Revelation 9:13 - Exposition

And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice; I heard one voice, perhaps in contradistinction to the four horns next mentioned. From the four horns of the golden altar which is before God; the golden altar before God. The balance of authority seems in favour of retaining τεσσάρων , "four," although the Revisers omit it. It is inserted in B, P, Andreas, Arethas, Primasius, etc., but emitted in א A, Syriac, Coptic, Bede, etc. Many commentators ( eg. Vitringa, Hengstenberg) lay special stress upon it; and some represent the horns as the four Gospels, which speak with one voice. The voice issues from the altar, as in Revelation 6:10 ; Revelation 16:7 . The voice, issuing from the resting place of the souls of the martyrs, denounces the impending woe. The altar is the golden altar of incense ( Revelation 8:3 ) which is before (the throne of) God, and which, in the earthly temple, stood before the veil ( Exodus 40:26 ). This altar had four "horns" projecting at the corners ( Exodus 30:2 ; see also Smith's 'Dictionary of the Bible,' art. "Altar").