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Selected Verse: Revelation 10:9 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Re 10:9	Strong Concordance	And [2532] I went [565] unto [4314] the angel [32], and said [3004] unto him [846], Give [1325] me [3427] the little book [974]. And [2532] he said [3004] unto me [3427], Take [2983] it, and [2532] eat [2719] it [846] up [2719]; and it [2532] shall make [4087] thy [4675] belly [2836] bitter [4087], but [235] it shall be [2071] in [1722] thy [4675] mouth [4750] sweet [1099] as [5613] honey [3192].
	King James	And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
I went--Greek, "I went away." John here leaves heaven, his standing-point of observation heretofore, to be near the angel standing on the earth and sea. Give--A, B, C, and Vulgate read the infinitive, "Telling him to give." eat it up--appropriate its contents so entirely as to be assimilated with (as food), and become part of thyself, so as to impart them the more vividly to others. His finding the roll sweet to the taste at first, is because it was the Lord's will he was doing, and because, divesting himself of carnal feeling, he regarded God's will as always agreeable, however bitter might be the message of judgment to be announced. Compare Psa 40:8, Margin, as to Christ's inner complete appropriation of God's word. thy belly bitter--parallel to Eze 2:10, "There was written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe." as honey-- (Psa 19:10; Psa 119:103). Honey, sweet to the mouth, sometimes turns into bile in the stomach. The thought that God would be glorified (Rev 11:3-6, Rev 11:11-18) gave him the sweetest pleasure. Yet, afterwards the belly, or carnal natural feeling, was embittered with grief at the prophecy of the coming bitter persecutions of the Church (Rev 11:7-10); compare Joh 16:1-2. The revelation of the secrets of futurity is sweet to one at first, but bitter and distasteful to our natural man, when we learn the cross which is to be borne before the crown shall be won. John was grieved at the coming apostasy and the sufferings of the Church at the hands of Antichrist.

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

I went--Greek, "I went away." John here leaves heaven, his standing-point of observation heretofore, to be near the angel standing on the earth and sea.

Give--A, B, C, and Vulgate read the infinitive, "Telling him to give."

eat it up--appropriate its contents so entirely as to be assimilated with (as food), and become part of thyself, so as to impart them the more vividly to others. His finding the roll sweet to the taste at first, is because it was the Lord's will he was doing, and because, divesting himself of carnal feeling, he regarded God's will as always agreeable, however bitter might be the message of judgment to be announced. Compare Psa 40:8, Margin, as to Christ's inner complete appropriation of God's word.

thy belly bitter--parallel to Eze 2:10, "There was written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe."

