Revelation 9:7

Verse

And the locusts looked like horses prepared for battle, with something like crowns of gold on their heads, and faces like the faces of men.

American Standard Version (1901)

And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared for war; and upon their heads as it were crowns like unto gold, and their faces were as men’s faces.

Bible in Basic English

And the forms of the locusts were like horses made ready for war; and on their heads they had crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.

Douay-Rheims 1899

And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle: and on their heads were, as it were, crowns like gold: and their faces were as the faces of men.

Free Bible Version

The locusts looked like war-horses. They wore what seemed to be golden crowns on their heads, and their faces looked human.

Geneva Bible 1599

And the forme of the locustes was like vnto horses prepared vnto battel, and on their heads were as it were crownes, like vnto golde, and their faces were like the faces of men.

King James (Authorized) Version

And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.

Translation for Translators

The locusts looked like horses that are ready for battle. They had on their heads what looked like golden crowns. Their faces were like the faces of people.

Unlocked Literal Bible

The locusts looked like horses prepared for war. On their heads were something like crowns of gold, and their faces were like human faces.

Noah Webster Bible

And the shapes of the locusts were like to horses prepared for battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.

World English Bible

The shapes of the locusts were like horses prepared for war. On their heads were something like golden crowns, and their faces were like people’s faces.

Young's Literal Translation

And the likenesses of the locusts [are] like to horses made ready to battle, and upon their heads as crowns like gold, and their faces as faces of men,

Context

The Fifth Trumpet

⁶In those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will long to die, but death will escape them.⁷And the locusts looked like horses prepared for battle, with something like crowns of gold on their heads, and faces like the faces of men.⁸They had hair like that of women, and teeth like those of lions.

Summary

In this verse, the appearance of locusts in John's vision is described as resembling horses prepared for battle, with crowns of gold on their heads and faces like human faces. This vivid imagery conveys the fearsome and destructive nature of these creatures, symbolizing the torment they will bring upon those who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. The description emphasizes the supernatural and apocalyptic elements of the vision, portraying a scene of judgment and punishment for those who have rejected God.

Commentary

Adam Clarke
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill
Tyndale

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

The locusts were like unto horses - This description of the locusts appears to be taken from Joe 2:4. The whole of this symbolical description of an overwhelming military force agrees very well with the troops of Mohammed. The Arabs are the most expert horsemen in the world: they live so much on horseback that the horse and his rider seem to make but one animal. The Romans also were eminent for their cavalry. Crowns like gold - Not only alluding to their costly tiaras or turbans, but to the extent of their conquests and the multitude of powers which they subdued. Their faces were as the faces of men - That is, though locusts symbolically, they are really men.

John Gill Bible Commentary

And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses,.... The heads of locusts, especially of some of them, are very much like the heads of horses: and here they are compared to horses prepared unto battle; as they are in Joe 2:4. The horse is a warlike creature, swift, strong, and courageous, Job 39:21. Locusts sometimes have appeared in the form of armies, and have marched in great order with their leaders before them, and have pitched their camps very regularly; see Joe 2:7; of which we have lately had an account from Transylvania in our public papers. (This was published in 1747, Ed.) This part of their description may denote the wars of the Saracens, and the rapidity, force, and power with which they overran great part of the empire; and as it may be applied to the western locusts, the disputes, contentions, and quarrels raised by the Romish clergy. And on their heads were, as it were, crowns like gold; and in this shape some locusts have appeared, to which the allusion seems to be in, Nah 3:17, "thy crowned men are as the locusts". In the year 1542, it is said (l), that locusts came out of Turkish Sarmatia, into Austria, Silesia, and other places, which had on their heads "little crowns"; see Eze 23:42. And the Arabians, as Pliny observes, go "mitrati" (m), with mitres, turbans like crowns, on their heads. This may design the several victories and conquests which the Saracens obtained in Arabia, Persia, Syria, Egypt, Africa, Spain, and many other places; and supposing this to have any reference to the western locusts, it may respect the triple crown of the head of then, the caps of the cardinals, the mitres of the bishops, and the shaven pates of the priests, in form of crowns. And their faces were as the faces of men; which may be expressive of the affable carriage of Mahomet, and his followers, especially to the Christians, and of his great pretensions to holiness and religion, and of the plausible and insinuating ways, and artful methods, used by him, to gain upon men; and being applied to the clergy of the church of Rome, may denote their show of humanity, and their pretended great concern for the welfare of the souls of men, their flatteries, good words, and fair speeches, with which they deceive the simple and unwary. (l) Vid. Frentz. Hist. Animal. sacr. p. 5. c. 4. p. 799. (m) Nat. Hist. l. 6. c. 28.

Revelation 9:7

The Fifth Trumpet

Scripture
Sermons
Commentary

Berean Standard Bible

And the locusts looked like horses prepared for battle, with something like crowns of gold on their heads, and faces like the faces of men.

American Standard Version (1901)

And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared for war; and upon their heads as it were crowns like unto gold, and their faces were as men’s faces.

Bible in Basic English

And the forms of the locusts were like horses made ready for war; and on their heads they had crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.

Douay-Rheims 1899

And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle: and on their heads were, as it were, crowns like gold: and their faces were as the faces of men.

Free Bible Version

The locusts looked like war-horses. They wore what seemed to be golden crowns on their heads, and their faces looked human.

Geneva Bible 1599

And the forme of the locustes was like vnto horses prepared vnto battel, and on their heads were as it were crownes, like vnto golde, and their faces were like the faces of men.

King James (Authorized) Version

And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.

Translation for Translators

The locusts looked like horses that are ready for battle. They had on their heads what looked like golden crowns. Their faces were like the faces of people.

Unlocked Literal Bible

The locusts looked like horses prepared for war. On their heads were something like crowns of gold, and their faces were like human faces.

Noah Webster Bible

And the shapes of the locusts were like to horses prepared for battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.

World English Bible

The shapes of the locusts were like horses prepared for war. On their heads were something like golden crowns, and their faces were like people’s faces.

Young's Literal Translation

And the likenesses of the locusts [are] like to horses made ready to battle, and upon their heads as crowns like gold, and their faces as faces of men,

Adam Clarke
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill
Tyndale

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Revelation 9:7

Verse

Context

The Fifth Trumpet

Summary

Commentary

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Tyndale Open Study Notes

Revelation 9:7

The Fifth Trumpet

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Tyndale Open Study Notes