Text -- Revelation 9:17 (NET)

9:17 Now this is what the horses and their riders looked like in my vision: The riders had breastplates that were fiery red, dark blue, and sulfurous yellow in color. The heads of the horses looked like lions’ heads, and fire, smoke, and sulfur came out of their mouths.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Rev 9:17

¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the introduction of the description of the horses and riders, which is somewhat parenthetical in the narrative.

² tn Grk “and those seated on them.”

³ tn Grk “the vision”; the Greek article has been translated as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215).

⁴ tn L&N 79.31 states, “‘fiery red’ (probably with a tinge of yellow or orange).”

⁵ tn On this term BDAG 1022 s.v. ὑακίνθινος states, “hyacinth-colored, i.e. dark blue (dark red?) w. πύρινος Rv 9:17.”

⁶ tn On this term BDAG 446 s.v. θειώδης states, “sulphurous Rv 9:17.”

⁷ sn The colors of the riders’ breastplates parallel the three plagues of fire, smoke, and sulfur in v. 18.

⁸ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

⁹ tn Traditionally, “brimstone.”