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Matthew Henry

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 9:6

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 9:6

In those days shall men seek death - So distressing shall be their sufferings and torment that they shall long for death in any form, to be rescued from the evils of life. There is a sentiment much like this in Maximianus, Eleg. i., ver. 111, commonly attributed to Cornelius Gallus: - Nunc quia longa mihi gravis est et inutilis aetas, Vivere cum nequeam, sit mihi posse mori? O quam dura premit miseros conditio vitae! Nec mors humano subjacet arbitrio. Dulce mori miseris; sed mors... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 9:1-6

The evil effect of degeneracy: the fallen star. Homiletic expositions aim to avoid as tar as possible the topics of controversy. Yet must they be definite in their view of the interpretation of the words of Holy Scripture. Their own sphere is the moral and practical. They speak with no authority in the department of exposition. The view taken of this figure does not confine its reference to any individual person; although some individuals have gained a special notoriety. Many who have... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 9:6

And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them; shall in no wise find it … and death fleeth from them (Revised Version); οἱ ἄνθρωποι , "the men;" that is, the unsealed, who suffer this judgment. This is a characteristic biblical method of expressing great anguish. Thus Job 3:20 , Job 3:21 , "The bitter in soul; which long for death, but it cometh not" (cf. also Jeremiah 8:3 ; Job 7:15 ; Luke 23:30 ;... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 9:6

The extremity of anguish. "And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them." We take these words as a picture of the extremest anguish. Here we have— I. A STATE OF MISERY IN WHICH DEATH IS SOUGHT . 1 . Death, is universally regarded amongst men as the greatest evil. It is the "king of terrors." It gives terror to everything terrible in the world. The ravenous beast, the furious storm, the... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Revelation 9:6

And in those days shall men seek death ... - See the notes on Revelation 9:5. It is very easy to conceive of such a state of things as is here described, and, indeed, this has not been very uncommon in the world. It is a state where the distress is so great that people would consider death a relief, and where they anxiously look to the time when they may be released from their sufferings by death. In the case before us it is not intimated that they would lay violent hands on themselves, or that... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Revelation 9:4-6

Revelation 9:4-6. And it was commanded that they should not hurt the grass, &c. This verse demonstrates that they were not natural, but symbolical locusts. The like injunctions were given to the Arabian officers and soldiers. When Yezid was marching with the army to invade Syria, Abubeker charged him with this among other orders: “Destroy no palm- trees, nor burn any fields of corn; cut down no fruit-trees, nor do any mischief to cattle, only such as you kill to eat.” Their commission is... read more

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