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.
The bay - rather, the 'fleet' (or 'strong' or bright- coloured: see note, Zechariah 6:3). Since the "red," are not otherwise mentioned, the epithet 'fleet' (strong or bright, as the Hebrew for "bay" ought to be translated), in Zechariah 6:3, seems to apply to all four, and here especially to the red. The red doubtless have the quality implied in a pre-eminent degree. Their office is to complete hereafter the work already in part executed by the previous three, who have stilled Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Graeco-Macedonia-namely, to punish finally the last great foe of Israel, the final form assumed by the fourth world-kingdom, Rome, which is to continue down to the second advent of Christ. Hence, they "walk to and fro through the earth," counter-working Satan's "going to and fro in the earth" (Job 1:7; 2 Thessalonians 2:8-9; 1 Timothy 4:1), in connection with the last awful development of the fourth world-kingdom. Their 'fleetness' is needed to counteract his restless activity; their bright-red colour implies the final great carnage (Ezekiel 39:1-29; Revelation 19:17-18; Revelation 19:21).