Revelation 12:7-10 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Revelation 12:1-11

Here we see that early prophecy eminently fulfilled in which God said he would put enmity between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent, Gen. 3:15. You will observe, I. The attempts of Satan and his agents to prevent the increase of the church, by devouring her offspring as soon as it was born; of this we have a very lively description in the most proper images. 1. We see how the church is represented in this vision. (1.) As a woman, the weaker part of the world, but the spouse of... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Revelation 12:1-17

It is necessary to read this chapter as a whole before we examine it in detail. 12:1-17 A great sign appeared in the sky--a woman clothed with the sun, and with the moon beneath her feet, and with a crown of twelve stars on her head; and she was with child, and she cried aloud in her labour and in her agony to bear the child. And another sign appeared in heaven--lo! a great flame-coloured dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and with seven royal diadems upon its heads. Its tail... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 12:7

And there was war in heaven ,.... Not in the third heaven, the habitation of God, the seat of the angels and glorified saints, there is no discord, jars, and contentions there, nothing but peace, love, and joy; but in the church below, which is militant, and has in it as it were a company of two armies; or rather in the Roman empire, which was the heaven of Satan, the god of this world, and of his angels; and this war refers not to the dispute between Michael the archangel and the devil... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 12:8

And prevailed not ,.... That is, the dragon, or the devil, and his angels, prevailed not against Michael and his angels; but, on the other hand, were conquered by them, as the above tyrants were by Constantine and Theodosius: some copies read in the singular number, "and he prevailed not", as the Alexandrian copy, the Complutensian edition the Arabic and Ethiopic versions; and other copies in the plural number, "they prevailed not": and as the Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions: neither... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 12:9

And the great dragon was cast out ,.... From heaven, or from power and authority in the Roman empire, namely, the devil, where he had long presided; it is observable that Constantine himself speaks of "the dragon" being removed from the government of the commonwealth by the providence of God, and by the ministry, or means of him F13 Euseb. de Vita Constantini, l. 2. c. 46. ; and he had his own effigies on a table placed before the porch of his palace, with the cross over his head, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 12:10

And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven ,.... Which was a song of praise on account of the victory obtained by Michael and his angels over the dragon and his, or for the overthrow and downfall of Paganism in the Roman empire; for by "heaven" is meant the empire, now become Christian, or the Christian church state in it; and the "loud voice" heard in it by John shows that there was a great number in it, who rejoiced on this occasion, and that they were full of affection and fervency, and... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 12:7

Revelation 12:7 ; per Adam Clarke There was war in heaven - In the same treatise, fol. 87, 2, on Exodus 14:7 , Pharaoh took six hundred chariots, we have these words: "There was war among those above and among those below, בשמים חזקה היתה והמלחמה vehammilchamaĥ hayethah chazakah bashshamayim , and there was great war in heaven." Of Michael the rabbins are full. See much in Schoettgen, and see the note on Judges 1:9 . The dragon - and his angels - The same as Rab. Sam. ben... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 12:8

And prevailed not - Against the cause of Christianity. Neither was their place found any more in heaven - The advocates of the heathen idolatry were prevented from having any farther share in the government of the empire. The wonderful success of Constantine over all his enemies, and his final triumph over Licinius, correspond exactly to the symbolical language in this verse. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 12:9

Revelation 12:9 ; per Adam Clarke That old serpent - The rabbins speak much of this being, sometimes under the notion of הרע יצר yetser hara , the evil principle, and sometimes Samael. He was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him - This is very like a saying in the book Bahir, in Sohar Gen., fol. 27, col. 107: "And God cast out Samael and his troops from the place of their holiness." Revelation 12:9 ; per John Edward Clarke read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 12:10

Revelation 12:10 ; per Adam Clarke The accuser of our brethren - There is scarcely any thing more common in the rabbinical writings than Satan as the accuser of the Israelites. And the very same word κατηγορος , accuser, or, as it is in the Codex Alexandrinus, κατηγωρ , is used by them in Hebrew letters, קטיגור katigor ; e. gr., Pirkey Eliezer, c. 46, speaking of the day of expiation; "And the holy blessed God hears their testimony from their accuser, הקטיגור מן min hakkatigor... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Revelation 12:1-11

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Revelation 12:1-17

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 12:7

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 12:8

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 12:9

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 12:10

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 12:7

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 12:8

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 12:9

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 12:10

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