as honey-- (Psa 19:10; Psa 119:103). Honey, sweet to the mouth, sometimes turns into bile in the stomach. The thought that God would be glorified (Rev 11:3-6, Rev 11:11-18) gave him the sweetest pleasure. Yet, afterwards the belly, or carnal natural feeling, was embittered with grief at the prophecy of the coming bitter persecutions of the Church (Rev 11:7-10); compare Joh 16:1-2. The revelation of the secrets of futurity is sweet to one at first, but bitter and distasteful to our natural man, when we learn the cross which is to be borne before the crown shall be won. John was grieved at the coming apostasy and the sufferings of the Church at the hands of Antichrist.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
And I went unto the angel - This is symbolic action, and is not to be understood literally. As it is not necessary to suppose that an angel literally descended, and stood upon the sea and the land, so it is not necessary to suppose that there was a literal act of going to him, and taking the book from his hand and eating it. Give me the little book - In accordance with the command in Rev 10:8. We may suppose, in regard to this: (a) that the symbol was designed to represent that the book was to be used in the purpose here referred to, or was to be an important agent or instrumentality in accomplishing the purpose. The book is held forth in the hand of the angel as a striking emblem. There is a command to go and take it from his hand for some purpose not yet disclosed. All this seems to imply that the book - or what is represented by it - would be an important instrument in accomplishing the purpose here referred to. (b) The application for the book might intimate that, on the part of him who made it, there would be some strong desire to possess it. He goes, indeed, in obedience to the command; but, at the same time, there would naturally be a desire to be in possession of the volume, or to know the contents (compare Rev 5:4), and his approach to the angel for the book would be most naturally interpreted as expressive of such a wish. And he said unto me, Take it - As if he had expected this application; or had come down to furnish him with this little volume, and had anticipated that the request would be made. There was no reluctance in giving it up; there was no attempt to withhold it; there was no prohibition of its use. The angel had no commission, and no desire to retain it for himself, and no hesitation in placing it in the bands of the seer on the first application. Would not the readiness with which God gives his Bible into the hands of human beings, in contradistinction from all human efforts to restrain its use, and to prevent its free circulation, be well symbolized by this act? And eat it up - There is a similar command in Eze 3:1. Of course, this is to he understood figuratively, for no one would interpret literally a command to eat a manuscript or volume. We have in common use a somewhat similar phrase, when we speak of devouring a book, which may illustrate this, and which is not liable to be misunderstood. In Jer 15:16, we have similar language: "Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart." Thus, in Latin, the words propinare, imbibere, devorare, deglutire, etc., are used to denote the greediness with which knowledge is acquired. Compare in the Apocrypha, 2 Esdras 14:38-40. The meaning here, then, is plain. He was to possess himself of the contents of the book; to receive it into his mind; to apply it, as we do food, for spiritual nourishment - truth having, in this respect, the same relation to the mind which food has to the body. If the little book was a symbol of the Bible, it would refer to the fact that the truths of that book became the nourisher and supporter of the public mind. And it shall make thy belly bitter - This is a circumstance which does not occur in the corresponding place in Eze 3:1-3. The expression here must refer to something that would occur after the symbolical action of "eating" the little book, or to some consequence of eating it - for the act of eating it is represented as pleasant: "in thy mouth sweet as honey." The meaning here is, that the effect which followed from eating the book was painful or disagreeable - as food would be that was pleasant to the taste, but that produced bitter pain when eaten. The fulfillment of this would be found in one of two things: (a) It might mean that the message to be delivered in consequence of devouring the book, or the message which it contained, would be of a painful or distressing character; that with whatever pleasure the book might be received and devoured, it would be found to contain a communication that would be indicative of woe or sorrow. This was the case with the little book that Ezekiel was commanded to eat up. Thus, in speaking of this book, it is said, "And it was written within and without: and there was written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe," Eze 2:10. Compare Rev 3:4-9, where the contents of the book, and the effect of proclaiming the message which it contained, are more fully stated. So here the meaning may be, that, however gladly John may have taken the book, and with whatever pleasure he may have devoured its contents, yet that it would be found to be charged with the threatening of wrath, and with denunciations of a judgment to come, the delivery of which would be well represented by the "bitterness" which is said to have followed from "eating" the volume. Or. (b) it may mean that the consequence of devouring the book, that is, of embracing its doctrines, would be persecutions and trouble - well represented by the "bitterness" that followed the "eating" of the volume. Either of these ideas would be a fulfillment of the proper meaning of the symbol; for, on the supposition that either of these occurred in fact, it would properly be symbolized by the eating of a volume that was sweet to the taste, but that made the belly bitter. But it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey - So in Eze 3:3. The proper fulfillment of this it is not difficult to understand. It would well represent the pleasure derived from divine truth - the sweetness of the Word of God - the relish with which it is embraced by those that love it. On the supposition that the "little book" here refers to the Bible, and to the use which would be made of it in the times referred to, it would properly denote the relish which would exist for the sacred volume, and the happiness which would be found in its perusal; for this very image is frequently employed to denote this. Thus, in Psa 19:10; "More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb." Psa 119:103; "how sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth." We are then to look for the fulfillment of this in some prevailing delight or satisfaction, in the times referred to, in the Word of the Lord, or in the truths of revelation.

The Scofield Bible Commentary, by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, [1917]
angel (See Scofield) - (Heb 1:4). Take it Compare (Eze 2:8); (Eze 2:9); (Eze 3:1-3). (See Scofield) - (Eze 3:3).

