Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
The shapes (ta omoiwmata). Old word from omoiow, to make like (from omoiov, like), likeness, in N.T. only here, Romans 5:14; Philippians 2:7, "the likenesses were like" (omoia). omoiwma is "midway between morfh and sxhma" (Lightfoot).
Unto horses (ippoiv). Associative-instrumental case, as is the rule with omoiov (Revelation 1:15; Revelation 2:18; Revelation 4:6 ff.; Revelation 9:10, Revelation 9:19; Revelation 11:1; Revelation 13:2, Revelation 13:11), but with the accusative in Revelation 1:13; Revelation 14:14. So also omoioi xrusw (like gold) in this same verse.
Prepared for war (htoimasmenoiv eiv polemon). Perfect passive participle of etoimazw. This imagery of war-horses is like that in Joel 2:4 f. "The likeness of a locust to a horse, especially to a horse equipped with armour, is so striking that the insect is named in German Heupferd (hay horse), and in Italian cavalett a little horse" (Vincent).
As it were crowns (ov stefanoi). Not actual crowns, but what looked like crowns of gold, as conquerors, as indeed they were (Revelation 4:4; Revelation 6:2; Revelation 12:1; Revelation 14:14). These locusts of the abyss have another peculiar feature.
As men's faces (wv proswpa anqrwpwn). Human-looking faces in these demonic locusts to give added terror, "suggesting the intelligence and capacity of man" (Swete). Vincent actually sees "a distinct resemblance to the human countenance in the face of the locust."
Other commentary entries containing this verse:
Luke 8:31
Revelation 9:3
Revelation 12:6
Revelation 16:12
Revelation 17:12
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