Revelation 6:1-10

The First Seal--Rider on White Horse

1 Then I saw when the 1Lamb broke one of the 2seven seals, and I heard one of the 3four living creatures saying as with a 4voice of thunder, "Come ."
2 I looked, and behold, a 5white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow; and 6a crown was given to him, and he went out 7conquering and to conquer.

The Second Seal--War

3 When He broke the second seal, I heard the 8second living creature saying, "Come ."
4 And another, 9a red horse, went out; and to him who sat on it, it was granted to 10take peace from the earth, and that men would slay one another; and a great sword was given to him.

The Third Seal--Famine

5 When He broke the third seal, I heard the 11third living creature saying, "Come ." I looked, and behold, a 12black horse; and he who sat on it had a 13pair of scales in his hand.
6 And I heard something like a voice in the center of the 14four living creatures saying, "A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and 15do not damage the oil and the wine."

The Fourth Seal--Death

7 When the Lamb broke the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the 16fourth living creature saying, "Come ."
8 I looked, and behold, an 17ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name 18Death; and 19Hades was following with him. Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, 20to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth.

The Fifth Seal--Martyrs

9 When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw 21underneath the 22altar the 23souls of those who had been slain 24because of the word of God, and because of the 25testimony which they had maintained;
10 and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, "26How long *, O 27Lord, 28holy and true, will You refrain from 29judging and avenging our blood on 30those who dwell on the earth?"

Revelation 6:1-10 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO REVELATION 6

This chapter contains the vision of the opening six of the seals of the sealed book, by the Lamb, and of the events following thereupon. The preparation to the vision of the first seal is in Re 6:1; the Lamb opens it, John hears a noise like thunder, and one of the living creatures bids him come and see; upon which he saw a horse, of a white colour, and a rider on it, who is described by a bow and crown given him, and by the victory he obtained, Re 6:2; at the opening of the second seal, the second living creature invites him as before; and he sees a horse, of a red colour, with a rider on it, described by his power, to take peace from the earth, and suffer men to kill one another, and by a great sword given him, Re 6:3,4; at the opening of the third seal, the third living creature addresses him in like manner as the other; and he sees a horse, of a black colour, and a rider on it, with a pair of balances in his hands; and hears a voice from among the four living creatures, expressing dearness of provisions, and a charge not to hurt the oil and wine, Re 6:5,6; at the opening of the fourth seal, the fourth living creature speaks to John, as the rest; and he sees a horse, of a pale colour, and a rider on it, described by his name, Death, by his follower, hell, or the grave, and by his power to destroy a fourth part of the earth with the sword, famine, pestilence, and wild beasts, Re 6:7,8; at the opening of the fifth seal, John saw the souls of the martyrs, under the altar; hears their cry for vengeance; observes that white robes were given them, and that they were bid to be quiet until the slaying and suffering time of their brethren was over, Re 6:9-11; at the opening of the sixth seal follow an earthquake, strange changes in the heavens, the sun becomes black as sackcloth, the moon becomes as blood, the stars fall, and the heaven itself departs, and every island and mountain are moved out of their places, Re 6:12-14, the kings and great men of the earth, and even all sorts, of men, upon this, fly to the rocks and mountains to hide them from the face of God the Father, that sits upon the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, the opener of the sealed book; giving this as a reason for it, that the time of his great wrath was come, and none could stand before him, Re 6:15-17.

Cross References 30

  • 1. John 1:29; Revelation 5:6, 12; Revelation 13:8
  • 2. Revelation 5:1
  • 3. Revelation 4:6; Revelation 5:6, 8, 11, 14
  • 4. Revelation 14:2; Revelation 19:6
  • 5. Zechariah 1:8; Zechariah 6:3; Revelation 19:11
  • 6. Zechariah 6:11; Revelation 9:7; Revelation 14:14; Revelation 19:12
  • 7. Revelation 3:21
  • 8. Revelation 4:7
  • 9. Zechariah 1:8; Zechariah 6:2
  • 10. Matthew 10:34
  • 11. Revelation 4:7
  • 12. Zechariah 6:2, 6
  • 13. Ezekiel 4:16
  • 14. Revelation 4:6
  • 15. Revelation 7:3; Revelation 9:4
  • 16. Revelation 4:7
  • 17. Zechariah 6:3
  • 18. Proverbs 5:5; Hosea 13:14; Matthew 11:23; Revelation 1:18; Revelation 20:13
  • 19. Proverbs 5:5; Hosea 13:14; Matthew 11:23; Revelation 1:18; Revelation 20:13
  • 20. Jeremiah 14:12; Jeremiah 15:2; Jeremiah 24:10; Jeremiah 29:17; Ezekiel 5:12, 17; Ezekiel 14:21; Ezekiel 29:5
  • 21. Exodus 29:12; Leviticus 4:7; John 16:2
  • 22. Revelation 14:18; Revelation 16:7
  • 23. Revelation 20:4
  • 24. Revelation 1:2, 9
  • 25. Revelation 12:17
  • 26. Zechariah 1:12
  • 27. Luke 2:29; 2 Peter 2:1
  • 28. Revelation 3:7
  • 29. Deuteronomy 32:43; Psalms 79:10; Luke 18:7; Revelation 19:2
  • 30. Revelation 3:10

Footnotes 12

  • [a]. One early ms reads "and see"
  • [b]. One early ms reads "and see"
  • [c]. One early ms reads "and see"
  • [d]. Gr "choenix;" i.e. a dry measure almost equal to a qt
  • [e]. The denarius was equivalent to a day's wages
  • [f]. Gr "choenix;" i.e. a dry measure almost equal to a qt
  • [g]. The denarius was equivalent to a day's wages
  • [h]. One early ms reads "and see"
  • [i]. Or "sickly pale"
  • [j]. Or "death"
  • [k]. Or "Master"
  • [l]. Lit "do You not judge and avenge"
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