Vincent's Word Studies And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. For an hour and a day and a month and a year
This rendering is wrong, since it conveys the idea that the four periods mentioned are to be combined as representing the length of the preparation or of the continuance of the plague. But it is to be noted that neither the article nor the preposition are repeated before day and month and year. The meaning is that the angels are prepared unto the hour appointed by God, and that this hour shall fall in its appointed day and month and year. And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. Of the horsemen (τοῦ ἱππικοῦ)
Singular number, like the English the horse or the cavalry. Two hundred thousand thousand (δύο μυριάδες μυριάδων) Lit., two ten-thousands of ten-thousands. See on Revelation 5:11. Rev., twice ten-thousand times ten-thousand. Compare Psalm 68:17; Daniel 7:10; Hebrews 12:22; Jde 1:14. And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. Thus (οὕτως)
After this manner. In the vision (ἐν τῇ ὁπάσει) Or "in my vision." See on Acts 2:17. The reference to sight may be inserted because of I heard in Revelation 9:16. Of fire (πυρίνους) Rev., "as of fire." Fiery red. Of jacinth (ὑακινθίνους) Ὑάκινθος hyacinth is the name of a flower and also of a precious stone. The noun occurs only Revelation 21:20, and the adjective only here. According to classical mythology, the flower sprang up from the blood of Hyacinthus, a beautiful Spartan youth, who was accidentally killed during a game of quoits. It was thought by some that the letters AI, AI, the exclamation of woe, could be traced on the petals, while others discovered the letter Υ, the initial letter of Ὑάκινθος. The story of the slaying of Hyacinthus is told by Ovid. "Lo, the blood Which, on the ground outpoured, had stained the sod, Is blood no more. Brighter than Tyrian dye, Like to the lily's shape a flower appears, Purple in hue as that is silvery white. Nor yet does such memorial content continued... And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. These three
Add πληγῶν plagues, on which see on Mark 3:10; see on Luke 10:30. And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them. Their power (ἐξουσίαι αὐτῶν)
Read ἐξουσία τῶν ἵππων the power of the horses. Like unto serpents "Long, smooth, subtle, clasping their victim in an embrace from which he cannot escape" (Milligan). As one of the innumerable fantasies of Apocalyptic exposition may be cited that of Elliott ("Horae Apocalypticae") who finds a reference to the horse tails, the symbols of authority of the Turkish pashas. And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men. Repented not of the works (οὔτε μετενόησαν ἐκ τῶν ἔργων)
Lit., "out of the works." The preposition ἐκ out of with repent, denotes a moral change involving an abandonment of evil works. See on Matthew 3:2; see on Matthew 21:29. Works of their hands Not their course of life, but the idols which their hands had made. Compare Deuteronomy 4:28; Psalm 135:15; Acts 7:4. Devils (δαιμόνια) More properly, demons. See on Mark 1:34. Compare 1 Corinthians 10:20; 1 Timothy 4:1. See, hear, walk Compare Daniel 5:23. And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. Sorceries (φαρμακειῶν)
Only here, Revelation 18:23; and Galatians 5:20, where φαρμακεία sorceries, A.V., witchcraft is enumerated among the "works of the flesh." Used in the Septuagint of the Egyptian sorceries (Exodus 7:22. Of Babylon, Isaiah 47:9, Isaiah 47:12). From φάρμακον a drug, and thence a poison, an enchantment. Plato says: "There are two kinds of poisons used among men which cannot clearly be distinguished. There is one kind of poison which injures bodies by the use of other bodies according to a natural law... but there is another kind which injures by sorceries and incantations and magic bonds, as they are termed, and induces one class of men to injure another as far as they can, and persuades others that they, above all persons, are liable to be injured by the powers of the magicians. Now it is not easy to know the nature of all these things; nor if a man do know can he readily persuade others of his belief. And when men are disturbed at the sight of waxen images, fixed either at the doors, or in a place where three ways meet, or in the sepulchers of parents, there is no use of trying to persuade them that they should despise all such things, because they have no certain knowledge about them. But we must have a law in two parts concerning poisoning, in whichever of the two ways the attempt is made; and we must entreat and exhort and advise men not to have recourse to such practices, by which they scare the multitude out of their wits, as if they were children, compelling the legislator and the judge to heal the fears which the sorcerer arouses, and to tell them, in the first place, that he who attempts to poison or enchant others knows not what he is doing, either as regards the body (unless he have a knowledge of medicine) or as regards his enchantments, unless he happens to be a prophet or diviner" ("Laws," xi., 933). And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle. A cloud
