Revelation 9:7
in Revelation 9And the locusts looked like horses prepared for battle, with something like crowns of gold on their heads, and faces like the faces of men.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared for war; and upon their heads as it were crowns like unto gold, and their faces were as men’s faces.
KJV
And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.
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This verse in Revelation 9
Commentary
15 notes on this verseAnd the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses,.... The heads of locusts, especially of some of them, are very much like the heads of horses: and here they are compared to horses prepared unto battle; as they are in Joe 2:4. The horse is a warlike creature, swift, strong, and courageous, Job 39:21. Locusts sometimes have appeared in the form of armies, and have marched in great order with their leaders before them, and have pitched their camps very regularly; see Joe 2:7; of which we have lately had an account from Transylvania in our public papers.
This site's exposition
horses prepared for battle
on Revelation 9:7-9
John piles up likenesses, horses prepared for battle, something like crowns of gold, faces like the faces of men, and teeth like those of lions. The repeated like marks a vision straining human language.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
After this, the divine evangelist vividly and fearfully describes to us the nature of the worms. In each of the descriptions concerning them, one would marvel at the precision of the account; for he did not say that they had the "teeth of lions", the …
A commentator
Primasius of HadrumetumCOMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 9:7-8 · Written before 560.
proposed
By the locusts prepared as horses for war he means those who originate evil teachings. For just as locusts which destroy by their mouth, so also these persons tear asunder by their preaching. It is as we read, "fierce wolves not sparing the flock." Moreover, …
In the image of the horses he shows the suddenness of persecution that runs around so that it might oppress the innocent and obstruct [their path] to the celestial kingdom.… We recall that it was written that upon the heads of the twenty-four elders, who …
The Medieval Church2 voices
Some have interpreted these words and those which come afterward to indicate that the locusts are angels who administer the divine punishment and who are metaphorically described through each of the various images. These images would then describe either their fearsomeness and the panic they …
And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle: and on their heads were, as it were, crowns like gold. It is right for the heretics to be represented by horses because of their rapidity in running about. They are prepared …
8 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church3 voices
And the shapes of the locusts were like horses prepared for battle. That is, like the last persecutors. For in the last battle, which he will describe in the following angel, he says that horses fight. Or simply as horses are driven into battle not …
And on their heads were crowns like gold. The twenty-four elders, who are the Church, have golden crowns. But these, pretending to be like gold, falsely imagine foolish triumphs of victory.
And their faces were like the faces of men, etc. In their human face, a simulation of reason; in the hair of women, flowing and effeminate habits; in the teeth of lions, which both tear apart and often bring a natural stench, the ferocity of …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
The Persians excelled in horsemanship. And on their heads are as it were crowns - Turbans. And their faces are as the faces of men - Friendly and agreeable.
(2.) They had the show of wisdom and sagacity, the faces of men, though the spirit of devils. (3.) They had all the allurements of seeming beauty, to ensnare and defile the minds of men-- hair like women; their way of worship was very gaudy and ornamental.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
prepared unto battle--Greek, "made ready unto war." Compare Note, see on Joe 2:4, where the resemblance of locusts to horses is traced: the plates of a horse armed for battle are an image on a larger scale of the outer shell of the locust. crowns-- (Na 3:17).
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
The locusts were like unto horses - This description of the locusts appears to be taken from Joe 2:4. The whole of this symbolical description of an overwhelming military force agrees very well with the troops of Mohammed. The Arabs are the most expert horsemen in the world: they live so much on horseback that the horse and his rider seem to make but one animal. The Romans also were eminent for their cavalry. Crowns like gold - Not only alluding to their costly tiaras or turbans, but to the extent of their conquests and the multitude of powers which they subdued. Their faces were as the faces of men - That is, though locusts symbolically, they are really men.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared for battle - The resemblance between the locust and the horse, dissimilar as they are in most respects, has been often remarked. Dr. Robinson (Bib. Research. i.
