Zechariah 6:6-7

6:6 The chariot with the black horses is going to the north country and the white ones are going after them, but the spotted ones are going to the south country. 6:7 All these strong ones ¹  are scattering; they have sought permission to go and walk about over the earth.” The Lord had said, “Go! Walk about over the earth!” So they are doing so.

Zechariah 1:8

The Content of the First Vision

1:8 I was attentive that night and saw a man seated ²  on a red horse that stood among some myrtle trees ³  in the ravine. Behind him were red, sorrel, ⁴  and white horses.

Daniel 2:33

2:33 Its legs were of iron; its feet were partly of iron and partly of clay. ⁵ 

Daniel 2:40-41

2:40 Then there will be a fourth kingdom, one strong like iron. Just like iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything, and as iron breaks in pieces ⁶  all of these metals, ⁷  so it will break in pieces and crush the others. ⁸  2:41 In that you were seeing feet and toes ⁹  partly of wet clay ¹⁰  and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom. Some of the strength of iron will be in it, for you saw iron mixed with wet clay. ¹¹ 

Revelation 6:8

6:8 So ¹²  I looked ¹³  and here came ¹⁴  a pale green ¹⁵  horse! The ¹⁶  name of the one who rode it ¹⁷  was Death, and Hades followed right behind. ¹⁸  They ¹⁹  were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill its population with the sword, ²⁰  famine, and disease, ²¹  and by the wild animals of the earth.

¹ tn The present translation takes אֲמֻצִּים (’amutsim, “strong”) to be a descriptive of all the horses – white, black, red, and spotted (cf. NAB, NIV, NLT).

² tn Heb “riding,” but since this verb in English is usually associated with horses in motion rather than standing still, the translation uses “seated.” Cf. NAB “the driver of a red horse.”

³ tc The LXX presupposes הֶהָרִים (heharim, “mountains”) rather than the MT הַהֲדַסִּים (hahadassim, “myrtles”), probably because of reference to the ravine. The MT reading is preferred and is followed by most English versions.

⁴ sn The Hebrew שְׂרֻקִּים (sÿruqqim) means “red” (cf. NIV, NCV, NLT “brown”). English translations such as “speckled” (KJV) or “dappled” (TEV) are based on the reading of the LXX (ψαροί) that attempts to bring the color of this horse into conformity with those described in Zech 6:2-3. However, since these are two different and unrelated visions, this is a methodological fallacy.

⁵ sn Clay refers to baked clay, which – though hard – was also fragile. Cf. the reference in v. 41 to “wet clay.”

⁶ tc Theodotion and the Vulgate lack the phrase “and as iron breaks in pieces.”

⁷ tn The Aramaic text does not have this word, but it has been added in the translation for clarity.

⁸ tn The words “the others” are supplied from the context.

⁹ tc The LXX lacks “and toes.”

¹⁰ tn Aram “potter’s clay.”

¹¹ tn Aram “clay of clay” (also in v. 43).

¹² tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the summons by the fourth creature.

¹³ tc The reading “and I looked” (καὶ εἶδον, kai eidon) or some slight variation (e.g., ἶδον, idon) has excellent ms support ({א A C P 1611}) and its omission seems to have come through the mss that have already placed “and look” (καὶ ἴδε or καὶ βλέπε [kai ide or kai blepe]) after the verb “come” (ἔρχου, ercou) in 6:1. Thus, for these copyists it was redundant to add “and I looked” again.

¹⁴ tn The phrase “and here came” expresses the sense of καὶ ἰδού (kai idou).

¹⁵ tn A sickly pallor, when referring to persons, or the green color of plants. BDAG 1085 s.v. χλωρός 2 states, “pale, greenish gray…as the color of a pers. in sickness contrasted with appearance in health…so the horse ridden by Death…ἵππος χλωρός Rv 6:8.” Because the color of the horse is symbolic, “pale green” is used in the translation. Cf. NIV, NCV “pale”; NASB “ashen.”

¹⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

¹⁷ tn Grk “the one sitting on it.”

¹⁸ tn Grk “And Hades was following with him.” The Greek expression μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ (met’ autou, “with him”) is Semitic and indicates close proximity. The translation “followed right behind” reflects this.

¹⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

²⁰ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

²¹ tn Grk “with death.” θάνατος (qanatos) can in particular contexts refer to a manner of death, specifically a contagious disease (see BDAG 443 s.v. 3; L&N 23.158).