The expression occurs seven times in Revelation, and in all of them is connected with the Son of Man. Rainbow See on Revelation 4:3. Pillars of fire Compare Revelation 1:15. And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months. In his hand (ἐν)
The roll of Revelation 5:1-14 was on the hand (ἐπί, see Revelation 5:1), being too large to be grasped within it. The roll was on the right hand; the little book is in the left. See on Revelation 10:5. And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon. Cried (ἔκραξεν)
See on Mark 5:5. As when The when of A.V. is unnecessary. Roareth (μυκᾶται) Only here in the New Testament. Peter uses ὠρύομαι for the voice of the lion. See on 1 Peter 5:8. The verb here is originally applied to the lowing of cattle, expressing the sound, moo-ka-omai. Both Aristophanes and Theocritus use it of the roar of the lion, and the former of thunder. Homer, of the ring of the shield and the hissing of meat on the spit. Seven thunders The Jews were accustomed to speak of thunder as "the seven voices." Compare the sevenfold "voice of the Lord," Psalm 29:1-11. As usual, interpretation has run wild as to the seven thunders. As a few illustrations may be cited: Vitringa, the seven crusades; Daubuz, the seven kingdoms which received the Reformation; Elliott, the bull fulminated against Luther from the seven-hilled city, etc. One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter. To write
According to the injunction in Revelation 1:11. And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, His hand
Add τὴν δεξιὰν the right, and see on Revelation 10:2. On lifting the hand in swearing, see Genesis 14:22; Exodus 6:8 (margin); Deuteronomy 32:40. Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates. Swear by (ὤμοσεν ἐν)
Lit., "swear in," a Hebrew idiom. Should be time no longer (χρόνος οὐκ ἔσται ἔπι) Rev., correctly, shall be, etc. The meaning is not, as popularly understood, that time shall cease to exist, but that there shall be no more delay (so Rev., in margin) before the fulfillment of the divine purposes respecting the Church on earth. Possibly with allusion to the cry how long (Revelation 6:10). And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men. Shall begin to sound ((μέλλῃ σαλπίζεν)
Wrong. Rev., correctly, when he is about to sound. The mystery (τὸ μυστήριον) See on Matthew 13:11. Declared (εὐηγγέλισεν) The word used of declaring the good news of salvation. Here of declaring the mystery of the kingdom. And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them. Spake unto me
Render, as Rev., "I heard it again speaking." And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone. I went (ἀπῆλθον)
The preposition ἀπό has the force of away. I went away from the place where I was standing. Eat it up Compare Ezekiel 3:1-3; Jeremiah 15:16. By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.
For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt.
And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: A rod
See on Revelation 2:27. And the angel stood Omit. The insertion of these words furnishes a subject for the agreement of the participle λέγων, which is irregular an construction. Literally the correct text reads, "there was given me a reed, saying." Accordingly Wordsworth refers the speech to the reed as an inspired medium of speech. Rev., better, and one said. The temple (τὸν ναὸν) See on Matthew 4:5. The altar Of incense, as that alone stood in the sacred place. Them that worship Note the peculiar expressed, measuring the worshippers with a reed. Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts. The court which is without the temple Not merely the outer court, or Court of the Gentiles, but including all that is not within the ναός, the Holy and Most Holy places. Leave out (ἔκβαλε ἔξω) Lit., throw out, i.e., of the measurement. Unto the Gentiles (τοῖς ἔθνεσιν) See on Luke 2:32. Rev., nations. Forty and two months A period which appears in three forms in Revelation: forty-two months (Revelation 13:5); twelve hundred and sixty days (Revelation 11:3, Revelation 12:6); a time, times and half a time, or three years and a half (Revelation 12:14, compare Daniel 7:25; Daniel 12:7) Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]. Text Courtesy of Internet Sacred Texts Archive. Bible Apps.com |
