6
1 And I looked again, and lifted up mine eyes, and, hinei, there came arbah merkavot (four chariots) and they were coming out from between two harim (mountains); and the harim were harim of nechoshet (bronze). 2 In the merkavah harishonah were red-brown susim; and in the merkavah hashenit susim shechorim (black horses); 3 And in the merkavah hashlishit susim levanim (white horses); and in the merkavah harevi'it speckled, powerful susim. 4 Then I answered and said unto the malach that spoke with me, What are these, adoni? 5 And the malach answered and said unto me, These are the arba ruchot HaShomayim, which go forth from standing before Adon Kol HaAretz.* 6 The one with the susim shechorim (black horses) go forth toward the eretz tzafon (land of the north); and the levanim (white ones) go forth after them; and the speckled go forth toward the eretz hateyman (land of the south). 7 And the powerful ones went forth, and strained to go around to and fro throughout ha'aretz; and He said, Get you hence, go to and fro throughout ha'aretz. So they went to and fro throughout ha'aretz. 8 Then called He to me, and spoke unto me, saying: Look, these that go toward the eretz tzafon have given rest to My Ruach† in the eretz tzafon.
9 And the Devar Hashem came unto me, saying, 10 Take of them of the Golus, even of Cheldai, of Toviyah, and of Yedayah, which have arrived from Babylon, and thou go into the bais of Yoshiyah ben Tzephanyah; 11 Then take kesef and zahav, and make atarot (crowns), and set them upon the rosh Yehoshua ben Yehotzadak, the Kohen HaGadol, 12 And speak unto him, saying:
Thus saith Hashem Tzva'os:
Hinei Ish, TZEMACH Shmo;‡
and out of his place yitzmach (he [Moshiach] shall sprout up),§
and he shall build the Heikhal Hashem.
13 It is he who shall build the Heikhal Hashem;
and he shall carry hod (majesty),
and shall sit and rule upon his throne;
and he shall be a kohen* upon his throne;
and the atzat shalom (counsel of peace) shall be between them both.
14 And the atarot (crowns) shall be to Chelem, and to Toviyah,
and to Yedayah, and to Chen ben Tzephanyah,
for a memorial in the Heikhal Hashem.
15 And they that are far off shall come
and build the Heikhal Hashem,
and ye shall know that Hashem Tzva'os
hath sent me unto you.
And this shall come to pass, if ye will diligently obey
the kol (voice)Hashem Eloheichem.
* 6:5 T.N. See Mal 3:1 where Moshiach is referred to similarly † 6:8 HaKodesh ‡ 6:12 Yehoshua is said to be the namesake of the coming Moshiach Ben Dovid; see Ezra 3:8 for the Aramaic translation of Yehoshuaʼs name, Yeshua; see Jer 23:5; 30:9; 33:15; Ezra 3:8; Zech 3:8; Mt 2:23; Isa 4:2; 9:2-7; 11:1-12; 53:2,11; Moshiach the new “Joshua” Isa 49:8 § 6:12 Isa 53:2 * 6:13 Ps 110:4