Zech. 6 The vision of the four chariots, Zech. 6:1–8. By the crowns of Joshua the high priest are showed Christ the Branch, and his church and kingdom, Zech. 6:9–15.

And I turned, and lifted up mine eyes: see Zech. 5:1. There came four chariots: the appearance or emblem is plain enough, we can easily conceive that; but the things signified hereby are most difficultly found out, and perhaps not found when we think they are: here then, if any where, all are bound…

There is no distinction made between chariot and chariot, nor any mention made of the drivers of these chariots, though these are included in the chariots.

White horses; joyful and prosperous affairs: see Zech. 1:8. Grisled and bay; state of affairs mixed of good and bad: see Zech. 1:8.

See Zech. 1:19, Zech. 5:6.

These are, signify, or are the emblems of, the four spirits, Heb. winds, to which the empires are compared, Dan. 7:2, and for the bustlings of them may be well compared so; and forasmuch as they are raised by the Lord, and are under his command, may properly enough be called winds of the heavens,…

The angel signified by the black horses the executioners of God’s just displeasure against sinners. Which are therein; in the second chariot, for nothing is said more of the first, (the red horses,) say some, because that bloody and cruel state was expired; but the sad things portended by the black…

The bay went forth, from the place where the prophet saw them at first standing as at the starting-place, and sought to go, either asked commission or waited for it, that they might walk to and fro through the earth: they had a larger commission, say some, the whole earth; or a particular…

Then, when the prophet had been informed about the former vision, cried he; the Angel that talked with the prophet, i.e. the Lord Christ, spake aloud. and called to him. These that go, or are gone, for he speaks of what was already past; it is likely he meaneth the red horses.

And: it appears not that this next thing hath any necessary connexion to that which the prophet last saw. The word; the direction or command for the prophet to do something out of hand.

Take, gold and silver, of those that are come out of Babylon lately, to make their oblation to the Lord, or to bring the oblation of them who yet were in Babylon, but remembered Jerusalem and the temple. And come thou; go fetch them if they lodge elsewhere, and bring them in thy company.

Then take silver and gold: this reiterating the command both confirms and explains the former command. Make crowns; two, the one of silver, the other of gold. Set them, put both of them, i.e.

Speak unto him; Joshua, but in hearing of others, and in the name of the Lord. Behold; consider thoroughly the import and meaning of this unusual ceremony.

Even he shall build: the promise is repeated to settle the Jews in the assured expectation of the thing. The temple of the Lord; your material temple as type, and the spiritual temple as antitype.

The crowns; those two crowns before mentioned, made of the gold and silver brought from Babylon, Zech. 6:11. Shall be to Helem, & c.: these persons we know no more of with any certainty but their names.

This verse hath certainly a double reference, one to the Jews, and the building of the material temple, which is the literal and historical sense; the other mystical, and refers to the bringing in of the Gentiles.