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Rev 7:9. Μετὰ ταῦτα εἶδον, καὶ ἰδοὺ ὄχλος πολὺς-ἑστῶτες-περιβεβλημένους, κ.τ.λ.) A Middle reading:[82] whence some reduce the whole paragraph to the nominative, others to the accusative. The mixture of cases displeases Wolf: which indeed is frequent in this hook. Li this passage is described ὄχλος, a host of the blessed, to which there is a Simultaneum[83] with the sealing previously described, and with the subsequent trumpets, under which the plague does not touch those that are sealed. Into this place this ὄχλος falls, in its own order, after their happy departure from the world. Afterwards more companies of this kind are mentioned: ch. Rev 14:1, Rev 15:2, etc. The degrees of happiness are various and very different; but the lowest of them, speaking by comparison, is now above all need of cleansing.-ἐκ παντὸς ἔθνους[84] καὶ φυλῶν καὶ λαῶν καὶ γλωσσῶν) In such an enumeration, the other passages either have the plural number four times, or the singular four times: see notes on ch. Rev 5:9. In this passage alone the singular is put first, and then the plural three times, and not without reason. This multitude is led forth out of the whole human race. That race is one ἔθνος, all along from its origin: Act 17:26. But in progress of time, while Adam himself was alive, it was multiplied, and separated itself both into tribes and peoples, and languages.
[82] C and Rec. Text have ὄχλος πολύς: Ah Vulg. Cypr. 272, 310, have ὄχλον πολύν. Ἑστῶτες, Ah Vulg. Cypr.: Ἑστώτων, C: Ἑστὼτας, B. Περιβεβλημένους, ABC:-μένοι, Vulg. and Rec. Text.-E.
[83] See Append. of Technical Terms.-E.
[84] Vulg. has “gentibus;” h Cypr. 272, 310, “tribu, populo, lingua.” But ABC support Beng.-E.