Revelation 9:9

9 They had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the thundering of many horses and chariots rushing into battle.

Revelation 9:9 in Other Translations

9 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.

9 they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the noise of their wings was like the noise of many chariots with horses rushing into battle.

9 They wore armor made of iron, and their wings roared like an army of chariots rushing into battle.

9 and iron breastplates. The sound of their wings was the sound of horse-drawn chariots charging into battle.

9 they had chests like iron breastplates; the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots with many horses rushing into battle;

Revelation 9:9 Meaning and Commentary

Revelation 9:9

And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron,
&c.] Alluding to the hard skin of the locusts, with which nature has fenced it ^F17; see ( Joel 2:8 ) ; and denotes the armour with which the Saracens were accoutred: and if to be understood of the western locusts, the hardness of their hearts, their seared consciences, or their protection by the princes of the earth, the many privileges they are possessed of, the laws made in their favour, and for their security; their breastplates were not breastplates of righteousness, faith, and love, nor in defence of truth, but against it. And some think the iron colour may denote the colour of their habit, their black garments:

and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many
horses running to battle;
see ( Joel 2:5 ) . The sound of locusts, when they fly or march in large companies, is very great. Pliny says ^F18, they make such a noise with their wings, when they fly, that they have been thought to have been other winged creatures; hence a locust, in Hebrew, is sometimes called (lulu) , the same name that is given to the high sounding cymbal. The sound of them is said to have been heard six miles ^F19. Aristotle ^F20 ascribes it to the rubbing of their legs or thighs one against another; and so the Ethiopic version here renders it, "the sound of their feet": this may be expressive of the swift and rapid incursions of the Saracens, and of the dreadful alarms to the nations which their invasions made; and may be applied to the noisy declamations, anathemas, excommunications, and interdicts of the Romish clergy.

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FOOTNOTES:

F17 Claudian. Epigram. 13.
F18 Plin. l. 11. c. 29, 51.
F19 Altissiodorensis in Joel ii. 5.
F20 Hist. Animal. l. 4. c. 9. Vid. Plin. l. 11. c. 51.

Revelation 9:9 In-Context

7 The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle. On their heads they wore something like crowns of gold, and their faces resembled human faces.

8 Their hair was like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth.

9 They had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the thundering of many horses and chariots rushing into battle.

10 They had tails with stingers, like scorpions, and in their tails they had power to torment people for five months.

11 They had as king over them the angel of the Abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon and in Greek is Apollyon (that is, Destroyer).

Cross References

• 1. Joel 2:5