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]
I went (ἀπῆλθον) The preposition ἀπό has the force of away. I went away from the place where I was standing. Eat it up Compare Eze 3:1-3; Jer 15:16.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
Eat it up - The like was commanded to Ezekiel. This was an emblem of thoroughly considering and digesting it. And it will make thy belly bitter, but it will be sweet as honey in thy mouth - The sweetness betokens the many good things which follow, Rev 11:1, Rev 11:15, &c.; the bitterness, the evils which succeed under the third woe.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
Take it, and eat it up - Fully comprehend its meaning; study it thoroughly.

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¹ These things [5023] have I spoken [2980] unto you [5213], that [3363] ye should [4624] not [3363] be offended [4624].
² They shall put [4160] you [5209] out of the synagogues [656]: yea [235], the time [5610] cometh [2064], that [2443] whosoever [3956] killeth [615] you [5209] will think [1380] that he doeth [4374] God [2316] service [2999].

⁷ And [2532] when [3752] they shall have finished [5055] their [846] testimony [3141], the beast [2342] that ascendeth [305] out of [1537] the bottomless pit [12] shall make [4160] war [4171] against [3326] them [846], and [2532] shall overcome [3528] them [846], and [2532] kill [615] them [846].
⁸ And [2532] their [846] dead bodies [4430] shall lie in [1909] the street [4113] of the great [3173] city [4172], which [3748] spiritually [4153] is called [2564] Sodom [4670] and [2532] Egypt [125], where [3699] also [2532] our [2257] Lord [2962] was crucified [4717].
⁹ And [2532] they [991] of [1537] the people [2992] and [2532] kindreds [5443] and [2532] tongues [1100] and [2532] nations [1484] shall see [991] their [846] dead bodies [4430] three [5140] days [2250] and [2532] an half [2255], and [2532] shall [863] not [3756] suffer [863] their [846] dead bodies [4430] to be put [5087] in [1519] graves [3418].
¹⁰ And [2532] they that dwell [2730] upon [1909] the earth [1093] shall rejoice [5463] over [1909] them [846], and [2532] make merry [2165], and [2532] shall send [3992] gifts [1435] one to another [240]; because [3754] these [3778] two [1417] prophets [4396] tormented [928] them that dwelt [2730] on [1909] the earth [1093].

¹¹ And [2532] after [3326] three [5140] days [2250] and [2532] an half [2255] the Spirit [4151] of life [2222] from [1537] God [2316] entered [1525] into [1909] them [846], and [2532] they stood [2476] upon [1909] their [846] feet [4228]; and [2532] great [3173] fear [5401] fell [4098] upon [1909] them which saw [2334] them [846].
¹² And [2532] they heard [191] a great [3173] voice [5456] from [1537] heaven [3772] saying [3004] unto them [846], Come up [305] hither [5602]. And [2532] they ascended up [305] to [1519] heaven [3772] in [1722] a cloud [3507]; and [2532] their [846] enemies [2190] beheld [2334] them [846].
¹³ And [2532] the same [1722] [1565] hour [5610] was there [1096] a great [3173] earthquake [4578], and [2532] the tenth part [1182] of the city [4172] fell [4098], and [2532] in [1722] the earthquake [4578] were slain [615] [3686] of men [444] seven [2033] thousand [5505]: and [2532] the remnant [3062] were [1096] affrighted [1719], and [2532] gave [1325] glory [1391] to the God [2316] of heaven [3772].
¹⁴ The second [1208] woe [3759] is past [565]; and [2532], behold [2400], the third [5154] woe [3759] cometh [2064] quickly [5035].
¹⁵ And [2532] the seventh [1442] angel [32] sounded [4537]; and [2532] there were [1096] great [3173] voices [5456] in [1722] heaven [3772], saying [3004], The kingdoms [932] of this world [2889] are become [1096] the kingdoms of our [2257] Lord [2962], and [2532] of his [846] Christ [5547]; and [2532] he shall reign [936] for [1519] ever [165] and ever [165].
¹⁶ And [2532] the four [5064] and [2532] twenty [1501] elders [4245], which [3588] sat [2521] before [1799] God [2316] on [1909] their [846] seats [2362], fell [4098] upon [1909] their [846] faces [4383], and [2532] worshipped [4352] God [2316],
¹⁷ Saying [3004], We give [2168] thee [4671] thanks [2168], O Lord [2962] God [2316] Almighty [3841], which [3588] art [5607] [3801], and [2532] wast [2258] [3801], and [2532] art to come [2064] [3801]; because [3754] thou hast taken to thee [2983] thy [4675] great [3173] power [1411], and [2532] hast reigned [936].
¹⁸ And [2532] the nations [1484] were angry [3710], and [2532] thy [4675] wrath [3709] is come [2064], and [2532] the time [2540] of the dead [3498], that they should be judged [2919], and [2532] that thou shouldest give [1325] reward [3408] unto thy [4675] servants [1401] the prophets [4396], and [2532] to the saints [40], and [2532] them that fear [5399] thy [4675] name [3686], small [3398] and [2532] great [3173]; and [2532] shouldest destroy [1311] them which destroy [1311] the earth [1093].

