16:10 Then 12 the fifth angel 13 poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast so that 14 darkness covered his kingdom, 15 and people 16 began to bite 17 their tongues because 18 of their pain. 16:11 They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their sufferings 19 and because of their sores, 20 but nevertheless 21 they still refused to repent 22 of their deeds.
1 tn Heb “he will pass through it.” The subject of the collective singular verb is the nation. (See the preceding note.) The immediately preceding context supplies no antecedent for “it” (a third feminine singular suffix in the Hebrew text); the suffix may refer to the land, which would be a reasonable referent with a verb of motion. Note also that אֶרֶץ (’erets, “land”) does appear at the beginning of the next verse.
2 tn The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in 2:2.
3 tn Or “gods” (NAB, NRSV, CEV).
4 tn Or “Babylonians” (NCV, NLT).
5 sn He will not see it. This prediction was fulfilled in 2 Kgs 25:7 and Jer 52:11, which recount how Zedekiah was blinded before being deported to Babylon.
6 sn There he will die. This was fulfilled when King Zedekiah died in exile (Jer 52:11).
7 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “thus” to indicate the implied result of the bowl poured on the sun.
8 tn Grk “men,” but this is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") and refers to both men and women.
9 tn On this phrase BDAG 536 s.v. καῦμα states, “burning, heat Rv 7:16…καυματίζεσθαι κ. μέγα be burned with a scorching heat 16:9.”
10 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “yet” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
11 tn For the translation “ruling authority” for ἐξουσία (exousia) see L&N 37.35.
12 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
13 tn Grk “the fifth”; the referent (the fifth angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
14 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so that” to indicate the implied result of the fifth bowl being poured out.
15 tn Grk “his kingdom became dark.”
16 tn Grk “men,” but this is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") and refers to both men and women.
17 tn On this term BDAG 620 s.v. μασάομαι states, “bite w. acc. τὰς γλώσσας bite their tongues Rv 16:10.”
18 tn The preposition ἐκ (ek) has been translated here and twice in the following verse with a causal sense.
19 tn Grk “pains” (the same term in Greek [πόνος, ponos] as the last word in v. 11, here translated “sufferings” because it is plural). BDAG 852 s.v. 2 states, “ἐκ τοῦ π. in pain…Rv 16:10; pl. (Gen 41:51; Jos., C. Ap. 2, 146; Test. Jud. 18:4) ἐκ τῶν π. …because of their sufferings vs. 11.”
20 tn Or “ulcerated sores” (see 16:2).
21 tn Grk “and they did not repent.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but nevertheless” to express the contrast here.
22 tn Grk “they did not repent” The addition of “still refused” reflects the hardness of people’s hearts in the context.