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Revelation 9:14

in Revelation 9

saying to the sixth angel with the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.”

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

one saying to the sixth angel that had the trumpet, Loose the four angels that are bound at the great river Euphrates.

KJV

Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.

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This verse in Revelation 9

Commentary

13 notes on this verse

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

Loose the four angels - These four angels bound - hitherto restrained, in the Euphrates, are by some supposed to be the Arabs, the Saracens, the Tartars, or the Turks; by others, Vespasian’s four generals, one in Arabia, one in Africa, one in Alexandria, and one in Palestine.

This site's exposition

two woes more hereafter

on Revelation 9:12-14

One woe is past, John notes, closing the fifth trumpet's account and reminding the reader of the eagle's cry at 8:13 that three woes remain, two more still to come; the fifth and sixth trumpets are the first two of those three, and the seventh trumpet's woe will not fall until chapter 11. The sixth angel sounds, and a voice comes from the four horns of the golden altar, the same altar of 8:3-5 that carried the saints' prayers, commanding the release of four angels bound at the great river Euphrates, beings held in restraint until this appointed moment rather than free agents until now.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers3 voices

A commentator

Oecumenius

Commentary on Revelation · Written before 550.

proposed

Who then is "the voice that was heard from the horns of the altar"? It says, "Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates." The divine Scripture calls the apostate an angel, and I say it is Satan and those who …
"And I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is in the presence of God, saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels." That is, the four corners of the earth which hold the four winds. "Which are bound in the great river Euphrates."

A commentator

Ticonius

COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 9:14 · Written before 390.

proposed

In these four angels that are bound at the Euphrates River we understand those adversaries that God will command to be loosed for the testing of his church. To be sure, this passage shows that the winds and the angels are the same thing, for …

The Medieval Church2 voices

A commentator

Andreas of Caesarea

COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 9:13-16 · Written before 614.

proposed

I think that these [angels] are the most evil of the demons who were bound at the coming of Christ and who, according to a divine command that comes from the heavenly altar (whose image was the ancient tabernacle), will be loosed by a divine …

A commentator

Alcuin of York

COMMENTARY ON REVELATION · Written before 804.

proposed

After these things the sixth angel also sounded the trumpet: and I heard the voice of one of the horns of the golden altar, which is before the eyes of God, saying to the sixth angel, who had the trumpet: Loose the four angels, who …
6 more voices on this verse

The Medieval Church1 voice

A commentator

Bede

Commentary on Revelation · Written before 735.

proposed

Release the four angels, etc. It indicates how much the ancient enemy with his satellites will persecute the Church at the end of the world, who from the time of the Lord's passion has been shut up in the hearts of the impious, so that …

The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

The power of the church's enemies is restrained till God gives the word to have them turned loose. When nations are ripe for punishment, those instruments of God's anger that were before restrained are let loose upon them,

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

The instruments that God makes use of to punish a people may sometimes lie at a great distance from them, so that no danger may be apprehended from them. These four messengers of divine judgment lay bound in the river Euphrates, a great way from the European nations.
Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet,....

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

in, &c.--Greek, "epi to potamo"; "on," or "at the great river." Euphrates--(Compare Re 16:12). The river whereat Babylon, the ancient foe of God's people was situated.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase

