Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Zechariah 6:6
The black horses which [are] therein go forth into the north country; and the white go forth after them; and the grizzled go forth toward the south country.
6. the black horses which are therein ] Lit. (that) wherein are the black horses, (they, the horses) are going forth, &c., i.e. The chariot wherein are the black horses goeth forth, &c. R. V.
the north country ] The land of Babylon, see Zec 2:6.
the south country ] probably Egypt. Comp. Dan 11:5.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The black horses which are therein go forth – Literally, That chariot wherein the black horses are, these go forth. Jerome: Most suitably is the first chariot, wherein the red homes were, passed over, and what the second, third, fourth did is described. For when the prophet related this, the Babylonian empire had passed, and the power of the Medes possessed all Asia. Red, as the color of blood, represented Babylon as sanguinary; as it is said in the Revelation, There went out another horse, red, and power was given to him that sat thereon, to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another, and there was given him a sharp sword Rev 6:4. The black were to go forth to the north country, the ancient title of Babylon. For Babylon, though taken, was far from being broken. They had probably been betrayed through the weakness of their kings. Their resistance, in the first carefully prepared (Herodotus, iii. 150) revolt against Darius, was more courageous than that against Cyrus: and more desperate .
Since probably more Jews remained in it, than returned to their own country, what was to befall it had a special interest for them. They had already been warned in the third vision Zec 2:7 to escape from it. The color black doubtless symbolizes the heavy lot, inflicted by the Medo-Persians; as in the Revelation it is said, the sun became black as sackcloth of hair Rev 6:12; and to the beast in Daniels vision which corresponded with it, it was said, Arise, devour much flesh Dan 7:5; and in the Revelation, he that sat on the black horse Rev 6:5-6 was the angel charged with the infliction of famine. Of the Medes, Isaiah had said, I will stir up the Medes against them (Babylon), which shall not regard silver; and gold, they shall not delight in it. Their bows also shall dash the young men to pieces; and they shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb; their eye shall not spare children Isa 13:17-18.
The white went forth after them – For the Greek empire occupied the same portion of the earth as the Persian. White is a symbol of joy, gladness Ecc 9:8, victory Rev 6:2, perhaps also, from its relation to light, of acute intelligence. It may relate too to the benevolence of Alexander to the Jewish nation. Alexander used such clemency to the conquered, that it seemed as though he might be called rather the founder than the destroyer of the nations whom he subdued.
And the grizzled – The Romans in their mingled character, so prominent in the fourth empire of Daniel, go forth Dan 2:41-43 to the south country, that is, Egypt; as Daniel speaks of the ships of Chittim Dan 11:30 and the intervention of the Romans first in regard to the expulsion of Antiochus Epiphanes from Egypt; in Egypt also, the last enduring kingdom of any successor of Alexander, that of the Ptolemies, expired. 30 years afterward, the Son of God was to bring light to the earth. The prophet so interweaves the prediction, that from the series of the four kingdoms it is brought to the Birth of the Eternal King .
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 6. The black horses] This refers to the second chariot; of the first the angel makes no mention, because the empire designed by it had ceased to exist. This had red horses, to show the cruelty of the Chaldeans towards the Jews, and the carnage they committed in the land of Judea.
The black] Cyrus, at the head of the Persians and Medes, bringing devastation and death among the Chaldeans, called the north in many parts of Scripture.
The white] Alexander, who was splendid in his victories, and mild towards all that he conquered.
The grisled] The Lagidae or Ptolemies, who founded an empire in Egypt; of these some were good, some bad, some despotic, some moderate, some cruel, and some mild; represented by the party-coloured horses.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The angel signified by the
black horses the executioners of Gods just displeasure against sinners.
Which are therein; in the second chariot, for nothing is said more of the first, (the red horses,) say some, because that bloody and cruel state was expired; but the sad things portended by the black horses are to come next on the scene.
Go forth into the north country; Babylon, the whole kingdom of Babylon, which lay so much north from Judea, and because the metropolis lay north the whole kingdom is called the north country; which must feel the effects of these black horses, which was executed by the hands of the Medes and Persians, assisted by that squadron of angels which appeared in the second place.
The white go forth after them; ministers of goodness, mercy, and kindness, went after the black, and their business was, say some, to dispose affairs for the benefit and joy of Gods people in Babylon, whither these were sent to preserve them, to conduct them, and bring them back; and here was great work in this, for many staid behind till Ezras and Nehemiahs time.
The grisled go forth; the angels signified by these, and whose business, as some guess, lay in managing the Roman power, which was a mixture of many different people, and which were sometimes favourable, sometimes fierce and severe, to those they had to do with.
Toward the south country; Egypt and Arabia, which lay south of Judea, and which the Romans did, though late, subdue; it may perhaps point at their invading Africa too, whose punishments were mixed somewhat with kindness and mercy more than the punishments of Babylon were.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
6. north countryBabylon (seeon Jer 1:14). The north is thequarter specified in particular whence Judah and Israel are hereafterto return to their own land (Zec 2:6;Jer 3:18). “The blackhorses” go to Babylon, primarily to represent the awfuldesolation with which Darius visited it in the fifth year of hisreign (two years after this prophecy) for revolting [HENDERSON].The “white” go after the “black” horses to thesame country; two sets being sent to it because of its greatercruelty and guilt in respect to Judea. The white represent Dariustriumphant subjugation of it [MOORE].Rather, I think, the white are sent to victoriously subdueMedo-Persia, the second world kingdom, lying in the same quarter asBabylon, namely, north.
