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Selected Verse: Revelation 9:9 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Re 9:9	Strong Concordance	And [2532] they had [2192] breastplates [2382], as it were [5613] breastplates [2382] of iron [4603]; and [2532] the sound [5456] of their [846] wings [4420] was as [5613] the sound [5456] of chariots [716] of many [4183] horses [2462] running [5143] to [1519] battle [4171].
	King James	And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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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]
as it were breastplates of iron--not such as forms the thorax of the natural locust. as . . . chariots-- (Joe 2:5-7). battle--Greek, "war."

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

as it were breastplates of iron--not such as forms the thorax of the natural locust.

as . . . chariots-- (Joe 2:5-7).

battle--Greek, "war."

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron - Hard, horny, impenetrable, as if they were made of iron. The locust has a firm and hard cuticle on the forepart of the breast, which serves for a shield or defense while it moves in the thorny and furzy vegetation. On those which John saw this was especially hard and horny, and would thus be well adapted to be an emblem of the breastplates of iron commonly worn by ancient warriors. The meaning is, that the warriors referred to would be well clad with defensive armor. And the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle - The noise made by locusts is often spoken of by travelers, and the comparison of that noise with that of chariots rushing to battle, is not only appropriate, but also indicates clearly what was symbolized. It was an army that was symbolized, and everything about them served to represent hosts of men well armed, rushing to conflict. The same thing here referred to is noticed by Joel Joe 2:4-5, Joe 2:7; "The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; And as horsemen so shall they run. Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains, shall they leap; Like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble; As a strong people set in battle array. They shall run like mighty men; They shall climb the wall like men of war; And they shall march every one his ways, And shall not break their ranks," etc. It is remarkable that Volney, who had no intention of illustrating the truth of Scripture, has given a description of locusts, as if he meant to confirm the truth of what is here said. "Syria," says he, "as well as Egypt, Persia, and almost all the south of Asia, is subject to another calamity no less dreadful (than earthquakes); I mean those clouds of locusts so often mentioned by travelers. The quantity of these insects is incredible to all who have not themselves witnessed their astounding numbers; the whole earth is covered with them for the space of several leagues. The noise they make in browsing on the trees and herbage may be heard to a great distance, and resembles that of an army foraging in secret" (Travels in Egypt and Syria, vol. i. pp. 283, 284).

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron - Hard, horny, impenetrable, as if they were made of iron. The locust has a firm and hard cuticle on the forepart of the breast, which serves for a shield or defense while it moves in the thorny and furzy vegetation. On those which John saw this was especially hard and horny, and would thus be well adapted to be an emblem of the breastplates of iron commonly worn by ancient warriors. The meaning is, that the warriors referred to would be well clad with defensive armor.

And the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle - The noise made by locusts is often spoken of by travelers, and the comparison of that noise with that of chariots rushing to battle, is not only appropriate, but also indicates clearly what was symbolized. It was an army that was symbolized, and everything about them served to represent hosts of men well armed, rushing to conflict. The same thing here referred to is noticed by Joel Joe 2:4-5, Joe 2:7;

"The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses;

And as horsemen so shall they run.

Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains, shall they leap;

Like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble;

As a strong people set in battle array.

They shall run like mighty men;

They shall climb the wall like men of war;

And they shall march every one his ways,

And shall not break their ranks," etc.

It is remarkable that Volney, who had no intention of illustrating the truth of Scripture, has given a description of locusts, as if he meant to confirm the truth of what is here said. "Syria," says he, "as well as Egypt, Persia, and almost all the south of Asia, is subject to another calamity no less dreadful (than earthquakes); I mean those clouds of locusts so often mentioned by travelers. The quantity of these insects is incredible to all who have not themselves witnessed their astounding numbers; the whole earth is covered with them for the space of several leagues. The noise they make in browsing on the trees and herbage may be heard to a great distance, and resembles that of an army foraging in secret" (Travels in Egypt and Syria, vol. i. pp. 283, 284).

The Scofield Bible Commentary, by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, [1917]
breastplates (Rev 9:17). Contrast (Eph 6:14).

