Zechariah 6:2
New International Version
The first chariot had red horses, the second black,

New Living Translation
The first chariot was pulled by red horses, the second by black horses,

English Standard Version
The first chariot had red horses, the second black horses,

Berean Standard Bible
The first chariot had red horses, the second black horses,

King James Bible
In the first chariot were red horses; and in the second chariot black horses;

New King James Version
With the first chariot were red horses, with the second chariot black horses,

New American Standard Bible
With the first chariot were red horses, with the second chariot black horses,

NASB 1995
With the first chariot were red horses, with the second chariot black horses,

NASB 1977
With the first chariot were red horses, with the second chariot black horses,

Legacy Standard Bible
With the first chariot were red horses, with the second chariot black horses,

Amplified Bible
The first chariot had red horses (war, bloodshed), the second chariot had black horses (famine, death),

Christian Standard Bible
The first chariot had chestnut horses, the second chariot black horses,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The first chariot had red horses, the second chariot black horses,

American Standard Version
In the first chariot were red horses; and in the second chariot black horses;

Contemporary English Version
The first chariot was pulled by red horses, and the second by black horses;

English Revised Version
In the first chariot were red horses; and in the second chariot black horses;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The first chariot had red horses. The second had black horses.

Good News Translation
The first chariot was pulled by red horses, the second by black horses,

International Standard Version
Attached to the first chariot were red horses. Attached to the second chariot were black horses.

Majority Standard Bible
The first chariot had red horses, the second black horses,

NET Bible
Harnessed to the first chariot were red horses, to the second black horses,

New Heart English Bible
In the first chariot were red horses; in the second chariot black horses;

Webster's Bible Translation
In the first chariot were red horses; and in the second chariot black horses;

World English Bible
In the first chariot were red horses. In the second chariot were black horses.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
In the first chariot [are] red horses, and in the second chariot brown horses,

Young's Literal Translation
In the first chariot are red horses, and in the second chariot brown horses,

Smith's Literal Translation
In the first chariot, red horses; and in the second chariot, black horses;
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
In the first chariot were red horses, and in the second chariot black horses.

Catholic Public Domain Version
In the first chariot were red horses, and in the second chariot were black horses,

New American Bible
The first chariot had red horses, the second chariot black horses,

New Revised Standard Version
The first chariot had red horses, the second chariot black horses,
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
In the first chariot were red horses; in the second chariot black horses;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
With the first chariot were red horses, and with the second chariot, black horses
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
In the first chariot were red horses; and in the second chariot black horses;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
In the first chariot were red horses; and in the second chariot black horses;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



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

Cross References
Revelation 6:4
Then another horse went forth. It was bright red, and its rider was granted permission to take away peace from the earth and to make men slay one another. And he was given a great sword.

Revelation 6:5
And when the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” Then I looked and saw a black horse, and its rider held in his hand a pair of scales.

Revelation 6:2
So I looked and saw a white horse, and its rider held a bow. And he was given a crown, and he rode out to overcome and conquer.

Daniel 7:6
Next, as I watched, suddenly another beast appeared. It was like a leopard, and on its back it had four wings like those of a bird. The beast also had four heads, and it was given authority to rule.

Daniel 2:33
its legs were iron, and its feet were part iron and part clay.

Ezekiel 1:5-10
and within it was the form of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: They had a human form, / but each had four faces and four wings. / Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the hooves of a calf, gleaming like polished bronze. ...

Ezekiel 1:15-21
When I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each creature with its four faces. / The workmanship of the wheels looked like the gleam of beryl, and all four had the same likeness. Their workmanship looked like a wheel within a wheel. / As they moved, they went in any of the four directions, without pivoting as they moved. ...

Ezekiel 10:9-14
Then I looked and saw four wheels beside the cherubim, one wheel beside each cherub. And the wheels gleamed like a beryl stone. / As for their appearance, all four had the same form, like a wheel within a wheel. / When they moved, they would go in any of the four directions, without turning as they moved. For wherever the head faced, the cherubim would go in that direction, without turning as they moved. ...

Jeremiah 46:9
Advance, O horses! Race furiously, O chariots! Let the warriors come forth—Cush and Put carrying their shields, men of Lydia drawing the bow.

Jeremiah 4:13
Behold, he advances like the clouds, his chariots like the whirlwind. His horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us, for we are ruined!

Isaiah 66:15
For behold, the LORD will come with fire—His chariots are like a whirlwind—to execute His anger with fury and His rebuke with flames of fire.

Isaiah 63:1-4
Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah with crimson-stained garments? Who is this robed in splendor, marching in the greatness of His strength? “It is I, proclaiming vindication, mighty to save.” / Why are Your clothes red, and Your garments like one who treads the winepress? / “I have trodden the winepress alone, and no one from the nations was with Me. I trampled them in My anger and trod them down in My fury; their blood spattered My garments, and all My clothes were stained. ...

