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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadJohn Bengel Commentary - Revelation 13:5 - 13:5
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Rev 13:5. Καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτῷ ἐξουσία μῆνας τεσσαράκοντα δύο) This ancient, short, middle reading is the genuine one:[146] so that the accusative μῆνας, months, answers to the question, how long. Others have supplied ποιῆσαι: more, πόλεμον ποιῆσαι. Both of them from Rev 13:7. One important point is marked out in Rev 13:5; another, the calamity increasing, Rev 13:7. A fuller consideration of these months will follow at Rev 13:18 : by the use of which, there will be no doubt as to the meaning of the close of the power of the beast. Many persons, when they hear anything of this kind for the first time, wonder at it, as news of future events, instead of reverencing it as the word of God: they say, in short, that the matter is worthy of consideration, and yet they do not consider it in such a manner, as to lay aside for a little time lighter subjects (and what subject is not light in comparison with these of such great magnitude?), and examine into the truth: and then, when they have once or twice heard and related it, having lost the taste of novelty, they loathe it; and with the character which they always had, they rush into the Divine judgments, whether known or unknown, regarding neither things past, nor things present, nor things future. Let them take care what they are about. We do not write for them: we will not be silent out of regard for them. See ch. Rev 22:10-11. The close of the power of the beast is therefore approaching nearer and nearer: and matters of the greatest importance will precede that close, which matters remain from ch. 13 and 14, and which are contained in ch. 15 and 16. But the Non-being of the beast will follow the same close, and so will many other things, which are described in ch. 17 and those which follow.
[146] So Iren. But ACh Vulg. Syr. read ποιῆσαι after ἐξουσία; and B prefixes πόλεμον before ποιῆσαι; which, however, Tisch. and Lachm. with the weightier authorities omit.-E.