Revelation 6:9-11

9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under 1the altar 2the souls of those who had been slain 3for the word of God and for 4the witness they had borne.
10 They cried out with a loud voice, "O Sovereign Lord, 5holy and true, 6how long 7before you will judge and 8avenge our blood on 9those who dwell on the earth?"
11 Then they were each given 10a white robe and 11told to rest a little longer, 12until the number of their fellow servants[a] and their brothers[b]13should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.

Revelation 6:9-11 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 13

  • 1. Revelation 14:18; Revelation 16:7
  • 2. Revelation 20:4
  • 3. Revelation 1:9
  • 4. See Revelation 1:2
  • 5. Revelation 3:7
  • 6. [Psalms 94:3; Zechariah 1:12]
  • 7. Revelation 11:18; Revelation 19:2
  • 8. Psalms 79:10; Psalms 119:84; Luke 18:7, 8
  • 9. See Revelation 3:10
  • 10. Revelation 3:4; Revelation 7:9
  • 11. Revelation 14:13
  • 12. [Hebrews 11:40]
  • 13. [Genesis 15:16]

Footnotes 2

  • [a]. Greek fellow bondservants
  • [b]. Or brothers and sisters. The plural Greek word adelphoi (translated "brothers") refers to siblings in a family. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, adelphoi may refer either to men or to both men and women who are siblings (brothers and sisters) in God's family, the church
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.