³ And [2532] I will give [1325] power unto my [3450] two [1417] witnesses [3144], and [2532] they shall prophesy [4395] a thousand [5507] two hundred [1250] and threescore [1835] days [2250], clothed in [4016] sackcloth [4526].
⁴ These [3778] are [1526] the two [1417] olive [1636] trees, and [2532] the two [1417] candlesticks [3087] standing [2476] before [1799] the God [2316] of the earth [1093].
⁵ And [2532] if any man [1536] [846] will [2309] hurt [91] them [846], fire [4442] proceedeth [1607] out of [1537] their [846] mouth [4750], and [2532] devoureth [2719] their [846] enemies [2190]: and [2532] if any man [1536] will [2309] hurt [91] them [846], he must [1163] in this manner [3779] be killed [615].
⁶ These [3778] have [2192] power [1849] to shut [2808] heaven [3772], that [3363] it rain [1026] [5205] not [3363] in [1722] the days [2250] of their [846] prophecy [4394]: and [2532] have [2192] power [1849] over [1909] waters [5204] to turn [4762] them [846] to [1519] blood [129], and [2532] to smite [3960] the earth [1093] with all [3956] plagues [4127], as often [3740] as [1437] they will [2309].

¹⁰³ How sweet [04452] are thy words [0565] unto my taste [02441]! yea, sweeter than honey [01706] to my mouth [06310]!

¹⁰ More to be desired [02530] are they than gold [02091], yea, than much [07227] fine gold [06337]: sweeter [04966] also than honey [01706] and the honeycomb [05317] [06688].

¹⁰ And he spread [06566] it before [06440] me; and it was written [03789] within [06440] and without [0268]: and there was written [03789] therein lamentations [07015], and mourning [01899], and woe [01958].

⁸ I delight [02654] to do [06213] thy will [07522], O my God [0430]: yea, thy law [08451] is within [08432] my heart [04578].

¹⁰³ How sweet [04452] are thy words [0565] unto my taste [02441]! yea, sweeter than honey [01706] to my mouth [06310]!

¹⁰ More to be desired [02530] are they than gold [02091], yea, than much [07227] fine gold [06337]: sweeter [04966] also than honey [01706] and the honeycomb [05317] [06688].

³ And he said [0559] unto me, Son [01121] of man [0120], cause thy belly [0990] to eat [0398], and fill [04390] thy bowels [04578] with this roll [04039] that I give [05414] thee. Then did I eat [0398] it; and it was in my mouth [06310] as honey [01706] for sweetness [04966].

