Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

Revelation 9:7

ὅμοια. A reads ὁμοιώματα; א ὅμοιοι.

7. ὅμοια ἵπποις. See Joel 2:4. Probably that passage is only a highly idealised description of a natural swarm of locusts, and the verse cited refers to the resemblance in shape of the locust’s head, and perhaps the legs, to a horse’s. It is doubtful whether the words ἡτοιμασμένοις εἰς πόλεμον suggest comparison between the frame of the locust and the plate-armour of a horse, see on Revelation 9:9 : such armour was still confined to the East in St John’s time. At any rate there is a reference here to the discipline of the locust host: as in Joel 2:7-8.

ὡς στέφανοι ὅμοιοι χρυσῷ. Lit. “as it were crowns like unto gold,” perhaps a mere golden mark, such as it is quite possible a real insect might have.

τὰ πρόσωπα αὐτῶν ὡς πρόσωπα�. ἄνθρωποι means, in classical Greek at least, “human beings,” not necessarily males. But in Hellenistic Greek it is not infrequently used in opposition to women, and probably the next clause marks it so here. Both in this clause and in the next we have the choice of making the description purely supernatural or supposing that a deeper meaning is given to features of natural locusts which had struck the popular fancy.

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Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

Revelation 9:7

Old Testament

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