grizzled . . . toward thesouththat is, to Egypt, the other great foe of God’s people.It, being a part of the Grco-Macedonian kingdom, stands for thewhole of it, the third world kingdom.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
The black horses which [are] therein,…. Which were in the second chariot: no further mention is made of the red horses in the first chariot, because the kingdom of the Chaldeans was now extinct: these design the Medes and Persians:
go forth into the north country: into the country of Babylon or Chaldea, which lay north of Judea; see Jer 1:13 and other places; these went to Babylon, took that, and seized on the empire, and delivered the Jews, who were captives there:
and the white go forth after them; the Grecians under Alexander, who went after the Medes and Persians into the same country, and fought Darius the Persian, and conquered him:
and the grisled go forth toward the south country; the Romans under Julius Caesar, Augustus, and others before them, who went into Egypt, which lay south of Judea, Da 11:5 and conquered that, and other nations, and set up the fourth kingdom or monarchy.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Zechariah explains here each part of the prophecy; but he shows at the same time that two of the chariots hastened towards Chaldea, that it might not be grievous to the Jews that they in the first place had to experience God’s judgment. He then shows that God sent his messengers to all parts; but that there had been, or were to be, remarkable and extraordinary changes, especially among the Babylonians. It hence appeared evident, that God had a care for his own people, who had been driven there into exile. And I leave already stated the reason why he speaks here of red horses; for they are mistaken who think that the first chariot was sent into Chaldea; for I consider that this refers to the Jews, with whom God’s judgment commenced. He then says, that two chariots went towards Babylon, the first was drawn by black horses, and the other by white, because of the kindness shown by the Persian, by whom a new light of joy was brought to the Jews.
With regard to the land of the south, the Prophet no doubt alludes to the Egyptians. But he afterwards adds, that the last chariot was conveyed elsewhere, even through the whole world. Some render אמוצים, amustim, strong; and this is the proper meaning of the word, for אמץ, amets, properly means to fortify, to strengthen; but as color is intended here, it seems probable to me that it means somewhat red, as some of the Rabbis teach us; for the Prophet mentioned another word before, ברדים, beredim, grilled. Hence some interpreters join together the two, and say that the horses were grisled, or spotted like hail, and then that they were אמוצים, amutsim, somewhat red. Jerome seems to me to have sufficiently refuted this opinion, because the other horses were אדמים, ademim, red, but these were of different colors. And further, it can hardly be suitable to say, that these alone were strong horses who drew this chariot; for we know that God so wonderfully exercised his power against the Chaldeans that two chariots went forth to them, and they would not have been drawn by weak and feeble horses. I hence think that their color is here designated, and the Prophet calls them once grilled, and then somewhat red.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(6) The black . . . therein go.Better, that in which are the black horses went; literally, [were] going. It would seem that two chariots go into the north country, because there were there two powers to be overcome: viz., the remnant of the old Asshur-Babylonian and the Medo-Persian.
The south country is Egypt. After the battle of Marathon (B.C. 490), Egypt revolted from Darius, but it was re-conquered by Xerxes (B.C. 485). From that time onward it was continually in a state of revolt, till finally it was subdued to the Persian power by Ochos (B.C. 340). It was afterwards wrested from the hands of Persia by Alexander (B.C. 332).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Zec 6:6 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.
Ver. 6. The black horses which are therein, &c. ] These angels are appointed to several countries. The black horses to Babylon (which lay north from Judea) to inflict vengeance. The white horses are sent with them, to deliver the Church out of Babylon; and to bring their brethren for an offering unto the Lord, upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts to God’s holy mountain Jerusalem, Isa 66:20 .
And the grizzled go forth toward the south country
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
after then: or, to the west of thorn.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
the north: Jer 1:14, Jer 1:15, Jer 4:6, Jer 6:1, Jer 25:9, Jer 46:10, Jer 51:48, Eze 1:4
go forth after: Dan 7:5, Dan 7:6, Dan 11:3, Dan 11:4
toward: Dan 11:5, Dan 11:6, Dan 11:9, Dan 11:40
Reciprocal: Dan 2:39 – another third Zec 1:8 – speckled Zec 6:2 – black Zec 6:3 – grisled Rev 6:5 – a black
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Zec 6:6. As the north country denotes Babylon (see the comments on Isa 14:31), so the south would mean Judah that was taken to Babylon.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Zec 6:6-7. The black horses go forth into the north country The Persians (signified, as before observed, by the black horses) marched from Persia into Chaldea, which lay north of Judea, and is commonly denominated the north country. And the white go forth after them Alexander, with his Macedonians, signified, as we have said, by the white horses, marched from Greece through Asia Minor to Babylon, after the Persians, who retired before his victorious army. And the grizzled go forth toward the south country This probably was intended to denote the Romans conquering Egypt, frequently called the south country in Scripture: see Dan 11:6. This was the last country the Romans subdued, under Augustus, whereby they became masters of the greatest part of the known world. And the bay sought to go, &c., that they might walk to and fro through the earth As the bay horses, as well as the grizzled, belonged to the fourth chariot, representing the Roman empire, (see note on Zec 6:3,) and the bay horses are mentioned after the grizzled, this verse may be intended to describe the ambition of the Romans, especially under the last form of their government, the imperial, to extend their conquests to every quarter of the globe; and the divine permission granted them so to do, signified in the latter part of the verse. Or, as Lowth supposes, a different branch of that empire may be here intended, which should arise and extend its conquests in the latter times; namely, the empire of the Goths and Vandals, whose power rose out of the ruins of the first Roman empire, and who set up the kingdom of the ten horns, mentioned Rev 13:1; Rev 17:3.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
6:6 The black horses which [are] in it go forth into the north country; and the white go forth after them; and the spotted go forth toward the {h} south country.
(h) That is, towards Egypt, and other countries there about.