1:8 I was attentive that night and saw a man seated 10 on a red horse that stood among some myrtle trees 11 in the ravine. Behind him were red, sorrel, 12 and white horses.
1 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
2 tn For the translation of διάδημα (diadhma) as “diadem crown” see L&N 6.196.
3 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the angel’s invitation to witness the fate of the prostitute.
4 tn Or “in the spirit.” “Spirit” could refer either to the Holy Spirit or the human spirit, but in either case John was in “a state of spiritual exaltation best described as a trance” (R. H. Mounce, Revelation [NICNT], 75).
5 tn Or “desert.”
6 tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text, but is supplied for stylistic reasons.
7 tn Or “of the witnesses to Jesus.” Here the genitive ᾿Ιησοῦ (Ihsou) is taken as an objective genitive; Jesus is the object of their testimony.
8 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
9 tn Grk “I marveled a great marvel” (an idiom for great astonishment).
10 tn Heb “riding,” but since this verb in English is usually associated with horses in motion rather than standing still, the translation uses “seated.” Cf. NAB “the driver of a red horse.”
11 tc The LXX presupposes הֶהָרִים (heharim, “mountains”) rather than the MT הַהֲדַסִּים (hahadassim, “myrtles”), probably because of reference to the ravine. The MT reading is preferred and is followed by most English versions.
12 sn The Hebrew שְׂרֻקִּים (sÿruqqim) means “red” (cf. NIV, NCV, NLT “brown”). English translations such as “speckled” (KJV) or “dappled” (TEV) are based on the reading of the LXX (ψαροί) that attempts to bring the color of this horse into conformity with those described in Zech 6:2-3. However, since these are two different and unrelated visions, this is a methodological fallacy.