⁴ Thou hast [2192] a few [3641] names [3686] even [2532] in [1722] Sardis [4554] which [3739] have [3435] not [3756] defiled [3435] their [846] garments [2440]; and [2532] they shall walk [4043] with [3326] me [1700] in [1722] white [3022]: for [3754] they are [1526] worthy [514].
⁵ He that overcometh [3528], the same [3778] shall be clothed [4016] in [1722] white [3022] raiment [2440]; and [2532] I will [1813] not [3364] blot out [1813] his [846] name [3686] out of [1537] the book [976] of life [2222], but [2532] I will confess [1843] his [846] name [3686] before [1799] my [3450] Father [3962], and [2532] before [1799] his [846] angels [32].
⁶ He that hath [2192] an ear [3775], let him hear [191] what [5101] the Spirit [4151] saith [3004] unto the churches [1577].
⁷ And [2532] to the angel [32] of the church [1577] in [1722] Philadelphia [5359] write [1125]; These things [3592] saith [3004] he that is holy [40], he that is true [228], he that hath [2192] the key [2807] of David [1138], he that openeth [455], and [2532] no man [3762] shutteth [2808]; and [2532] shutteth [2808], and [2532] no man [3762] openeth [455];
⁸ I know [1492] thy [4675] works [2041]: behold [2400], I have set [1325] before [1799] thee [4675] an open [455] door [2374], and [2532] no man [3762] can [1410] shut [2808] it [846]: for [3754] thou hast [2192] a little [3398] strength [1411], and [2532] hast kept [5083] my [3450] word [3056], and [2532] hast [720] not [3756] denied [720] my [3450] name [3686].
⁹ Behold [2400], I will make [1325] them of [1537] the synagogue [4864] of Satan [4567], which [3588] say [3004] they [1438] are [1511] Jews [2453], and [2532] are [1526] not [3756], but [235] do lie [5574]; behold [2400], I will make [4160] them [846] to [2443] come [2240] and [2532] worship [4352] before [1799] thy [4675] feet [4228], and [2532] to know [1097] that [3754] I [1473] have loved [25] thee [4571].

¹ Moreover he said [0559] unto me, Son [01121] of man [0120], eat [0398] that thou findest [04672]; eat [0398] this roll [04039], and go [03212] speak [01696] unto the house [01004] of Israel [03478].
² So I opened [06605] my mouth [06310], and he caused me to eat [0398] that roll [04039].
³ And he said [0559] unto me, Son [01121] of man [0120], cause thy belly [0990] to eat [0398], and fill [04390] thy bowels [04578] with this roll [04039] that I give [05414] thee. Then did I eat [0398] it; and it was in my mouth [06310] as honey [01706] for sweetness [04966].

¹⁶ Thy words [01697] were found [04672], and I did eat [0398] them; and thy word [01697] was unto me the joy [08342] and rejoicing [08057] of mine heart [03824]: for I am called [07121] by thy name [08034], O LORD [03068] God [0430] of hosts [06635].

⁴ And [2532] I [1473] wept [2799] much [4183], because [3754] no man [3762] was found [2147] worthy [514] to open [455] and [2532] to read [314] the book [975], neither [3777] to look [991] thereon [846].

⁸ And [2532] the voice [5456] which [3739] I heard [191] from [1537] heaven [3772] spake [2980] unto [3326] me [1700] again [3825], and [2532] said [3004], Go [5217] and take [2983] the little book [974] which [3588] is open [455] in [1722] the hand [5495] of the angel [32] which [3588] standeth [2476] upon [1909] the sea [2281] and [2532] upon [1909] the earth [1093].

⁹ And when I looked [07200], behold, an hand [03027] was sent [07971] unto me; and, lo, a roll [04039] of a book [05612] was therein;

⁸ But thou, son [01121] of man [0120], hear [08085] what I say [01696] unto thee; Be not [01961] thou rebellious [04805] like that rebellious [04805] house [01004]: open [06475] thy mouth [06310], and eat [0398] that I give [05414] thee.

⁴ Being made [1096] so much [5118] better than [2909] the angels [32], as [3745] he hath by inheritance obtained [2816] a more excellent [1313] name [3686] than [3844] they [846].

¹⁵ And [2532] the seventh [1442] angel [32] sounded [4537]; and [2532] there were [1096] great [3173] voices [5456] in [1722] heaven [3772], saying [3004], The kingdoms [932] of this world [2889] are become [1096] the kingdoms of our [2257] Lord [2962], and [2532] of his [846] Christ [5547]; and [2532] he shall reign [936] for [1519] ever [165] and ever [165].

¹ And [2532] there was given [1325] me [3427] a reed [2563] like [3664] unto a rod [4464]: and [2532] the angel [32] stood [2476], saying [3004], Rise [1453], and [2532] measure [3354] the temple [3485] of God [2316], and [2532] the altar [2379], and [2532] them that worship [4352] therein [1722] [846].