Revelation 16:2-4 ASV

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 16:1-21

"The seven vials:" predestined suffering in the government of the world. "And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth. And the first went," etc. "It is incredible," says Bishop Horsley, "to any one who has not made the experiment, what proficiency may be made by studying the Scriptures without any other commentary or exposition than what the different parts of the sacred volume naturally... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 16:2

And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; his bowl into, etc. (Revised Version). (On "vial," see on Revelation 5:8 .) The preposition εἰς , "into," distinguishes the first three vials from the last four, which have ἐπί , "upon," and some writers make this the basis for classifying the vials into groups of three and four; but it seems better to divide into groups of four and three (see on Revelation 16:1 , and preliminary remarks on the trumpet visions). And... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 16:3

And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea. Omit "angel," which is not found in the best manuscripts, though it is understood. "Into the sea," as in Revelation 16:2 . The sea is also the object of the second trumpet plague (see on Revelation 16:1 ). And it became as the blood of a dead man; became blood as of a dead man. Almost an exact reproduction of the second trumpet, and of the first of the Egyptian plagues. The last clause intensifies the horrible nature of the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 16:4

And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood . Omit "angel" (see on Revelation 16:3 ). "Into the rivers," etc., as in the previous cases. The singular ἐγένετο , probably on account of the neuter ὕδατα being understood. The idea of the second vial is carried on here (cf. on Revelation 16:3 ). Note the corresponding judgment of the third trumpet. In addition to the interpretation of the second vial given above, it is... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Revelation 16:2

And the first went - Went forth from heaven, where the seat of the vision was laid.And poured out his vial upon the earth - That is, upon the land, in contradistinction from the sea, the rivers, the air, the seat of the beast, the sun, as represented in the other vials. In Revelation 16:1, the word earth is used in the general sense to denote this world as distinguished from heaven; in this verse it is used in the specific sense, to denote land as distinguished from other things. Compare Mark... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Revelation 16:3

And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea - So the second trumpet Revelation 8:8, “And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea; and the third part of the sea became blood.” For the meaning of this as a symbol, see the notes on that verse.And it became as the blood of a dead man - “Either very bloody, like a mangled corse, or else colored, as it were, with the dark and almost black blood of a dead man” (Prof. Stuart, in loco).... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Revelation 16:4

And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters - This coincides also with the account of the sounding of the third trumpet Revelation 8:10-11; “And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters.” As to the meaning of the phrase, “rivers and fountains of waters,” see the notes on that passage. We found, it was supposed, in the application of that... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Revelation 16:2

Revelation 16:2. And the first poured out his vial upon the earth This, according to Mr. Fleming, denotes God’s judgments upon the foundation of the Papal kingdom; the earth being that on which we walk, and by the fruits of which we are supported. By this, therefore, he understands the Popish clergy, and the Papal dominions and revenues, by which they were upheld. This vial, he thinks, began with the Reformation, and continued until the time when these agents of Popery were thrown out of... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Revelation 16:3

Revelation 16:3. And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea, &c. This, says the same pious author, must begin where the other ended, as to the period of time. Now I find that in the year 1566 the wars between the king of Spain and the states of the Netherlands began. The Spaniards, indeed, were often victorious at first, yet they were at length compelled to declare them free states. It was then that the sea became blood to the Romanists, their votaries being miserably... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Revelation 16:4-7

Revelation 16:4-7. And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers a fountains of waters, &c. Or those territories of the Papacy which were as necessary to it as rivers and fountains are to a country: the kind of plague under this vial being the same as that of the former. For, as the former destroyed the living creatures, or living souls, that were in or upon the sea, namely, the Spaniards, the great mariners of the world at that time, as to their maritime power, who... read more

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 16:1-21

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 16:2

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 16:3

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 16:4

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Revelation 16:2

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Revelation 16:3

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Revelation 16:4

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Revelation 16:2

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Revelation 16:3

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Revelation 16:4-7

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