Saying to the sixth angel, which had the trumpet - See the notes at Rev 8:2. Loose, ... - This power, it would seem, was given to the sixth angel in addition to his office of blowing the trumpet. All this, of course, was in vision, and cannot be literally interpreted. The meaning is, that the effect of his blowing the trumpet would be the same as if angels that had been bound should be suddenly loosed and suffered to go forth over the earth; that is, some event would occur which would be properly symbolized by such an act. The four angels - Compare the notes at Rev 8:2. It was customary to represent important events as occurring under the ministry of angels. The general meaning here is, that in the vicinity of the river Euphrates there were mighty powers which had been bound or held in check, which were now to be let loose upon the world. What we are to look for in the fulfillment is evidently this - some power that seemed to be kept back by an invisible influence as if by angels, now suddenly let loose and suffered to accomplish the purpose of desolation mentioned in the subsequent verses. It is not necessary to suppose that angels were actually employed in these restraints, though no one can demonstrate that their agency was not concerned in the transactions here referred to. Compare the notes on Dan 10:12-13. It has been made a question why the number four is specified, and whether the forces were in any sense made up of four divisions, nations, or people. While nothing certain can be determined in regard to that, and while the number four may be used merely to denote a great and strong force, yet it must be admitted that the most obvious interpretation would be to refer it to some combination of forces, or to some union of powers, that was to accomplish what is here said. […]

The words behind it

20 Greek words

Every 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.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

9 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Revelation 16:12And the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings of the East.14 worksRevelation 9:15So the four angels who had been prepared for this hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind.9 worksGenesis 2:14The name of the third river is Hiddekel; it runs along the east side of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.9 works2 Samuel 8:3David also defeated Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, who had marched out to restore his dominion along the Euphrates River.9 worksJeremiah 51:63When you finish reading this scroll, tie a stone to it and cast it into the Euphrates.8 worksRevelation 7:1After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back its four winds so that no wind would blow on land or sea or on any tree.6 works
The other 3 cross-references, with their words ▾
Revelation 8:6And the seven angels with the seven trumpets prepared to sound them.6 worksRevelation 8:2And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and they were given seven trumpets.3 worksIsaiah 27:13And in that day a great ram’s horn will sound, and those who were perishing in Assyria will come forth with those who were exiles in Egypt. And they will worship the LORD on the holy mountain in Jerusalem.3 works

The walk

8 stops

Each 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

    Revelation 9:15

    So the four angels who had been prepared for this hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind.

    it leads to

    • Revelation 9:18

      A third of mankind was killed by the three plagues of fire, smoke, and sulfur that proceeded from their mouths.

    • Revelation 8:7

      Then the first angel sounded his trumpet, and hail and fire mixed with blood were hurled down upon the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, along with a third of the…

  • Through

    Revelation 16:12

    And the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings of the East.

    it leads to

    • Jeremiah 51:36

      Therefore this is what the LORD says: “Behold, I will plead your case and take vengeance on your behalf; I will dry up her sea and make her springs run dry.

  • Through

    Genesis 2:14

    The name of the third river is Hiddekel; it runs along the east side of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.

    it leads to

    • Daniel 10:4

      On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river, the Tigris,

  • Through

    Jeremiah 51:63

    When you finish reading this scroll, tie a stone to it and cast it into the Euphrates.

    it leads to

    • Revelation 18:21

      Then a mighty angel picked up a stone the size of a great millstone and cast it into the sea, saying: “With such violence the great city of Babylon will be cast down, never…

  • Through

    2 Samuel 8:3

    David also defeated Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, who had marched out to restore his dominion along the Euphrates River.

    it leads to

    • 1 Samuel 14:47

      After Saul had assumed the kingship over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side—the Moabites, the Ammonites, the Edomites, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he routed…

    • 2 Samuel 10:16

      Hadadezer sent messengers to bring more Arameans from beyond the Euphrates, and they came to Helam with Shobach the commander of Hadadezer’s army leading them.

    • 2 Samuel 10:19

      When all the kings who were subject to Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel and became subject to them. So the Arameans were afraid to help…

Where this verse is studied

About Revelation

The Transfiguration, Gustave Doré. Public domain.
The Transfiguration, Gustave Doré. Public domain.
Revelation: the study guide →Read Revelation 9 →
This page draws on 12 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; Andreas of Caesarea, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 9:13-16; Bede, Commentary on Revelation; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Revelation; Ticonius, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 9:14 and Victorinus of Pettau, Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John.

Read on in Revelation 9 →