Horses are easily among the most majestic animals on earth. They possess remarkable grace, striking beauty, and an undeniable aura of power.
In the Bible, horses are referenced in various contexts. Besides their main use in transportation and in fighting battles, they have also been used symbolically to convey apocalyptic messages. Revelation 6:1-8 describes four horsemen, each riding a different colored horse (white, red, black, and pale). These horses and their riders represent various aspects of conquest, war, famine, and death.
Let’s now take a look at Bible verses that mention or talk about horses and chariots. It’s important to note that while horses are mentioned in various contexts, they are not central to the overall message of the Bible. They are used as part of the cultural and historical backdrop to convey certain ideas and messages.
List of Bible verses about horses
Psalm 20:6-7
“Now this I know: The Lord gives victory to his anointed. He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary with the victorious power of his right hand. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.”
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Hosea 1:7
“Yet I will show love to Judah; and I will save them—not by bow, sword or battle, or by horses and horsemen, but I, the Lord their God, will save them.”
Psalm 33:17
“A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save.”
Psalm 76:6
“At your rebuke, God of Jacob, both horse and chariot lie still.”
Psalm 147:10
“His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of the warrior.”
Proverbs 21:31
“The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the Lord.”
James 3:3
“When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal.”
Isaiah 2:7
“Their land is full of silver and gold; there is no end to their treasures. Their land is full of horses; there is no end to their chariots.”
Isaiah 28:28
“Grain must be ground to make bread; so one does not go on threshing it forever. The wheels of a threshing cart may be rolled over it, but his horses do not grind it.”
Isaiah 30:16
“You said, ‘No, we will flee on horses.’ Therefore you will flee! You said, ‘We will ride off on swift horses.’ Therefore your pursuers will be swift!”
Job 39:19-24
“Do you provide the horse with its strength, adorning its neck with a flowing mane? It leaps like a locust, striking fear with its proud snorting. It paws at the ground, exulting in its might, and charges boldly into battle. Fear is unknown to it; it scoffs at danger, unflinching in the face of a drawn sword. The quiver clatters at its side, accompanied by the gleam of spear and lance. With frenzied vigor, it devours the ground, unable to stand still when the trumpet sounds.”
Isaiah 31:1
“Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel, or seek help from the Lord.”
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Jeremiah 4:13
“Look! He advances like the clouds, his chariots come like a whirlwind, his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us! We are ruined!”
Jeremiah 8:6
“I have listened attentively, but they do not say what is right. None of them repent of their wickedness, saying, ‘What have I done?’ Each pursues their own course like a horse charging into battle.”
Jeremiah 12:5
“If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan?”
Ezekiel 26:10
“His horses will be so many that they will cover you with dust. Your walls will tremble at the noise of the warhorses, wagons, and chariots when he enters your gates as men enter a city that is breached.”
Zechariah 1:8
“During the night I had a vision, and there before me was a man mounted on a red horse. He was standing among the myrtle trees in a ravine. Behind him were red, brown and white horses.”
Revelation 6:2
“I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.”
Revelation 6:4
“Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make people kill each other. To him was given a large sword.”
Revelation 6:5
“When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, ‘Come!’ I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand.”
Revelation 6:8
“I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.”
Revelation 9:17
“The horses and riders I saw in my vision looked like this: Their breastplates were fiery red, dark blue, and yellow as sulfur. The heads of the horses resembled the heads of lions, and out of their mouths came fire, smoke and sulfur.”
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Revelation 19:11
“I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war.”
Isaiah 63:13
“He who led them through the depths, like a horse in the open country, they did not stumble.”
Exodus 14:23
“The Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and horsemen followed them into the sea.”
Exodus 15:1
“Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord: ‘I will sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted. Both horse and driver he has hurled into the sea.'”
Exodus 15:19
“When Pharaoh’s horses, chariots and horsemen went into the sea, the Lord brought the waters of the sea back over them, but the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground.”
Jeremiah 6:23
“They are armed with bow and spear; they are cruel and show no mercy. They sound like the roaring sea as they ride on their horses; they come like men in battle formation to attack you, Daughter Zion.”
Jeremiah 46:4
“Harness the horses, mount the steeds! Take your positions with helmets on! Polish your spears, put on your armor!”
2 Kings 6:17
“And Elisha prayed, ‘Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.’ Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”
Jeremiah 22:4
“For if you are careful to carry out these commands, then kings who sit on David’s throne will come through the gates of this palace, riding in chariots and on horses, accompanied by their officials and their people.”
Jeremiah 46:9
“Charge, you horses! Drive furiously, you charioteers! March on, you warriors—men of Cush and Put who carry shields, men of Lydia who draw the bow.”
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Deuteronomy 17:16
“The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the Lord has told you, ‘You are not to go back that way again.'”
Deuteronomy 11:4
“and what he did to the Egyptian army, to its horses and chariots—how he overwhelmed them with the waters of the Red Sea as they were pursuing you, and how the Lord brought lasting ruin on them.”
Zechariah 10:3
“My anger burns against the shepherds, and I will punish the leaders; for the Lord Almighty will care for his flock, the people of Judah, and make them like a proud horse in battle.”
Judges 1:19
“The Lord was with the men of Judah. They took possession of the hill country, but they were unable to drive the people from the plains, because they had chariots fitted with iron.”
1 Kings 20:25
“So muster an army like the one you have lost—horse for horse and chariot for chariot—so we can fight Israel on the plains. Then surely we will be stronger than they.’ He agreed with them and acted accordingly.”
2 Kings 6:14
“Then he sent horses and chariots and a strong force there. They went by night and surrounded the city.”
1 Kings 4:26
“Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horses, which he kept in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem.”
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Habakkuk 1:8
“Their horses are swifter than leopards, fiercer than wolves at dusk. Their cavalry gallops headlong; their horsemen come from afar. They fly like an eagle swooping to devour.”