AFTER THIS (μετα τουτο). Instead of the seventh seal (Revelation 8:1) being opened, two other episodes or preliminary visions occupy chapter 7 (the sealing of the servants of God Revelation 7:1-8 and the vision of the redeemed before the throne Revelation 7:9-17).STANDING (εστωτας). Second perfe... [ Continue Reading ]
ASCEND (αναβαινοντα). Present active participle of αναβαινω, "ascending," "going up," picturing the process.FROM THE SUN-RISING (απο ανατολης ηλιου). Same phrase in Revelation 16:12. From the east, though why is not told. Swete suggests it is because Palestine is east of Patmos. The plural απο... [ Continue Reading ]
HURT NOT (μη αδικησητε). Prohibition with μη and the ingressive aorist active subjunctive of αδικεω, not to begin to hurt.TILL WE SHALL HAVE SEALED (αχρ σφραγισωμεν). Temporal clause of indefinite action for the future with αχρ (sometimes αχρις ου or αχρις ου αν) and the aorist subjunctive as i... [ Continue Reading ]
THE NUMBER OF THE SEALED (τον αριθμον των εσφραγισμενων). Accusative case object of ηκουσα and genitive of the perfect passive articular participle of σφραγιζω. He did not see the sealing or count them himself, but only heard.A HUNDRED AND FORTY AND FOUR THOUSAND (εκατον τεσσερακοντα τεσσαρες χ... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH NO MAN COULD NUMBER (ον αριθμησα αυτον ουδεις εδυνατο). Redundant repetition of the pronoun αυτον after the relative ον as in Revelation 7:5; Revelation 3:8. Εδυνατο imperfect indicative and αριθμησα first aorist active infinitive of αριθμεω, old verb, in N.T. only here, Matthew 10:30; Luke... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY CRY (κραζουσ). Vivid dramatic present.WITH A GREAT VOICE (φωνη μεγαλη). As in Revelation 6:10; Revelation 7:2. "The polyglott multitude shouts its praises as with one voice" (Swete).SALVATION (η σωτηρια). As in Revelation 12:10; Revelation 19:1. Nominative absolute. Salvation here is rega... [ Continue Reading ]
WERE STANDING (ιστηκεισαν). Past perfect active of ιστημ intransitive and used like an imperfect as in John 19:25.ROUND ABOUT (κυκλω). Preposition (in a circle) with genitive as in Revelation 4:6; Revelation 5:11. The angels here rejoice in the salvation of men (Luke 15:7; Luke 15:10; 1 Peter 1... [ Continue Reading ]
Note αμην at the beginning and the close of the doxology. Note also separate feminine article with each of the seven attributes given God, as in Revelation 4:11; Revelation 5:12; Revelation 5:13.... [ Continue Reading ]
ANSWERED (απεκριθη). First aorist passive (deponent) of αποκρινομα with λεγων (saying), a common (only here in the Apocalypse) Hebrew redundancy in the Gospels (Mark 9:5). An elder intervenes, though no question has been asked to interpret the vision (Swete).THESE (ουτο). Prophetic predicate no... [ Continue Reading ]
I SAY (ειρηκα). Perfect active indicative of ειπον, "I have said." "To the Seer's mind the whole scene was still fresh and vivid" (Swete) like κεκραγεν in John 1:15 and ειληφεν in Revelation 5:7, not the so-called "aoristic perfect" which even Moulton (_Prol_. p. 145) is disposed to admit.MY LORD... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE (δια τουτο). Because of the washing described in verse Revelation 7:14.THEY SERVE HIM (λατρευουσιν αυτω). Dative case with λατρευω (present active indicative, old verb, originally to serve for hire λατρον, then service in general, then religious service to God, Matthew 4:10, then in pa... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY SHALL HUNGER NO MORE (ου πεινασουσιν ετ). Future tense of πειναω, old verb with late form instead of πεινησουσιν like Luke 6:25. It is a free translation of Isaiah 49:10 (not quotation from the LXX).NEITHER THIRST ANY MORE (ουδε διψησουσιν ετ). Future tense of διψαω, the two strong human a... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE MIDST (ανα μεσον). In Revelation 5:6 we have εν μεσω του θρονου as the position of the Lamb, and so that is apparently the sense of ανα μεσον here as in Matthew 13:25, though it can mean "between," as clearly so in 1 Corinthians 6:5.SHALL BE THEIR SHEPHERD (παιμανε αυτους). "Shall shepher... [ Continue Reading ]