The Scofield Bible Commentary, by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, [1917]

breastplates

(Rev 9:17). Contrast (Eph 6:14).

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]
Breastplates The breast of the locust resembles the plates of a horse's armor. Sound of their wings Olivier, a French writer, says: "It in difficult to express the effect produced on us by the sight of the whole atmosphere filled on all sides and to a great height by an innumerable quantity of these insects, whose flight was slow and uniform, and whose noise resembled that of rain." For a graphic description of their numbers and ravages, see Thomson, "Land and Book, Central Palestine and Phoenicia," 295-302. Of chariots of many horses That is, of many-horsed chariots. The Rev., by the insertion of a comma, apparently takes the two clauses as parallel: the sound of chariots, (the sound) of many horses. Tails like unto scorpions The comparison with the insect as it exists in nature fails here, though Smith's "Bible Dictionary" gives a picture of a species of locust, the Acridium Lineola, a species commonly sold for food in the markets of Bagdad, which has a sting in the tail. Stings (κέντρα) Originally any sharp point. A goad. See on pricks, Act 26:14. Plato uses it of the peg of a top ("Republic," 436). Herodotus of an instrument of torture. Democedes, the Crotoniat physician, having denied his knowledge of medicine to Darius, Darius bade his attendants "bring the scourges and pricking-irons (κέντρα) (3, 30) Sophocles of the buckle-tongues with which Oedipus put out his eyes. "Woe, woe, and woe again! How through me darts the throb these clasps (κέντρων) have caused." "Oedipus Tyrannas," 1318. Of the spur of a cock, the quill of a porcupine, and the stings of insects. For the A.V., there were stings in their tails, read as Rev., and stings; and in their tails is their power to hurt.

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]

Breastplates

The breast of the locust resembles the plates of a horse's armor.

Sound of their wings

Olivier, a French writer, says: "It in difficult to express the effect produced on us by the sight of the whole atmosphere filled on all sides and to a great height by an innumerable quantity of these insects, whose flight was slow and uniform, and whose noise resembled that of rain." For a graphic description of their numbers and ravages, see Thomson, "Land and Book, Central Palestine and Phoenicia," 295-302.

Of chariots of many horses

That is, of many-horsed chariots. The Rev., by the insertion of a comma, apparently takes the two clauses as parallel: the sound of chariots, (the sound) of many horses.

Tails like unto scorpions

The comparison with the insect as it exists in nature fails here, though Smith's "Bible Dictionary" gives a picture of a species of locust, the Acridium Lineola, a species commonly sold for food in the markets of Bagdad, which has a sting in the tail.

Stings (κέντρα)

Originally any sharp point. A goad. See on pricks, Act 26:14. Plato uses it of the peg of a top ("Republic," 436). Herodotus of an instrument of torture. Democedes, the Crotoniat physician, having denied his knowledge of medicine to Darius, Darius bade his attendants "bring the scourges and pricking-irons (κέντρα) (3, 30) Sophocles of the buckle-tongues with which Oedipus put out his eyes.

"Woe, woe, and woe again!

How through me darts the throb these clasps (κέντρων) have caused."

"Oedipus Tyrannas," 1318.

Of the spur of a cock, the quill of a porcupine, and the stings of insects.

For the A.V., there were stings in their tails, read as Rev., and stings; and in their tails is their power to hurt.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
And the noise of their wings was as the noise of chariots of many horses - With their war - chariots, drawn by many horses, they, as it were, flew to and fro.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]

And the noise of their wings was as the noise of chariots of many horses - With their war - chariots, drawn by many horses, they, as it were, flew to and fro.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
They had breastplates - of iron - They seemed to be invulnerable, for no force availed against them. The sound of their wings - Their hanging weapons and military trappings, with the clang of their shields and swords when they make their fierce onsets. This simile is borrowed from Joe 2:5-7.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826

They had breastplates - of iron - They seemed to be invulnerable, for no force availed against them.

The sound of their wings - Their hanging weapons and military trappings, with the clang of their shields and swords when they make their fierce onsets. This simile is borrowed from Joe 2:5-7.

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