Revelation 8:2
in Revelation 8And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and they were given seven trumpets.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And I saw the seven angels that stand before God; and there were given unto them seven trumpets.
KJV
And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.
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This verse in Revelation 8
Commentary
11 notes on this verseThe seven angels which stood before God - Probably the same as those called the seven Spirits which are before his throne, Rev 1:4 (note). There is still an allusion here to the seven ministers of the Persian monarchs. See Tobit 12:15.
This site's exposition
there was silence in heaven
on Revelation 8:1-2
When the Lamb opens the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour, after the praise of chapters 4 to 7. The seven angels who stand before God then receive seven trumpets, so the last seal opens into the trumpet series.
This site's exposition
the seven angels who stand before God
Clarke reads the seven angels who stand before God as the seven spirits before the throne in Revelation 1:4. Wesley looks at the trumpets they were given. In Israel a trumpet was blown in worship and in war, and here seven trumpets sound the works of God on the earth.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
Then it is said that seven trumpets were given to the seven angels so that they might sound them as a king takes his place. With these same trumpets, the dead were also about to be awakened; for the wise apostle to the Thessalonians, writing …
In the seven angels we shall recognize again the church according to that rule that indicates that universality is often to be acknowledged in the number seven. [The church] is said to have received a most powerful trumpet of proclamation by which she is strong …
The Medieval Church2 voices
And I saw seven angels standing before God, etc. The Church, often commended by the number seven, is devoted to the duty of preaching, the first trumpet signifying the common destruction of the impious by fire and hail; the second, the devil expelled from the …
And I saw seven angels standing in the sight of God; and there were given to them seven trumpets. And another angel came, and stood before the altar, having a golden censer. In this place he upsets the order of the narration and interposes something; …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
The Israelites, in particular, used them, both in the worship of God and in war; therewith openly praising the power of God before, after, and in, the battle, Josh. vi, 4; And the angels here made known by these trumpets the wonderful works of God, whereby all opposing powers are successively shaken, till the kingdom of the world becomes the kingdom of God and his Anointed.
3 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And I saw the seven angels,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
The Revelation becomes more special only as it advances farther (Re 13:1-18; By the seven trumpets the world kingdoms are overturned to make way for Christ's universal kingdom. The first four are connected together; and the last three, which alone have Woe, woe, woe (Re 8:7-13).
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
And I saw the seven angels which stood before God - Prof. Stuart supposes that by these angels are meant the “presence-angels” which he understands to be referred to, in Rev 1:4, by the “seven spirits which are before the throne.” If, however, the interpretation of that passage above proposed, that it refers to the Holy Spirit, with reference to his multiplied agency and operations, be correct, then we must seek for another application of the phrase here. The only difficulty in applying it arises from the use of the article - “the seven angels” - τοὺς tous as if they were angels already referred to; and as there has been no previous mention of “seven angels,” unless it be in the phrase “the seven spirits which are before the throne,” in Rev 1:4, it is argued that this must have been such a reference. But this interpretation is not absolutely necessary. John might use this language either because the angels had been spoken of before; or because it would be sufficiently understood, from the common use of language, who would be referred to - as we now might speak of “the seven members of the cabinet of the United States,” or “the thirty-one governors of the states of the Union,” though they had not been particularly mentioned; or he might speak of them as just then disclosed to his view, and because his meaning would be sufficiently definite by the circumstances which were to follow - their agency in blowing the trumpets. It would be entirely in accordance with the usage of the article for one to say that he saw an army, and the commander-in-chief, and the four staff-officers, and the five bands of music, and the six companies of sappers and miners, etc. It is not absolutely necessary, therefore, to suppose that these angels had been before referred to. […]
The words behind it
15 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| εἶδον | eidon | I saw | G1492 → | 374 times |
| τοὺς | tous | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἑπτὰ | hepta | seven | G2033 → | 86 times |
| ἀγγέλους | angelous | angels | G32 → | 175 times |
| οἳ | hoi | who | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| ἐνώπιον | enopion | before | G1799 → | 94 times |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεοῦ | theou | God | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| ἑστήκασιν | hestekasin | have stood | G2476 → | 153 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἐδόθησαν | edothesan | were given | G1325 → | 412 times |
| αὐτοῖς | autois | to them | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἑπτὰ | hepta | seven | G2033 → | 86 times |
| σάλπιγγες.¶ | salpinges | trumpets. | G4536 → | 11 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
εἶδονI saw
eidonG1492 →374 times
τοὺςthe
tousG3588 →19766 times
ἑπτὰseven
heptaG2033 →86 times
ἀγγέλουςangels
angelousG32 →175 times
οἳwho
hoiG3739 →1405 times
ἐνώπιονbefore
enopionG1799 →94 times
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
θεοῦGod
theouG2316 →1312 times
ἑστήκασινhave stood
hestekasinG2476 →153 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐδόθησανwere given
edothesanG1325 →412 times
αὐτοῖςto them
autoisG846 →5565 times
ἑπτὰseven
heptaG2033 →86 times
σάλπιγγες.¶trumpets.
salpingesG4536 →11 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Matthew 18:10See that you do not look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of My Father in heaven.
it leads to
- Psalms 91:11
For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.
- Psalms 34:7
The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, and he delivers them.
- Hebrews 1:14
Are not the angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?
- Psalms 91:11
Through
Revelation 11:15Then the seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and loud voices called out in heaven: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign…
it leads to
- Daniel 7:14
And He was given dominion, glory, and kingship, that the people of every nation and language should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and His kingdom is…
- Revelation 12:10
And I heard a loud voice in heaven saying: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ. For the accuser of our…
- Daniel 7:27
Then the sovereignty, dominion, and greatness of the kingdoms under all of heaven will be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all…
- Revelation 10:7
But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be fulfilled, just as He proclaimed to His servants the…
- Zechariah 14:9
On that day the LORD will become King over all the earth—the LORD alone, and His name alone.
- Daniel 7:14
Where this verse is studied
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About Revelation
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Alcuin of York, COMMENTARY ON REVELATION; Bede, Commentary on Revelation; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Revelation and Ticonius, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 8:2.