against all the surrounding nations. So I will devote them to destruction and make them an object of horror and contempt, an everlasting desolation.

Isaiah 66:19
I will establish a sign among them, and I will send survivors from among them to the nations—to Tarshish, Put, and the archers of Lud; to Tubal, Javan, and the islands far away who have not heard of My fame or seen My glory. So they will proclaim My glory among the nations.

Ezekiel 14:21
For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘How much worse will it be when I send against Jerusalem My four dire judgments—sword, famine, wild beasts, and plague—in order to cut off from it both man and beast?

Jeremiah 4:6
Raise a signal flag toward Zion. Seek refuge! Do not delay! For I am bringing disaster from the north, and terrible destruction.

Jeremiah 6:22
This is what the LORD says: “Behold, an army is coming from the land of the north; a great nation is stirred up from the ends of the earth.

Isaiah 43:6
I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back!’ Bring My sons from afar, and My daughters from the ends of the earth—

Ezekiel 9:2
And I saw six men coming from the direction of the Upper Gate, which faces north, each with a weapon of slaughter in his hand. With them was another man clothed in linen who had a writing kit at his side. And they came in and stood beside the bronze altar.

Revelation 7:1
After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back its four winds so that no wind would blow on land or sea or on any tree.

Revelation 9:14
saying to the sixth angel with the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.”

Matthew 24:31
And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

Mark 13:27
And He will send out the angels to gather His elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.


Treasury of Scripture

The black horses which are therein go forth into the north country; and the white go forth after them; and the spotted go forth toward the south country.

the north.

Jeremiah 1:14,15
Then the LORD said unto me, Out of the north an evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land…

Jeremiah 4:6
Set up the standard toward Zion: retire, stay not: for I will bring evil from the north, and a great destruction.

Jeremiah 6:1
O ye children of Benjamin, gather yourselves to flee out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and set up a sign of fire in Bethhaccerem: for evil appeareth out of the north, and great destruction.

go forth after.

Daniel 7:5,6
And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh…

Daniel 11:3,4
And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will…

toward.

Daniel 11:5,6,9,40
And the king of the south shall be strong, and one of his princes; and he shall be strong above him, and have dominion; his dominion shall be a great dominion…

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Black Brown Carriage Chariot Colour Country Dappled Direction Forth Goes Grisled Grizzled Hinder Horses Mixed North Ones South Therein Towards West Wherein White
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Black Brown Carriage Chariot Colour Country Dappled Direction Forth Goes Grisled Grizzled Hinder Horses Mixed North Ones South Therein Towards West Wherein White
Zechariah 6
1. The vision of the four chariots.
9. By the crowns of Joshua are shown the temple and kingdom of Christ the Branch.














The one with the black horses
In the context of Zechariah's vision, the "black horses" symbolize judgment and calamity. The Hebrew word for "black" is "שָׁחוֹר" (shachor), often associated with mourning or distress. Historically, black horses have been seen as omens of impending doom or divine retribution. In the broader biblical narrative, black can represent the absence of light, symbolizing a departure from God's presence. This imagery serves as a reminder of the consequences of turning away from divine guidance.

is going toward the land of the north
The "land of the north" refers to Babylon and the regions beyond, which were historically significant as places of exile and oppression for the Israelites. The Hebrew term "צָפוֹן" (tsaphon) denotes not just a geographical direction but also a place of threat and invasion, as many of Israel's enemies came from the north. This movement of the black horses signifies God's judgment being directed towards these regions, fulfilling prophecies of retribution against those who have oppressed His people.

the one with the white horses
White horses in biblical symbolism often represent victory, purity, and divine approval. The Hebrew word "לָבָן" (lavan) for "white" conveys brightness and holiness. In Revelation, white horses are associated with Christ's triumphant return. Here, the white horses signify a message of hope and redemption, suggesting that God's justice will ultimately lead to restoration and peace for His people.

toward the west
The west, or "יָם" (yam) in Hebrew, often symbolizes the sea or the end of the known world. In biblical times, the west was associated with the setting sun, representing the end of a cycle or era. The movement of the white horses toward the west may indicate the spread of God's peace and victory to the ends of the earth, fulfilling the promise of His kingdom's expansion and the ultimate triumph of good over evil.

and the one with the dappled horses
Dappled horses, described with the Hebrew word "בְּרוּדִים" (berudim), are marked with spots or patches, symbolizing a mixture or diversity. This imagery can represent a combination of judgment and mercy, reflecting the complexity of God's dealings with humanity. The dappled horses suggest that God's actions are multifaceted, encompassing both justice and grace.

toward the south
The south, or "תֵּימָן" (teman) in Hebrew, often refers to Egypt and the regions below Israel. Historically, the south was a place of refuge and also of past bondage for the Israelites. The movement of the dappled horses toward the south may symbolize God's ongoing work in areas of past deliverance and current need, indicating His comprehensive plan for redemption and the restoration of His people across all directions.

Verse 6. - The angel now (vers. 6, 7) indicates the various destinations of the chariots, except the first with the red horses. Why this is omitted has never been satisfactorily explained. Some regard ver. 7 as giving the destination of this chariot, by making a slight change in the word rendered "bay" in the Authorized Version, which would cause it to mean "red." The Syriac, indeed, which omits the word in ver. 3, translates it here by "red." If we retain the Masoretic reading, we must let this difficulty remain unsolved, and suppose that the angel explains only part of the vision, leaving the rest for the prophet's meditation. The black horses which are therein; literally, that wherein are the black horses, they go forth, etc.; which is equivalent to "the chariot wherein are the black horses goeth forth." So the Revised Version. The north country. Babylonia (see note on Zechariah 2:6). After them; behind them. The white horses go to the same quarter; and thus is indicated the overwhelming destruction that was coming on Babylon, and the victory and triumph of the conquerors over it. The south country; i.e. Egypt (Isaiah 30:6; Daniel 11:5), another hostile power, also, perhaps, Edom and Ethiopia. One chariot only is seen to go towards it, drawn by the speckled horses that denote a mixed judgment, perhaps of war and pestilence (see on ver. 3). The north and south symbolize the whole earth and the powers hostile to the true Israel.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
The one
אֲשֶׁר־ (’ă·šer-)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

with
בָּ֞הּ (bāh)
Preposition | third person feminine singular
Strong's Hebrew

the black
הַשְּׁחֹרִ֗ים (haš·šə·ḥō·rîm)
Article | Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 7838: Dusky, jetty

horses
הַסּוּסִ֣ים (has·sū·sîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 5483: A swallow, swift (type of bird)

is going
יֹֽצְאִים֙ (yō·ṣə·’îm)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 3318: To go, bring, out, direct and proxim

toward
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

the land
אֶ֣רֶץ (’e·reṣ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 776: Earth, land

of the north,
צָפ֔וֹן (ṣā·p̄ō·wn)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 6828: Hidden, dark, the north as a, quarter

[the one with] the white [horses]
וְהַלְּבָנִ֔ים (wə·hal·lə·ḇā·nîm)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 3836: White

toward
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

[the west],
אַֽחֲרֵיהֶ֑ם (’a·ḥă·rê·hem)
Preposition | third person masculine plural
Strong's 310: The hind or following part

and [the one with] the dappled [horses]
וְהַ֨בְּרֻדִּ֔ים (wə·hab·bə·rud·dîm)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 1261: Spotted, marked

toward
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

the south.”
הַתֵּימָֽן׃ (hat·tê·mān)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 8486: South, south wind


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OT Prophets: Zechariah 6:6 The one with the black horses goes (Zech. Zec Zc)
Zechariah 6:5
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