The Meaning of Zechariah 6:7 Explained

Zechariah 6:7

KJV: And the bay went forth, and sought to go that they might walk to and fro through the earth: and he said, Get you hence, walk to and fro through the earth. So they walked to and fro through the earth.

YLT: and the strong ones have come forth, and they seek to go to walk up and down in the earth;' and he saith, 'Go, walk up and down in the earth;' and they walk up and down in the earth.

Darby: and the strong go forth, and seek to go that they may walk to and fro through the earth. And he said, Go, walk to and fro through the earth. And they walked to and fro through the earth.

ASV: And the strong went forth, and sought to go that they might walk to and fro through the earth: and he said, Get you hence, walk to and fro through the earth. So they walked to and fro through the earth.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the bay  went forth,  and sought  to go  that they might walk to and fro  through the earth:  and he said,  Get you hence,  walk to and fro  through the earth.  So they walked to and fro  through the earth. 

What does Zechariah 6:7 Mean?

Verse Meaning

When these horses (angels) went out from between the bronze mountains they were eager to patrol the earth; they were anxious to carry out these judgments. The Lord gave them permission to patrol it, so they did.
"From first to last (cf. Zechariah 1:10) the affairs of the nations are under God"s direction, not man"s. It is this certainty that makes prophecy possible." [1]

Context Summary

Zechariah 6:1-15 - The Vision Of The Chariots
This is a vision of protection and deliverance. Four chariots issue from the mountains around Jerusalem. The colors of the horses represent the commission that the drivers were to execute against the nations. Black denoted defeat and despair; the bay acted as a patrol of defence. Note the closing incident, which foreshadowed the union of the offices of priesthood and kingship in the person of our Lord. [source]

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in Zechariah 6:7 mean?

And the strong [steeds] went out and eager to go that they might walk to and fro throughout the earth And He said go walk to and fro throughout the earth so they walked to and fro throughout the earth
וְהָאֲמֻצִּ֣ים יָצְא֗וּ וַיְבַקְשׁוּ֙ לָלֶ֙כֶת֙ לְהִתְהַלֵּ֣ך‪‬ בָּאָ֔רֶץ וַיֹּ֕אמֶר לְכ֖וּ הִתְהַלְּכ֣וּ בָאָ֑רֶץ וַתִּתְהַלַּ֖כְנָה בָּאָֽרֶץ

וְהָאֲמֻצִּ֣ים  And  the  strong  [steeds] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Adjective, masculine plural
Root: אָמֹץ  
Sense: strong.
יָצְא֗וּ  went  out 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
וַיְבַקְשׁוּ֙  and  eager 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: בָּקַשׁ  
Sense: to seek, require, desire, exact, request.
לָלֶ֙כֶת֙  to  go 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
לְהִתְהַלֵּ֣ך‪‬  that  they  might  walk  to  and  fro 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hitpael, Infinitive construct
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
בָּאָ֔רֶץ  throughout  the  earth 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
וַיֹּ֕אמֶר  And  He  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
לְכ֖וּ  go 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
הִתְהַלְּכ֣וּ  walk  to  and  fro 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
בָאָ֑רֶץ  throughout  the  earth 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
וַתִּתְהַלַּ֖כְנָה  so  they  walked  to  and  fro 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hitpael, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine plural
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
בָּאָֽרֶץ  throughout  the  earth 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.