Revelation 9:5

Revelation 9:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.
• New International Version (NIV)They were not allowed to kill them but only to torture them for five months. And the agony they suffered was like that of the sting of a scorpion when it strikes.
• English Standard Version (ESV)They were allowed to torment them for five months, but not to kill them, and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings someone.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And they were not given authority to kill them, but to torment them for five months. Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man.

Context of Revelation 9:5

3Locusts came out of the smoke onto the earth, and they were given power like the power of earthly scorpions. 4They were told not to harm any grass, green plant, or tree on the earth. They could harm only the people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. They were not allowed to kill them. They were only allowed to torture them for five months. Their torture was like the pain of a scorpion’s sting. 6At that time people will look for death and never find it. They will long to die, but death will escape them. 7The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle. They seemed to have crowns that looked like gold on their heads. Their faces were like human faces.

Revelation 9:5 word by word

καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτοῖς ἵνα μὴ ἀποκτείνωσιν αὐτούς, ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα βασανισθήσονται μῆνας πέντε, καὶ ὁ βασανισμὸς αὐτῶν ὡς βασανισμὸς σκορπίου ὅταν παίσῃ ἄνθρωπον.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• to themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• it was givenδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
• thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• they shouldἀποκτείνωapokteinō · to killG615
• notμήmē · notG3361
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• they should be tormentedβασανίζωbasanizō · to torture: tortureG928
• fiveπέντεpente · fiveG4002
• monthsμήνmēn · monthG3376
• tormentὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• tormentβασανισμόςbasanismos · tormentG929
• asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• of a scorpionσκορπίοςskorpios · scorpionG4651
• whenὅτανhotan · when(-ever)G3752
• he strikethπαίωpaiō · to strikeG3817
• a manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444

Cross-references for Revelation 9:5

• Revelation 13:5The beast was allowed to speak arrogant and insulting things. It was given authority to act for 42 months.
• Daniel 5:18“Your Majesty, the Most High God gave your grandfather Nebuchadnezzar a kingdom, might, honor, and glory.
• Daniel 7:6After this, I saw another animal. It looked like a leopard. On its back it had four wings, like the wings of a bird. The animal also had four heads. It was given power to rule.
• John 19:11Jesus answered Pilate, “You wouldn’t have any authority over me if it hadn’t been given to you from above. That’s why the man who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.”
• Revelation 11:7When the witnesses finish their testimony, the beast which comes from the bottomless pit will fight them, conquer them, and kill them.
• Job 2:6The Lord told Satan, “He is in your power, but you must spare his life!”
• Revelation 9:10They had tails and stingers like scorpions. They had the power to hurt people with their tails for five months.
• Revelation 9:3Locusts came out of the smoke onto the earth, and they were given power like the power of earthly scorpions.

Commentaries on Revelation 9:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5To them it was given - That is, they were permitted. That they should be tormented five months - Some take these months literally, and apply them to the conduct of the Zealots who, from May to September, in the year of the siege, produced dreadful contests among the people; or to the afflictions brought upon the Jews by Cestius Gallus, when he came against Jerusalem, before which he lay one whole summer, or nearly five months - See Joseph., Bell. Jud., l…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5And to them it was given - There is here the same indefiniteness as in the former verse, the impersonal verb being here also used. The writer does not say by whom this power was given, whether by God, or by the leader of the host. It may be admitted, however, that the most natural interpretation is to suppose that it was given them by God, and that this was the execution of his purpose in this case. Still it is remarkable that this is not directly…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5torment them for five months: This time period is a symbolically complete number based on the fingers on a hand. It is also the normal life span of locusts, suggesting that their entire purpose was to torture people.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. they ... they--The subject changes: the first "they" is the locusts; the second is the unsealed. five months--the ordinary time in the year during which locusts continue their ravages. their torment--the torment of the sufferers. This fifth verse and Re 9:6 cannot refer to an invading army. For an army would kill, and not merely torment.Read the comment

Topics related to Revelation 9:5

• Despondency
• Locust
• Scorpion
• Trumpet
• Vision
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• Abaddon
• Angel
• Authority in Religion
• Government
• Revelation of John
• Scorpion
• Text of the Old Testament

Commentaries on Revelation 9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings