וָאָשֻׁב וָאֶשָּׂא עֵינַי וָאֶרְאֶה וְהִנֵּה אַרְבַּע מַרְכָּבוֹת יֹצְאוֹת מִבֵּין שְׁנֵי הֶהָרִים וְהֶהָרִים הָרֵי נְחֹשֶׁת

Again, I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, four chariots are emerging from between the two mountains before my eyes; and the mountains are not ordinary mountains, but mountains of bronze.

בַּמֶּרְכָּבָה הָרִאשֹׁנָה סוּסִים אֲדֻמִּים וּבַמֶּרְכָּבָה הַשֵּׁנִית סוּסִים שְׁחֹרִים

The first chariot had red horses, probably a reddish-brown color, the second chariot had black horses,

וּבַמֶּרְכָּבָה הַשְּׁלִשִׁית סוּסִים לְבָנִים וּבַמֶּרְכָּבָה הָרְבִעִית סוּסִים בְּרֻדִּים אֲמֻצִּים

the third chariot had white horses, and the fourth chariot had mottled [beruddim], striped, or perhaps spotted like hail [barad], bay, gray and somewhat reddish, horses. Alternatively, the final term is a reference to prominent horses.

וָאַעַן וָאֹמַר אֶל־הַמַּלְאָךְ הַדֹּבֵר בִּי מָה־אֵלֶּה אֲדֹנִי

I responded and said to the angel that spoke with me: What are these, my lord?

וַיַּעַן הַמַּלְאָךְ וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָי אֵלֶּה אַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם יוֹצְאוֹת מֵהִתְיַצֵּב עַל אֲדוֹן כָּל־הָאָרֶץ

The angel responded and said to me: These four chariots are going out to the four directions of the heavens, from standing before the Lord of the entire earth.

אֲשֶׁר־בָּהּ הַסּוּסִים הַשְּׁחֹרִים יֹצְאִים אֶל־אֶרֶץ צָפוֹן וְהַלְּבָנִים יָצְאוּ אֶל־אַחֲרֵיהֶם וְהַבְּרֻדִּים יָצְאוּ אֶל־אֶרֶץ הַתֵּימָן

That chariot which has the black horses, they are going out to the northern land, and the white horses go out after them, after the black ones; alternatively, they went out to the west. And the mottled go out to the southern land.

וְהָאֲמֻצִּים יָצְאוּ וַיְבַקְשׁוּ לָלֶכֶת לְהִתְהַלֵּךְ בָּאָרֶץ וַיֹּאמֶר לְכוּ הִתְהַלְּכוּ בָאָרֶץ וַתִּתְהַלַּכְנָה בָּאָרֶץ

The bays emerged and sought to go, to walk about the earth, not in any particular direction. He said to them upon their departure: Go walk about the earth, and they walked about the earth. Two chariots then departed in a defined direction, representing the great kingdoms that resided to the north and the south, namely, Babylonia and Egypt, which affected the residents of the Land of Israel. The kingdoms represented by the other two chariots did not have great influence over the inhabitants of the land.

וַיַּזְעֵק אֹתִי וַיְדַבֵּר אֵלַי לֵאמֹר רְאֵה הַיּוֹצְאִים אֶל־אֶרֶץ צָפוֹן הֵנִיחוּ אֶת־רוּחִי בְּאֶרֶץ צָפוֹן

He, the angel, summoned me in haste, and spoke to me, saying: Behold, those horses emerging to the northern land have arrived there and have eased My spirit, calmed My anger and performed My will, in the northern land. Although the prophecy in general deals with higher forces, it is connected to an earthly time and place. While the Land of Israel is in the center, the Jewish community in the northern land, Babylonia, would experience a calming of God’s wrath, and remain there for many peaceful years.

וַיְהִי דְבַר־ה' אֵלַי לֵאמֹר׃

The word of the Lord was with me, saying:

לָקוֹחַ מֵאֵת הַגּוֹלָה מֵחֶלְדַּי וּמֵאֵת טוֹבִיָּה וּמֵאֵת יְדַעְיָה וּבָאתָ אַתָּה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא וּבָאתָ בֵּית יֹאשִׁיָּה בֶן־צְפַנְיָה אֲשֶׁר־בָּאוּ מִבָּבֶל

Take a donation from the people who came from the exile, from Heldai, from Toviya, and from Yedaya, important and wealthy individuals. And you shall come on that day and come to the house of Yoshiya son of Tzefanya from Babylon. The prophet was commanded to take donations from these people.

וְלָקַחְתָּ כֶסֶף־וְזָהָב וְעָשִׂיתָ עֲטָרוֹת וְשַׂמְתָּ בְּרֹאשׁ יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן־יְהוֹצָדָק הַכֹּהֵן הַגָּדוֹל

Take silver and gold, and make crowns with them, and place a crown on the head of Yehoshua son of Yehotzadak, the High Priest.

וְאָמַרְתָּ אֵלָיו לֵאמֹר כֹּה אָמַר ה' צְבָאוֹת לֵאמֹר הִנֵּה־אִישׁ צֶמַח שְׁמוֹ ומִתַּחְתָּיו יִצְמָח וּבָנָה אֶת־הֵיכַל ה'

Say to him, stating: So said the Lord of hosts, saying: Behold a man, Zemah is his name.This is apparently referring to Zerubavel, the man who sprouted [tzamaḥ] in Babylonia. And he will not receive power from others, but will sprout [yitzmah·] from his place, from his own roots and soil, and build the Sanctuary of the Lord.

וְהוּא יִבְנֶה אֶת־הֵיכַל ה' וְהוּא־יִשָּׂא הוֹד וְיָשַׁב וּמָשַׁל עַל־כִּסְאוֹ וְהָיָה כֹהֵן עַל כִּסְאוֹ ועֲצַת שָׁלוֹם תִּהְיֶה בֵּין שְׁנֵיהֶם

He will build the Sanctuary of the Lord, and he will assume majesty, kingship, and he will sit and rule upon his throne. The man called Zemah will be the political ruler, and there will be a priest, Yehoshua, alongside his throne, with authority in spiritual matters; and yet peaceful counsel will be between the two of them.

וְהָעֲטָרֹת תִּהְיֶה לְחֵלֶם וּלְטוֹבִיָּה וְלִידַעְיָה וּלְחֵן בֶּן־צְפַנְיָה לְזִכָּרוֹן בְּהֵיכַל ה'

The crowns will also be for Helem, for Toviya, for Yedaya, and for Hen son of Tzefanya, as a memorial in the Sanctuary of the Lord. In addition to the crown given to the High Priest, crowns will be placed in the Temple as an everlasting memorial for important figures of Israel.

וּרְחוֹקִים יָבֹאוּ וּבָנוּ בְּהֵיכַל ה' וִידַעְתֶּם כִּי־ה' צְבָאוֹת שְׁלָחַנִי אֲלֵיכֶם וְהָיָה אִם־שָׁמוֹעַ תִּשְׁמְעוּן בְּקוֹל ה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם

The initial stages of the construction of the Temple were beset by difficulties. It was not a grand building at all; however, this will change in the future: The distant ones will come and build in the Sanctuary of the Lord, and as the building is made grander and you see this prophecy coming to pass, you will know that the Lord of hosts sent me to you. It, this prophecy, shall be, shall come to pass, if you will heed the voice of the Lord your God.