Isaiah 19:1
This is the burden against Egypt: Behold, the LORD rides on a swift cloud; He is coming to Egypt. The idols of Egypt will tremble before Him, and the hearts of the Egyptians will melt within them.

Isaiah 21:7-9
When he sees chariots with teams of horsemen, riders on donkeys, riders on camels, he must be alert, fully alert.” / Then the lookout shouted: “Day after day, my lord, I stand on the watchtower; night after night I stay at my post. / Look, here come the riders, horsemen in pairs.” And one answered, saying: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon! All the images of her gods lie shattered on the ground!”

Nahum 2:3-4
The shields of his mighty men are red; the valiant warriors are dressed in scarlet. The fittings of the chariots flash like fire on the day they are prepared, and the spears of cypress have been brandished. / The chariots dash through the streets; they rush around the plazas, appearing like torches, darting about like lightning.


Treasury of Scripture

In the first chariot were red horses; and in the second chariot black horses;

red.

Zechariah 1:8
I saw by night, and behold a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in the bottom; and behind him were there red horses, speckled, and white.

Revelation 6:2-5
And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer…

Revelation 12:3
And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.

black.

Zechariah 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.

Revelation 6:5,6
And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand…

Jump to Previous
Black Brown Chariot First Horses Red Second War-Carriage
Jump to Next
Black Brown Chariot First Horses Red Second War-Carriage
Zechariah 6
1. The vision of the four chariots.
9. By the crowns of Joshua are shown the temple and kingdom of Christ the Branch.














The first chariot
In the context of Zechariah's vision, the chariots symbolize divine intervention and judgment. Chariots in ancient times were powerful instruments of war, representing strength and authority. The Hebrew word for chariot, "merkavah," often signifies God's sovereign power and His ability to execute His will on earth. This imagery reminds us of God's ultimate control over the nations and His readiness to act in history.

had red horses
The color red in biblical symbolism often represents war, bloodshed, and judgment. The Hebrew word for red, "adom," is related to "edom," which means blood. This connection underscores the theme of divine judgment and the seriousness of God's intervention. The red horses may signify impending conflict or the execution of God's justice, reminding believers of the seriousness of sin and the certainty of divine retribution.

the second black horses
Black horses in biblical literature are frequently associated with famine, death, and mourning. The Hebrew word for black, "shachor," conveys a sense of darkness and desolation. In the context of Zechariah's vision, the black horses could symbolize a period of hardship or divine judgment that leads to repentance and restoration. This imagery serves as a sobering reminder of the consequences of turning away from God, while also pointing to the hope of redemption and renewal through His grace.

Verse 2. - Red horses (see note on Zechariah 1:8). The colours of the horses are significant, though the symbols are not undisputed. "Red" symbolizes bloodshed and war (Isaiah 63:2; Revelation 6:4); "black," sorrow and mourning (Isaiah 1:3; Jeremiah 4:28; Revelation 6:5); "white," victory and joy (Ecclesiastes 9:8; Revelation 6:2; Revelation 19:11). What the colour of the horses in the fourth chariot means is very doubtful (see below on ver. 3).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
The first
הָרִֽאשֹׁנָ֖ה (hā·ri·šō·nāh)
Article | Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 7223: First, in place, time, rank

chariot
בַּמֶּרְכָּבָ֥ה (bam·mer·kā·ḇāh)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4818: A chariot

had red
אֲדֻמִּ֑ים (’ă·ḏum·mîm)
Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 122: Rosy

horses,
סוּסִ֣ים (sū·sîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 5483: A swallow, swift (type of bird)

the second
הַשֵּׁנִ֖ית (haš·šê·nîṯ)
Article | Number - ordinal feminine singular
Strong's 8145: Second (an ordinal number)

black
שְׁחֹרִֽים׃ (šə·ḥō·rîm)
Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 7838: Dusky, jetty

horses,
סוּסִ֥ים (sū·sîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 5483: A swallow, swift (type of bird)


Links
Zechariah 6:2 NIV
Zechariah 6:2 NLT
Zechariah 6:2 ESV
Zechariah 6:2 NASB
Zechariah 6:2 KJV

Zechariah 6:2 BibleApps.com
Zechariah 6:2 Biblia Paralela
Zechariah 6:2 Chinese Bible
Zechariah 6:2 French Bible
Zechariah 6:2 Catholic Bible

OT Prophets: Zechariah 6:2 In the first chariot were red horses (Zech. Zec Zc)
Zechariah 6:1
Top of Page
Top of Page