The words behind it
26 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 |
| τὰ | ta | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ὁμοιώματα | homoiomata | appearance | G3667 → | |
| τῶν | ton | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀκρίδων | akridon | locusts [was] | G200 → | |
| ὅμοια | homoia | like | G3664 → | 45 times |
| ἵπποις | ippois | as horses | G2462 → | 17 times |
| ἡτοιμασμένοις | hetoimasmenois | prepared | G2090 → | 40 times |
| εἰς | eis | for | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| πόλεμον, | polemon | battle, | G4171 → | 18 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἐπὶ | epi | upon | G1909 → | 883 times |
| τὰς | tas | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κεφαλὰς | kephalas | heads | G2776 → | 75 times |
| αὐτῶν | auton | of them | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ὡς | hos | [were something] like | G5613 → | 500 times |
| στέφανοι | stephanoi | crowns | G4735 → | 18 times |
| ὅμοιοι | homoioi | like | G3664 → | 45 times |
| χρυσῷ, | chruso | as gold, | G5557 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| τὰ | ta | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πρόσωπα | prosopa | faces | G4383 → | 75 times |
| αὐτῶν | auton | of them | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ὡς | hos | like | G5613 → | 500 times |
| πρόσωπα | prosopa | [the] faces | G4383 → | 75 times |
| ἀνθρώπων. | anthropon | of men. | G444 → | 549 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τὰthe
taG3588 →19766 times
ὁμοιώματαappearance
homoiomataG3667 →
τῶνof the
tonG3588 →19766 times
ἀκρίδωνlocusts [was]
akridonG200 →
ὅμοιαlike
homoiaG3664 →45 times
ἵπποιςas horses
ippoisG2462 →17 times
ἡτοιμασμένοιςprepared
hetoimasmenoisG2090 →40 times
εἰςfor
eisG1519 →1755 times
πόλεμον,battle,
polemonG4171 →18 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐπὶupon
epiG1909 →883 times
τὰςthe
tasG3588 →19766 times
κεφαλὰςheads
kephalasG2776 →75 times
αὐτῶνof them
autonG846 →5565 times
ὡς[were something] like
hosG5613 →500 times
στέφανοιcrowns
stephanoiG4735 →18 times
ὅμοιοιlike
homoioiG3664 →45 times
χρυσῷ,as gold,
chrusoG5557 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τὰthe
taG3588 →19766 times
πρόσωπαfaces
prosopaG4383 →75 times
αὐτῶνof them
autonG846 →5565 times
ὡςlike
hosG5613 →500 times
πρόσωπα[the] faces
prosopaG4383 →75 times
ἀνθρώπων.of men.
anthroponG444 →549 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
Daniel 7:8While I was contemplating the horns, suddenly another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. This horn had eyes like those of a…
it leads to
- Revelation 13:5–6
The beast was given a mouth to speak arrogant and blasphemous words, and authority to act for 42 months.
- Revelation 13:1
Then I saw a beast with ten horns and seven heads rising out of the sea. There were ten royal crowns on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads.
- Psalms 12:3
May the LORD cut off all flattering lips and every boastful tongue.
- Revelation 13:5–6
Through
Daniel 7:4The first beast was like a lion, and it had the wings of an eagle. I watched until its wings were torn off and it was lifted up from the ground and made to…
it leads to
- Jeremiah 4:7
A lion has gone up from his thicket, and a destroyer of nations has set out. He has left his lair to lay waste your land. Your cities will be reduced to ruins and…
- Isaiah 14:13–17
You said in your heart: “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God. I will sit on the mount of assembly, in the far reaches of…
- Habakkuk 1:6–8
For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans—that ruthless and impetuous nation which marches through the breadth of the earth to seize dwellings not their own.
- Ezekiel 17:3
and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘A great eagle with great wings and long pinions, full of feathers of many colors, came to Lebanon and took away the top…
- Jeremiah 4:7
Through
Nahum 3:17Your guards are like the swarming locust, and your scribes like clouds of locusts that settle on the walls on a cold day. When the sun rises, they fly away, and no one knows…
it leads to
- Jeremiah 51:27
“Raise a banner in the land! Blow the ram’s horn among the nations! Prepare the nations against her. Summon the kingdoms against her—Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz. Appoint a captain against her; bring up horses…
- Jeremiah 51:27
Where this verse is studied
On this page
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On this verse
About Revelation
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 9:7-9; 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; Primasius of Hadrumetum, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 9:7-8 and Ticonius, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 9:7-8.