1The vision of the four chariots. 9By the crowns of Joshua the high priest are showed Christ the Branch, and his church and kingdom.
1AND1 I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came 2four chariots out 3from between two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of brass.
1 Hebr. And I turned again and lifted up mine eyes.
2 Signifying the four angels, which were sent forth to execute speedily the judgments of God in the four quarters of the world; the horses, verses 2, 3, signify swiftness. Some understand it that this has regard to the four monarchies.
3 Understand here by the mountains of brass the everlasting and immovable counsel and decree of God’s Providence, Who, before all eternities, has foreseen and determined what shall happen in all ages.
2In the first chariot were 4red horses; and in the second chariot black horses;
4 The diversity of these colors signifies, according to some, the different workings of the Divine Providence: black, sadness; white, joy; red, bloodshed; hail-spotted, various operations.
3And in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot 5grisled and 6bay horses.
5 See Gen. 31 on verse 10.
6 Or, ash-coloured, also in the sequel.
4Then I answered and said unto the angel that talked 7with me, What are these, my lord?
7 Or, in me.
5And the angel answered and said unto me, These are 8the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from 9standing before 10the Lord of all the earth.
8 Or, the four winds, that is, the four angels, who would execute the judgments of God in all the four winds or quarters of the world.
9 Or, where they had placed themselves. See 1 Kings 22:19; Job 1:6.
10 A description of the true God, occurring also elsewhere.
611The black horses which are therein go forth 12into the north country; and the white go forth after them; and the grisleda go forth 13toward the south country.
11 Other, Those that are in this chariot, and the black horses go forth to, etc., understanding that the first phrase has regard to the first chariot with the red horses; but others, who apply this vision to the four monarchies, conceive that the first chariot is not mentioned, because the first monarchy was then past.
12 That is, towards Babylon, situated northward to the land of Judah.
a grey
13 That is, towards the land of the Jews, situated south of Babylon.
7And the bay went forth, and sought to go that they might walk to and fro through the earth: and 14he said, Get you hence, walk to and fro through the earth. So 15they walked to and fro through the earth.
14 Namely, the Angel, Who spoke with me, namely, Christ.
15 Namely, all those horses.
8Then cried 16he upon me, and spake unto me, saying, Behold, these that go 17toward the north country 18have quieted my spirit in the north country.
16 Or, He caused me to call.
17 From which quarter the Jews suffered most by the Babylonians.
18 That is, they have pacified Me, namely, because they execute My judgments against the Babylonians, and avenge My people thoroughly. Compare Ezek. 5 on verse 13.
9¶And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
1019Take of them of the captivity, even of 20Heldai, of 21Tobijah, and of Jedaiah, 22which are come from Babylon, and come thou the same day, and go into the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah;
19 Namely, of the Jews who were carried away captive by Nebuchadnezzar; or, of their children, for, there were probably but few left alive or none at all of those who by this time were personally carried away. Take of them, namely, the gold and silver, which they bring to offer in the temple.
20 Called Helem in verse 14.
21 Hebr. Tobijahu.
22 Namely, the aforementioned valiant men, who were of the most important ones who were returned out of the Babylonian captivity.
11Then take silver and gold, and 23make crowns, and 24set them upon the head of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest;
23 Namely, two crowns, one of gold and one of silver, the one signifies the priesthood, the other the Kingdom of Christ.
24 Joshua represented the Messiah, Who is both King and High Priest.
12And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, 25Behold 26the man whose name is 27The BRANCH; and he shall grow up 28out of his place, and he shall build the temple 29of the LORD:
25 Or, Lo, there shall be (or, come) a man.
26 Namely, Christ, true God and true Man, Whose type thou art.
27 See Zech. 3:8.
28 Namely, out of Bethlehem, out of the stem or root of David, to whom He was promised. Compare Isa. 11:1; Micah 5:1.
29 That is, the church of the faithful, namely, through the preaching of the Holy Gospel.
13Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear 30the glory, and 31shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and 32the counsel of peace shall be between them both.
30 Or, majesty, that is, He shall be King and High Priest, whereof Joshua was but a shadow. Others understand these words thus: He shall so govern that He will be had in honor for it.
31 That is, He shall rule, sitting upon His throne, etc.
32 That is, there shall be peaceable consultations between Them Both, namely, between that King and High Priest; for He shall be both King and High Priest together, which is shown by both the crowns. See Heb. 2:7; 3:3. Others understand this as such: it is here prophesied that these offices, the Priestly and Kingly, would always and ever more be and remain united in the Person of Christ. Some understand by both the Jews and Gentiles, whom Christ would bring into His church, the one as well as the other. Eph. 2:16.
14And the crowns shall be to 33Helem, and to Tobijah, and to Jedaiah, and to 34Hen the son of Zephaniah, 35for a memorial in the temple of the LORD.
33 Verse 10 called Heldai.
34 Verse 10 called Josiah.
35 The sense is: After that these crowns shall have been set upon the head of Joshua, as was commanded in verse 11, and when that prophecy shall be performed, then shall the crowns be taken off again and laid up in the temple for a remembrance of those four men who gave the gold and the silver.
15And 36they that are far off shall come and build 37in the temple of the LORD, and ye shall know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you. And this shall come to pass, if ye will 38diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God.
36 That is, the heathen shall help to advance the building of the spiritual temple. See Isa. 57:19; Eph. 2:19.
37 Or, on the spiritual temple, being themselves living stones of it, Eph. 2:19, etc.
38 Hebr. hearing ye shall hear, etc.