1 And again I lifted up my eyes and saw four chariots coming out from between two mountains—mountains of bronze. 2 The first chariot had red horses, the second black horses, 3 the third white horses, and the fourth dappled horses—all of them strong.

4 So I inquired of the angel who was speaking with me, “What are these, my lord?”

5 And the angel told me, “These are the four spirits *Or winds of heaven, going forth from their station before the Lord of all the earth. 6 The one with the black horses is going toward the land of the north, the one with the white horses toward the west,†Or the one with the white horses after them and the one with the dappled horses toward the south.”

7 As the strong horses went out, they were eager to go and patrol the earth; and the LORD said, “Go and patrol the earth.” So they patrolled the earth.

8 Then 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.”

9 The word of the LORD also came to me, saying, 10 “Take an offering from the exiles—from Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah, who have arrived from Babylon—and go that same day to the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah. 11 Take silver and gold, make an ornate crown, and set it on the head of the high priest, Joshua son of Jehozadak.‡Jehozadak is a variant of Jozadak; see Ezra 3:2.

12 And you are to tell him that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Here is a man whose name is the Branch, and He will branch out from His place and build the temple of the LORD. 13 Yes, He will build the temple of the LORD; He will be clothed in splendor and will sit on His throne and rule. And He will be a priest on His throne,§Or And there will be a priest on His throne and there will be peaceful counsel between the two.’

14 The crown will reside in the temple of the LORD as a memorial to Helem,*Hebrew; Syriac Heldai; see verse 10. Tobijah, Jedaiah, and the gracious †Or and Hen; Syriac and Josiah; see verse 10. son of Zephaniah. 15 Even those far away will come and build the temple of the LORD, and you will know that the LORD of Hosts has sent Me to you. This will happen if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God.”

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