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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comRobertson Word Pictures - Revelation 6:4 - 6:4
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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
A red horse (hippos purros). Old adjective from pur (fire), flame-coloured, blood-red (2Ki 3:22), in N.T. only here and Rev 12:3, like Zec 1:8; Zec 6:2 (roan horse).
To take peace from the earth (labein tēn eirēnēn ek tēs gēs). Second aorist active infinitive of lambanō, and here the nominative case, the subject of edothē (see Rev 6:2), “to take peace out of the earth.” Alas, how many red horses have been ridden through the ages.
And that they should slay one another (kai hina allēlous sphaxousin). Epexegetical explanatory purpose clause with hina and the future active of sphazō (Rev 5:6) instead of the more usual subjunctive (Rev 6:2). Cf. Robertson, Grammar, p. 998f. This is what war does to perfection, makes cannon fodder (cf. Joh 14:27) of men.
A great sword (machaira megalē). Machaira may be a knife carried in a sheath at the girdle (Joh 18:10) or a long sword in battle as here. Romphaia, also a large sword, is the only other word for sword in the N.T. (Rev 1:16; Rev 2:12, Rev 2:16; Rev 6:8; Rev 19:15, Rev 19:21).