Revelation 9:4

It was said (erreqh). First aorist passive indicative of eipon. That they should not hurt (ina mh adikhsousin). Sub-final (object clause subject of erreqh) with ina mh and the future active of adikew as in Revelation 3:9 ; Revelation 8:3 . Vegetation had been hurt sufficiently by the hail ( Revelation 8:7 ). But only such men as (ei mh tou anqrwpou oitine). "Except (elliptical use of ei mh, if not, unless) the men who (the very ones who)." For this use of osti see Revelation 1:7 ; Revelation 2:24 ; Revelation 20:4 . The seal of God upon their foreheads (thn spragida tou qeou epi twn metwpwn). Provided for in Revelation 7:3 . "As Israel in Egypt escaped the plagues which punished their neighbours, so the new Israel is exempted from the attack of the locusts of the Abyss" (Swete).