Zechariah 6

₁The Lord again showed me something. I saw 4 war-chariots. The war-chariots came from between 2 mountains made of bronze. ₂In front of the first war-chariot were red horses and in front of the 2nd war-chariot were black horses. ₃In front of the 3rd war-chariot were white horses and in front of the 4th war-chariot were grey horses. ₄I asked the angel who had to tell me what everything meant: ‘Sir, what does this mean?’

₅The angel told me: ‘These war-chariots come from the Lord of all the earth and now they are going to the north, south, east and west. ₆The war-chariot with the black horses is going to the land in the north and the war-chariot with the white horses is also going there. The war-chariot with the grey horses is going to the land in the south.’

₇The strong grey horses did not want to wait. They wanted to go to all the places on earth, and the angel said: ‘Yes, go. Go to all the places on earth.’

Then they went to all the places on earth. ₈The angel shouted to me and said: ‘Look, the war-chariots that are going to the land in the north are taking the Spirit of the Lord with them to that land. They take peace with them.’

₉The Lord said to me: ₁₀‘You must get gold and silver from Heldai, Tobijah and Jedaiah. They have come back from the land of Babylon. Go to the home of Josiah, the son of Zephaniah. He has also come back from Babylon. ₁₁You must take the gold and silver and make a crown. Then you must put the crown on the head of the high-priest Joshua, son of Jozadak.

₁₂You must tell him that the Lord who rules over all says: There is a man whose name is the Branch. He will be a leader and he will build the temple of the Lord again. ₁₃Yes, he is the one who will build the temple. He will be an important man. He will sit on the throne and he will rule. The priest will rule with him and the 2 will work together in peace. ₁₄The crown must stay in the temple, and then everyone who sees the crown will remember Heldai, Tobijah and Jedaiah, and Josiah, the son of Zephaniah. ₁₅People will come from far to help build the temple.’

When this happens, you will know that it was the Lord who has sent me, Zechariah. He is the Lord who rules over all. But this will happen only if you listen to the Lord your God.