Revelation 9:3-6

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Revelation 9:1-12

Upon the sounding of this trumpet, the things to be observed are, 1. A star falling from heaven to the earth. Some think this star represents some eminent bishop in the Christian church, some angel of the church; for, in the same way of speaking by which pastors are called stars, the church is called heaven; but who this is expositors do not agree. Some understand it of Boniface the third bishop of Rome, who assumed the title of universal bishop, by the favour of the emperor Phocas, who, being... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Revelation 9:3-12

9:3-12 From the smoke locusts came forth upon the earth, and they were given power like the power of the scorpions of the earth. They were told not to harm the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but only such men as had not the seal of God upon their forehead. They were not permitted to kill them, but to torture them for five months. Their torture was like the torture of a scorpion when it strikes a man; and in those days men will seek for death and not be able to find it;... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Revelation 9:3-12

Hebrew has a number of different names for the locust which reveal its destructive power. It is called gazam ( Hebrew #1501 ), the lopper or the shearer, which describes how it shears all living vegetation from the earth; it is called 'arbeh ( Hebrew #697 ), the swarmer, which describes the immensity of its numbers; it is called hasil, the finisher, which describes the devastation it causes; it is called caal'am ( Hebrew #5556 ), the swallower or the annihilator; it is called... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 9:3

And there came out of the smoke locusts the earth ,.... Not literally, for these locusts might not meddle with the grass, nor any green thing, or tree, as locusts do, only men, Revelation 9:4 ; and had a king over them, Revelation 9:11 ; which locusts have not, Proverbs 30:27 , though the allusion is to such, which spawn and breed in pits, and may be properly said to come out of them; hence in the Hebrew tongue they are called גבי , from גבא , "a pit", or "ditch": nor are devils... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 9:4

And it was commanded them ,.... The locusts, by Christ, who has a sovereign power over all men, and lays them under the restraints of his providence: that they should not hurt the grass of the earth : true Christians, private believers, it may be those of the lower class; who for their numbers, and for their flourishing estate under the dews of heavenly grace, and the distillations of the doctrine of grace, and the clear shining of the sun of righteousness upon them, and for their... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 9:5

And to them it was given that they should not kill them ,.... As the power of the locusts was limited with respect to the persons they should hurt, so with regard also to the mischief they should do; for even those whom they were suffered to annoy they might not kill, that is, utterly root out and destroy, so as that they were no more: and thus, though the Saracens killed great numbers in the eastern empire, by their frequent incursions and ravages, and made large conquests, yet they could... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 9:6

And in those days men shall seek death ,.... Or desire to die, as Job did: and shall not find it ; or shall not die: and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them ; death will be preferred to a miserable life; it will be chosen rather than life, Jeremiah 8:3 . The ravages of the Saracens, their incursions, and the invasions by them, struck such terror into the inhabitants of divers parts of the empire, that they made death more eligible to them than life. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 9:3

Locusts - Vast hordes of military troops: the description which follows certainly agrees better with the Saracens than with any other people or nation, but may also apply to the Romans. As the scorpions of the earth have power - Namely, to hurt men by stinging them. Scorpions may signify archers; and hence the description has been applied to Cestius Gallus, the Roman general, who had many archers in his army. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 9:4

They should not hurt the grass - Neither the common people, the men of middling condition, nor the nobles. However, this appears rather to refer to the prudent counsels of a military chief, not to destroy the crops and herbage of which they might have need in their campaigns. Which have not the seal of God - All false, hypocritical, and heterodox Christians. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 9:5

To them it was given - That is, they were permitted. That they should be tormented five months - Some take these months literally, and apply them to the conduct of the Zealots who, from May to September, in the year of the siege, produced dreadful contests among the people; or to the afflictions brought upon the Jews by Cestius Gallus, when he came against Jerusalem, before which he lay one whole summer, or nearly five months - See Joseph., Bell. Jud., l. ii. c. 19. Others consider the... read more

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