Book of Zechariah Chapter 6 Vs. 7

August 24, 2025

 A Vision of Four Chariots

Zec. 6:7 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.

And the bay...

אָמֹץ

’āmōṣ: An adjective meaning powerful, strong. Some versions render this term as strong steeds (horses) (NKJV, Zec. 6:3), while others prefer powerful (NIV, Zec. 6:3, 6:7; cf. KJV, bay horses). The basic meaning is strength, power.

went forth,...

יוֹצֵאת

yôṣē’ṯ, יָצָא

yāṣā’: I. A feminine noun meaning captivity. It is used of going forth from one's homeland into exile (Psm. 144:14). God's blessing on His people could prevent this from happening.

II. A verb meaning basically to go out or to come in. It is used in many settings and contexts and is nuanced by those settings. It is used of the rising or coming forth of the sun or stars (Gen. 19:23; Neh. 4:21,15); of the birth and coming out of a child (Gen. 25:26); of the springing up of plants (1Kgs. 4:33; 5:13). It indicates general motion or movement, stepping forth for various purposes (1Sam. 17:4; 2Sam. 16:5); to set out (Exo. 17:9); to set out in a military sense (Deu. 20:1; 1Sam. 8:20; 1Chr. 5:18; Pro. 30:27). Of birds it is used with šûḇ, to return, to mean to fly back and forth or here and there (Gen. 8:7).

It has many figurative uses: "to come out from" (yāṣā’+ min) means to be descended from (Gen. 10:14); to die is described as one's soul, life, going out, away (Gen. 35:18; Ezk. 26:18); to lack courage, to fail occurs when one's heart goes out (Gen. 42:28). The beginning of the year is described as the (old) year going out (Exo. 23:16); it is used of the effects of something wearing off (1Sam. 25:37). It is used of manna "coming out of one's nose," meaning becoming sick over excessive eating of a food (Num. 11:20). It describes the removal of dross from a metal (Pro. 25:4), purifying it.

It has several nuanced meanings in different settings: to escape free (1Sam. 14:41); to leave, to go away (Dan. 10:20). The removal of a scoffer causes a quarrel to cease, to go away (Pro. 22:10). It indicates the freeing of a slave (Lev. 25:25). The context in all its uses affects its meaning and translations. In its use as a causal stem verb, it takes on the idea of causing to go out, to go forth (Gen. 15:5; Jos. 2:3); to take away (Gen. 48:12); to lead an army (2Sam. 5:2). Or it indicates bringing forth, producing plants from the ground (Gen. 1:12); a weapon by an iron worker or smith (Isa. 54:16). Or it may, in the personal sphere, indicate bringing forth one's spirit or breath, indicating that a person makes his or her feelings known (Pro. 29:11), as is characteristic of a fool. It is used with the word justice to mean to bring forth or execute justice (Isa. 42:1, 42:3). In its passive uses, it indicates that someone or something is led forth (Gen. 38:25; Ezk. 14:22; cf. Ezk. 38:22).

and sought...

בָּקַשׁ

bāqaš: A verb meaning to seek, to require; to try to obtain. It is used to describe subjects seeking or requiring various things for various reasons: a stolen object (Gen. 31:39); persons (Gen. 37:15-16); someone's life (Exo. 4:19; 24); evil against someone (1Sam. 25:26) or good (Neh. 2:10; Psm. 122:9).

It denotes seeking someone's presence, especially the Lord's (1Kgs. 10:24; Hos. 5:15) or His word (Amos 8:12). Prayer was a means of seeking the Lord's will (Dan. 9:3). In the passive use of the verb, something is sought for (Jer. 50:20; Ezk. 26:21) or is examined (Est. 2:23).

to go...

הָלַךּ

hālaḵ: A verb meaning to go, to come, to walk. This common word carries with it the basic idea of movement: the flowing of a river (Gen. 2:14); the descending of floods (Gen. 8:3); the crawling of beasts (Lev. 11:27); the slithering of snakes (Lev. 11:42); the blowing of the wind (Ecc. 1:6); the tossing of the sea (Jon. 1:13). Since it is usually a person who is moving, it is frequently translated "walk" (Gen. 48:15; 2Sam. 15:30). Like a similar verb dāraḵ, meaning to tread, this word is also used metaphorically to speak of the pathways (i.e., behavior) of one's life. A son could walk in (i.e., follow after) the ways of his father (2Chr. 17:3) or not (1Sam. 8:3). Israel was commanded to walk in the ways of the Lord (Deu. 28:9), but they often walked after other gods (2Kgs. 13:11).

that they might walk to and fro... see to go above.

through the earth:...

אֶרֶץ

’ereṣ: A noun meaning the earth, land. It is used almost 2,500 times in the Old Testament. It refers to the whole earth under God's dominion (Gen. 1:1; 14:19; Exo. 9:29; Psm. 102:25,26; Pro. 8:31; Mic. 4:13). Since the earth was God's possession, He promised to give the land of Canaan to Abraham's descendants (Gen. 12:7; 15:7). The Promised Land was very important to Abraham's descendants and to the nation of Israel that possessed the land (Jos. 1:2, 1:4). Israel's identity was tied to the land because it signified the fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham. If the Israelites were disobedient, however, they would be cursed by losing the land (Lev. 26:32-34, 26:36, 26:38-39; Deu. 28:63-64; Jer. 7:7).

and he said,...

אָמַר

’āmar: A verb meaning to say. It is translated in various ways depending on the context. It is almost always followed by a quotation. In addition to vocal speech, the word refers to thought as internal speech (2Sam. 13:32; Est. 6:6). Further, it also refers to what is being communicated by a person's actions along with his words (Exo. 2:14; 2Chr. 28:13).

Get you hence,... see to go above.

walk to and fro... see to go above.

through the earth... see above.

So they walked to and fro... see to go above.

through the earth... see above.

Book of Zechariah