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.
These are the four spirits of the heavens - the heavenly spirits, who "stand before Yahweh" to receive God's commands (Zechariah 4:14; 1 Kings 22:19; Job 2:1; Luke 1:19) in heaven (of which Zion is the counterpart on earth, note, Zechariah 6:1), and proceed with chariot-speed (2 Kings 6:17; Psalms 68:17) to execute them on earth, in its four various quarters (Psalms 104:4; Hebrews 1:7; Hebrews 1:14). (Pembellus.) Or, the secret impulses of God, which emanate from his counsel and providence; the prophet implies that all the revolutions in the four quarters of the world are from the Spirit of God, and are as it were His messengers or spirits (Calvin).