Zechariah 6 · Verse 3

Zechariah 6:3

And in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot grisled and bay horses.
Zechariah 6:3, King James Version

Zechariah 6:3 in other translations

BSBthe third white horses, and the fourth dappled horses—all of them strong.
WEBIn the third chariot were white horses. In the fourth chariot were dappled horses, all of them powerful.
ASVand in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot grizzled strong horses.
YLTand in the third chariot white horses, and in the fourth chariot strong grisled horses.
DARBYand in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot grisled, strong horses.
BBEAnd in the third, white horses; and in the fourth, horses of mixed colour.
WebsterAnd in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot grizzled and bay horses.

What does Zechariah 6:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
3. white--implying joy and victory [Calvin]. grizzled--piebald. Implying a mixed dispensation, partly prosperity, partly adversity. All four dispensations, though various in character to the Gentile nation, portended alike good to God's people. bay--rather, "strong" or "fleet"; so Vulgate [Gesenius]. The horses have this epithet, whose part it was to "walk to and fro through the earth" (Zec 6:7). However, the Septuagint and Chaldee agree with English Version in referring the Hebrew to color, not strength.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 3 The third chariot white horses - The empire of the Greeks, founded by Alexander the Great, which destroyed the empire of the Persians. The fourth chariot grisled and bay horses - That is party-coloured horses, or with horses, some grisled and some bay. The empire of the Romans or of the Greeks. The Greeks divided after the death of Alexander; one part pointing out the Lagidae, who attacked and subdued Egypt; and the other, the seleucidae, who subdued Syria under Seleucus.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Zechariah 6:1-8

This vision may represent the ways of Providence in the government of this lower world. Whatever the providences of God about us are, as to public or private affairs, we should see them all as coming from between the mountains of brass, the immoveable counsels and decrees of God; and therefore reckon it as much our folly to quarrel with them, as it is our duty to submit to them. His providences move swiftly and…

Read the full comment on Zechariah 6:1-8 →

Zechariah 6:3 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וּבַמֶּרְכָּבָ֥הu.va.mer.ka.Vahand [were] with the chariotH4818
הַשְּׁלִשִׁ֖יתha.she.li.Shit<the> thirdH7992
סוּסִ֣יםsu.SimhorsesH5483
לְבָנִ֑יםle.va.NimwhiteH3836
וּבַמֶּרְכָּבָה֙u.va.mer.ka.Vahand [were] with the chariotH4818
הָרְבִעִ֔יתha.re.vi.'It<the> fourthH7243
סוּסִ֥יםsu.SimhorsesH5483
בְּרֻדִּ֖יםbe.ru.DimdappledH1261
אֲמֻצִּֽים\׃'a.mu.TzimstrongH554

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Zechariah 6:3

  • Revelation 6:2

    And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.

  • Revelation 6:8

    And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.

  • Zechariah 1:8

    I saw by night, and behold a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in the bottom; and behind him were there red horses, speckled, and white.

  • Revelation 20:11

    And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

  • Daniel 2:40-41

    And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise. And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.

  • Revelation 19:11

    And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

  • Daniel 2:33

    His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.

  • Zechariah 6:6-7

    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. And the bay went forth, and sought to go that they might walk to and fro through the earth: and he said, Get you hence, walk to and fro through the earth. So they walked to and fro through the earth.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
white.
Re 6:2; 19:11; 20:11
grisled.
6,7; 1:8; Da 2:33,40,41; Re 6:8
bay. or, strong.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Zechariah 6:2

    In the first chariot were red horses; and in the second chariot black horses;

  • Zechariah 6:3

    And in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot grisled and bay horses.

  • Zechariah 6:4

    Then I answered and said unto the angel that talked with me, What are these, my lord?

Read all of Zechariah 6

Zechariah 6:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y en el tercer carro caballos blancos, y en el cuarto carro caballos overos ruciorodados.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
et au troisième char, des chevaux blancs; et au quatrième char, des chevaux tachetés, vigoureux.
German
Elberfelder 1871
und an dem dritten Wagen weiße Rosse, und an dem vierten Wagen scheckige, starke Rosse.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
et in quadriga tertia equi albi, et in quadriga quarta equi varii et fortes.