Revelation 8:12-13

Context

8:12 Then¹ the fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened. And there was no light for a third of the day² and for a third of the night likewise. 8:13 Then³ I looked, and I heard an⁴ eagle⁵ flying directly overhead,⁶ proclaiming with a loud voice, “Woe! Woe! Woe to those who live on the earth because of the remaining sounds of the trumpets of the three angels who are about to blow them!”⁷

[8:12] ¹tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

[8:12] ²tn Grk “the day did not shine [with respect to] the third of it.”

[8:13] ³tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

[8:13] ⁴tn Grk “one eagle.”

[8:13] ⁵tc Ï^A reads “angel” (ἀγγέλου, angelou) instead of “eagle” (ἀετοῦ, aetou), a reading strongly supported by {א A 046 Ï^K and several versions}. On external grounds, ἀετοῦ is clearly the superior reading. ἀγγέλου could have arisen inadvertently due to similarities in spelling or sound between ἀετοῦ and ἀγγέλου. It may also have been intentional in order to bring this statement in line with 14:6 where an angel is mentioned as the one flying in midair. This seems a more likely reason, strengthened by the facts that the book only mentions eagles two other times (4:7; 12:14). Further, the immediate as well as broad context is replete with references to angels.

[8:13] ⁶tn Concerning the word μεσουράνημα (mesouranhma), L&N 1.10 states, “a point or region of the sky directly above the earth – ‘high in the sky, midpoint in the sky, directly overhead, straight above in the sky.’ εἶδον, καὶ ἤκουσα ἑνὸς ἁετοῦ πετομένου ἐν μεσουρανήματι ‘I looked, and I heard an eagle that was flying overhead in the sky’ Re 8:13.”

[8:13] ⁷tn Grk “about to sound their trumpets,” but this is redundant in English.