Text -- Revelation 6:5 (NET)

6:5 Then when the Lamb opened the third seal I heard the third living creature saying, “Come!” So I looked, and here came a black horse! The one who rode it had a balance scale in his hand.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Rev 6:5

¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

² tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the summons by the third creature.

³ tc The reading “and I looked” (καὶ εἶδον, kai eidon) or some slight variation (e.g., ἶδον, idon) has excellent ms support ({א A C P 1611}) and its omission seems to have come through the mss that have already placed “and look” (καὶ ἴδε or καὶ βλέπε [kai ide or kai blepe]) after the verb “come” (ἔρχου, ercou) in 6:1. Thus, for these copyists it was redundant to add “and I looked” again.

⁴ tn The phrase “and here came” expresses the sense of καὶ ἰδού (kai idou).

⁵ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

⁶ tn Grk “the one sitting on it.”

⁷ sn A balance scale would have been a rod held by a rope in the middle with pans attached to both ends for measuring.