Zechariah 6:8
in Zechariah 6Then the LORD summoned me and said, “Behold, those going to the land of the north have given rest to My Spirit in the land of the north.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Then cried he to me, and spake unto me, saying, Behold, they that go toward the north country have quieted my spirit in the north country.
KJV
Then cried he upon me, and spake unto me, saying, Behold, these that go toward the north country have quieted my spirit in the north country.
⋯
This verse in Zechariah 6
Commentary
7 notes on this verseHave quieted my spirit in the north country - They have fulfilled my judgments on Assyria and Chaldea. Nabopolassar and Cyrus first, against the Assyrians and Chaldeans; and Alexander next, against the Persians. On this vision Abp. Newcome remarks: - The black horses seem to denote the Persian empire; which, by subduing the Chaldeans, and being about to inflict a second heavy chastisement on Babylon, quieted God’s spirit with respect to Chaldea; a country always spoken of as lying to the north of the Jews. The white horses seem to be the Macedonian empire; which, like the Persian, overcame Chaldea.
This site's exposition
The black horses which are therein go forth into the north country
on Zechariah 6:6-8
The black horses go north, the white after them, the grisled south, and the bay range the whole earth on the angel's own command, get you hence, walk to and fro through the earth. The north country is Babylon's own direction from Judah, and the angel's word that those going north have quieted my spirit there reads as judgment on Babylon satisfying the wrath the earlier chapters of the book have already announced against her, the empire's account closed.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Cried he - Christ spake aloud, and called to him. Quieted my spirit - By doing what I appointed them in revenge of my peoples injuries, and by bringing my people back into Canaan.
Then cried he upon me, and spake unto me, saying,.... That is, the Lord of the whole earth spoke to the prophet with a loud voice, and uttered the following words: Behold, these that go toward the north country; meaning the Medes and Persians, which went towards Babylon: have quieted my spirit in the north country; by executing the judgments of God upon the Chaldeans, and by helping, favouring, and delivering the people of the Jews; which were very agreeable to the will of God, and well pleasing in his sight, signified by the quieting or refreshing his Spirit.
In the former part of this chapter he spoke by a vision, which only the prophet himself saw; here, in this latter part, he speaks by a sign, or type, which many saw, and which, as it was explained, was an illustrious prediction of the Messiah as the priest and king of his church.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Babylon alone of the four great world kingdoms had in Zechariah's time been finally punished; therefore, in its case alone does God now say His anger is satisfied; the others had as yet to expiate their sin; the fourth has still to do so. The double crown is placed on Joshua's head, symbolizing that the true priesthood and the kingdom shall be conferred on the one Messiah.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Then God, or the Angel of the Lord - who speaks of what belonged to God alone, “called me” (probably “loudly” Jdg 4:10, Jdg 4:13; 2Sa 20:4-5), so as to command his attention to this which most immediately concerned his people. These have quieted My spirit in the north country - Or rather, “have made My anger to rest” on, that is, have carried it thither and deposited it there, made it to rest upon them, as its abode, as John saith of the unbelieving, “The wrath of God abideth on him” Joh 3:36. Babylon had been the final antagonist and subduer of the people of God. It had at the outset destroyed the temple of God, and carried off its vessels to adorn idol-temples. Its empire closed on that night when it triumphed over God , using the vessels dedicated to Him, to the glorifying of their idols. “In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldaeans slain.” This final execution of God’s anger upon that their destroyer was the earnest of the rest to them; and in this the visions pause.
The words behind it
15 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיַּזְעֵ֣ק | vaiyazek | and he called out to | H2199 → | |
| אֹתִ֔י | ʾoti | with me | H854 → | 929 times |
| וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר | vaydaber | and he spoke | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| אֵלַ֖י | ʾelai | to me | H413 → | 5510 times |
| לֵאמֹ֑ר | lemor | <to> saying | H559 → | 5305 times |
| רְאֵ֗ה | reeh | see | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| הַיּֽוֹצְאִים֙ | haiyotzim | those [which] are going out | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| אֶ֣רֶץ | ʾeretz | [the] land of | H776 → | 2504 times |
| צָפ֔וֹן | tzafon | [the] north | H6828 → | 153 times |
| הֵנִ֥יחוּ | henichu | they have caused to rest | H5117 → | |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| רוּחִ֖י | ruchi | spirit my | H7307 → | 378 times |
| בְּאֶ֥רֶץ | beeretz | in [the] land of | H776 → | 2504 times |
| צָפֽוֹן׃ ס | tzafon | [the] north | H6828 → | 153 times |
וַיַּזְעֵ֣קand he called out to
vaiyazekH2199 →
אֹתִ֔יwith me
ʾotiH854 →929 times
וַיְדַבֵּ֥רand he spoke
vaydaberH1696 →1141 times
אֵלַ֖יto me
ʾelaiH413 →5510 times
לֵאמֹ֑ר<to> saying
lemorH559 →5305 times
רְאֵ֗הsee
reehH7200 →1300 times
הַיּֽוֹצְאִים֙those [which] are going out
haiyotzimH3318 →1067 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
אֶ֣רֶץ[the] land of
ʾeretzH776 →2504 times
צָפ֔וֹן[the] north
tzafonH6828 →153 times
הֵנִ֥יחוּthey have caused to rest
henichuH5117 →
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
רוּחִ֖יspirit my
ruchiH7307 →378 times
בְּאֶ֥רֶץin [the] land of
beeretzH776 →2504 times
צָפֽוֹן׃ ס[the] north
tzafonH6828 →153 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Ezekiel 16:63so that when I make atonement for all you have done, you will remember and be ashamed and never again open your mouth because of your disgrace, declares the Lord GOD.”
it leads to
- Psalms 39:9
I have become mute; I do not open my mouth because of what You have done.
- Romans 3:19
Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.
- Daniel 9:7–8
To You, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but this day we are covered with shame—the men of Judah, the people of Jerusalem, and all Israel near and far, in all the countries to which You…
- Job 40:4–5
“Behold, I am insignificant. How can I reply to You? I place my hand over my mouth.
- Ezekiel 36:31–32
Then you will remember your evil ways and wicked deeds, and you will loathe yourselves for your iniquities and abominations.
- Psalms 39:9
Through
Zechariah 1:15but I am fiercely angry with the nations that are at ease. For I was a little angry, but they have added to the calamity.’
it leads to
- Ezekiel 25:12–17
This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Because Edom acted vengefully against the house of Judah, and in so doing incurred grievous guilt,
- Jeremiah 51:24
Before your very eyes I will repay Babylon and all the dwellers of Chaldea for all the evil they have done in Zion,” declares the LORD.
- Isaiah 54:8
In a surge of anger I hid My face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you,” says the LORD your Redeemer.
- Ezekiel 25:12–17
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies4
About Zechariah
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Carl Friedrich Keil, The Twelve Minor Prophets; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.