“And I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came four chariots out from between two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of brass.”
Four chariots. The four great empires of the Chaldeans, Persians, Grecians, and Romans; or, perhaps, by the fourth chariot are represented the kings of Egypt and of Asia, the descendants of Ptolemeus and Seleucus. (Challoner) (See Daniel ii.) (Worthington) — The chariots seem to represent the same thing as the four horns, (chap. i. 18.) namely, the punishment of the four empires. The angel says nothing of the first chariot, as the Chaldeans, who overthrew the Assyrians, were now devoid of power. — Brass, or hard; signifying that the chariots were designed to bruise nations. (Calmet) — Empires depend on the decrees of God. (Menochius) — The two mountains may denote the passes of Cilicia, through which the conquerors must pass from Egypt and Syria to Babylon. (Tournemine)
“In the first chariot were red horses; and in the second chariot black horses;”
Red. The Chaldeans were bloody towards the Jews, and clothed in red, Nahum ii. 3. (Menochius)
“And in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot grisled and bay horses. bay: or, strong”
Strong; (Protestant marginal note) the text has “bay.” (Haydock) — Some Greek copies read erroneously, red. (St. Jerome) — Others have, variegated, as ver. 7. (Haydock)
“And the angel answered and said unto me, These are the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth. spirits: or, winds”
Winds. These angels go throughout the world to punish, Daniel x. 13. We commonly suppose the tutelar angels to be for the defence of their kingdoms. (Calmet) — But they may often promote our real welfare by chastisements. (Haydock) — The four monarchies fight like the winds, and soon disappear. (Menochius)
“The black horses which are therein go forth into the north country; and the white go forth after them; and the grisled go forth toward the south country.”
North. So Babylon is called, because it lay to the north in respect of Jerusalem. The black horses, that is, the Medes and Persians, and after them Alexander and his Greeks, signified by the white horses, went thither because they conquered Babylon, executed upon it the judgments of God, which is signified [in] ver. 8 by the expression of quieting his spirit. (Challoner) — The Persians are black, afflicting the Jews under Assuerus, and hindering the temple. (Menochius) — Cambyses meditated their utter ruin, chap. ii. 20. (Haydock) — White. Alexander was of a beneficent temper when he was not intoxicated. He fought for glory, and was kind to the Jews. (Calmet) — South: Egypt, which lay to the south of Jerusalem, and was occupied first by Ptolemeus, and then by the Romans. (Challoner) — The Lagides were some good and some very bad princes, represented by the grisly colour. (Calmet)
“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.”
Strong. Septuagint, “variegated;” psaroi, (Haydock) sturnini. (St. Jerome) — Earth. This well describes the ambition and power of the Seleucides, particularly of Antiochus the great, (Calmet) or of the Roman generals down to Cæsar. (Menochius)
“Then cried he upon me, and spake unto me, saying, Behold, these that go toward the north country have quieted my spirit in the north country.”
Spirit. Septuagint, “wrath or fury.” (Haydock) — Nabopolassar overcame the Assyrians, Cyrus the Chaldeans, as Alexander would shortly treat the Persians.
“Take of them of the captivity, even of Heldai, of Tobijah, and of Jedaiah, which are come from Babylon, and come thou the same day, and go into the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah;”
Holdai, &c. They had brought presents for the temple, which are to be used to make crowns for Jesus and Zorobabel, ver. 13. (Calmet) — The names are interpreted by the Septuagint, “of the princes and of its useful things, and of those who have known it, (captivity) and thou,” &c. (Haydock) — Helem and Hem are afterwards mentioned instead of Holdai, ver. 14. (St. Jerome)
“Then take silver and gold, and make crowns, and set them upon the head of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest;”
Crowns. Chaldean, “a great crown.” Septuagint, ver. 14., “a crown;” perhaps like the pope’s (Menochius) — Jesus. When the prophet set the crown on the high priest’s head, in order to shew that it did not belong to him, except as a figure of the Messias, he added, behold a man, who is also God, called Orient, or “raising up,” and establishing the kingdom, which was promised to David. (St. Jerome) (Worthington)
“And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD: grow: or, branch up from under him”
Orient. Protestants, “the branch, and he shall grow up out of his place.” (Haydock) — Hebrew, “under or from himself.” This alludes to the miraculous birth of Christ, (Isaias xi. 1.) whom the prophet had principally in view; though his hearers might naturally understand (Calmet) Zorobabel, who was to preserve the royal family and build the temple. (Theodoret; St. Jerome) — Yet he was only a shadow of the Messias, chap. iii. 8. (Calmet)
“Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.”
Glory. Septuagint, “virtue,” or “receive strength” and courage, areten; (Haydock) or one of the crowns, as prince of Juda, ver. 10. (Calmet) — Both. That is, he shall unite in himself the two offices or dignities of king and priest. (Challoner) — Zorobabel and Jesus shall act in concert. (Haydock)
“And the crowns shall be to Helem, and to Tobijah, and to Jedaiah, and to Hen the son of Zephaniah, for a memorial in the temple of the LORD.”
Helem. Septuagint, “the crown shall be for those who expect him.” (Haydock) — Hem. Septuagint, “for grace.” Hebrew chen. (St. Jerome) — Thus proper names are frequently interpreted. (Haydock) — The crowns were not to be worn, but to be deposited in the temple, 1 Machabees i. 23. (Calmet) — The names of those four who had contributed towards their making, were to be inscribed upon them. Helem and Hem are the same with Holdai and Josias. (Menochius) — The Jews say Hem or Daniel, and his three companions, brought gifts. (St. Jerome)
“And they that are far off shall come and build in the temple of the LORD, and ye shall know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you. And this shall come to pass, if ye will diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God.”
Off. Many Jews now assisted in the building, coming from all parts. The temple was thus finished in four years time; whereas Solomon, with all his riches and workmen, spent seven in building one. (Calmet)