Revelation9
New King James Version
1Then the fifth angel sounded: And I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth. To him was given the key to the bottomless pit.
2And he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace. So the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit.
3Then out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth. And to them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.
4They were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.
5And they were not given authority to kill them, but to torment them for five months. Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man.
6In those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die, and death will flee from them.
7The shape of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle. On their heads were crowns of something like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men.
8They had hair like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth.
9And they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots with many horses running into battle.
10They had tails like scorpions, and there were stings in their tails. Their power was to hurt men five months.
11And they had as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name Apollyon.
12One woe is past. Behold, still two more woes are coming after these things.
13Then the sixth angel sounded: And I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,
14saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.”
15So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released to kill a third of mankind.
16Now the number of the army of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them.
17And thus I saw the horses in the vision: those who sat on them had breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow; and the heads of the horses were like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths came fire, smoke, and brimstone.
18By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed—by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which came out of their mouths.
19For their power is in their mouth and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents, having heads; and with them they do harm.
20But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk.
21And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Revelation 9.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The fifth trumpet is followed by a representation of another star as falling from heaven and opening the bottomless pit, out of which come swarms of locusts. (1–12). The sixth trumpet is followed by the loosing of four angels bound in the great river Euphrates. (13–21).
vv1-12
Upon sounding the fifth trumpet, a star fell from heaven to the earth. Having ceased to be a minister of Christ, he who is represented by this star becomes the minister of the devil; and lets loose the powers of hell against the churches of Christ. On the opening of the bottomless pit, there arose a great smoke. The devil carries on his designs by blinding the eyes of men, by putting out light and knowledge, and promoting ignorance and error. Out of this smoke there came a swarm of locusts, emblems of the devil's agents, who promote superstition, idolatry, error, and cruelty. The trees and the grass, the true believers, whether young or more advanced, should be untouched. But a secret poison and infection in the soul, should rob many others of purity, and afterwards of peace. The locusts had no power to hurt those who had the seal of God. God's all-powerful, distinguishing grace will keep his people from total and final apostacy. The power is limited to a short season; but it would be very sharp. In such events the faithful share the common calamity, but from the pestilence of error they might and would be safe. We collect from Scripture, that such errors were to try and prove the Christians, 1Co 11:19. And early writers plainly refer this to the first great host of corrupters who overspread the Christian church.
vv13-21
The sixth angel sounded, and here the power of the Turks seems the subject. Their time is limited. They not only slew in war, but brought a poisonous and ruinous religion. The antichristian generation repented not under these dreadful judgments. From this sixth trumpet learn that God can make one enemy of the church a scourge and a plague to another. The idolatry in the remains of the eastern church and elsewhere, and the sins of professed Christians, render this prophecy and its fulfilment more wonderful. And the attentive reader of Scripture and history, may find his faith and hope strengthened by events, which in other respects fill his heart with anguish and his eyes with tears, while he sees that men who escape these plagues, repent not of their evil works, but go on with idolatries, wickedness, and cruelty, till wrath comes upon them to the utmost.
Key Words
καί (kaí): and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
πέμπτος (pémptos): fifth
ἄγγελος (ángelos): compare G34 (ἀγέλη)) (to bring tidings); a messenger; especially an "angel"; by implication, a pastor
σαλπίζω (salpízō): to trumpet, i.e. sound a blast (literally or figuratively)
εἴδω (eídō): used only in certain past tenses, the others being borrowed from the equivalent G3700 (ὀπτάνομαι) and G3708 (ὁράω); properly, to see (literally or figuratively); by implication, (in the perfect tense only) to know
ἀστήρ (astḗr): a star (as strown over the sky), literally or figuratively
πίπτω (píptō): to fall (literally or figuratively)
ἐκ (ek): literal or figurative; direct or remote)
οὐρανός (ouranós): the sky; by extension, heaven (as the abode of God); by implication, happiness, power, eternity; specially, the Gospel (Christianity)
εἰς (eis): to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose (result, etc.); also in adverbial phrases
Cross References
Revelation 9Direct parallel linking the appearance of locusts to horses prepared for battle.
Supported by JFB
Locusts described in Joel as having the teeth of a lion.
Supported by JFB
The noise of the wings compared to chariots running to battle.
Supported by JFB
Historical precedent of the plague of locusts in Egypt.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Explicit structural link back to the sealing of the servants of God on their foreheads.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Verbal echo of Lucifer as a star fallen from heaven.
Supported by JFB
Jesus beholding Satan fall as lightning from heaven.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Verbal echo of men longing for death, but it does not come.
Supported by JFB
Parallels the angel having the key to the bottomless pit.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Scriptural description of the locust swarms as without number.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Proverb noting locusts have no king, contrasting with the supernatural king here.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Dreadful state where death is chosen rather than life.
Supported by JFB
Contrasts seeking death from torment with seeking annihilation from the Lamb's face.
Supported by JFB
New Testament association of long hair belonging to women.
Supported by JFB
Old Testament background of marking those to be spared from destruction.
Supported by JFB
Satan permitted to afflict but strictly forbidden to take life.
Supported by JFB
The sixth vial also poured out upon the great river Euphrates.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The tail representing false prophets who speak lies.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Classic description of idols of silver and gold which cannot see or hear.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Identifies the worship of pagan idols with sacrificing to devils.
Supported by Matthew Henry