[B-Greek] Rev 9:17

mrt mrt at hisurfer.net
Wed Dec 31 22:44:52 EST 2003


>Daniel Gleason wrote:
>Rev 9:09 describes the locusts as having "thoraxes like iron thoraxes
(meaning >breastplates)"  The author is using a metaphor that compares the
exoskeleton of a locust >to the armor men put on in war.

I like what you said here comparing the locusts' chest area to a THORAX (cf.
BDAG)
Dr. A. Dirkzwager also mentioned this (12/26/03): "As far as I can see
"lower" animals like locusts and crustacea have a QWRAX in Greek."

>The word thoraxes appears only in rev 9:09 and 9:17.

It also occurs in the GNT (Eph. 6:14; 1 Thess. 5:8; Rev. 9:9 twice, 17)  and
OT 1 Sam. 17:5; 1 Ki. 22:34; 2 Chr. 18:33; 26:14; Neh. 4:10; Job 41:5, 18;
Isa. 59:17; Jer. 26:4; Ezek. 38:4) with LXX non-canonical (Wis. 5:18; Sir.
43:20; 1 Ma. 3:3; 6:2, 43)

>The thoraxes in Rev 9:17 describe the armor worn by horses AND their
riders. The >armor on the horses would be on their heads with screens to
protect their eyes. The >shape of the horse head armor used to protect eyes
looks almost identical to the armor >worn by men to protect their chests.

Previously I didn't entertain the idea that both horse AND rider could wear
the QWRAX.  I'm glad you said this.  So now the possibilities are: (1) only
the horses are wearing the QWRAX - this would be the case if John were
indeed only focusing on the horses and not the riders. (2) of only the
riders - this at first sight seemed natural to associate QWRAX with the
breastplates of men (cf. NASB, NET). (3) both wear the QWRAX- We have seen
through George Somsel that the horse can also don the breastplate (cf.
Polycarp 12/26/03).
Having done a word study here, it seems most convincing with John's
persistent OT allusions that Ezek 38:4 seems to be in view.  And now both
the Ezek passage with Rev. 9:17 give me the impression that also agrees with
your statement that BOTH are wearing the QWRAX.

Michael Tarver
Oregon, USA
<'\\><  laus Deo




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