They had tails with stingers like scorpions
This vivid imagery draws from the natural world, where scorpions are known for their painful and sometimes deadly sting. In the Greek, the word for "scorpions" is "skorpios," which is used metaphorically here to describe the tormenting power of these creatures. Historically, scorpions have been symbols of danger and judgment, and their mention in this context suggests a divine allowance for these creatures to inflict suffering. The tails with stingers symbolize the ability to cause harm and distress, reflecting the spiritual and physical torment that will be experienced during this period of judgment.

which had the power to injure people
The phrase emphasizes the authority and capability given to these creatures to cause harm. The Greek word for "power" is "exousia," indicating a delegated authority. This suggests that the ability to injure is not inherent but granted, pointing to a controlled and purposeful act of divine judgment. The injury inflicted is not just physical but also spiritual, representing the consequences of rebellion against God. This serves as a reminder of the sovereignty of God, who allows such events to unfold as part of His divine plan.

for five months
The specific time frame of "five months" is significant, as it indicates a limited period of suffering. In the context of biblical numerology, the number five can symbolize God's grace, but here it also represents a period of testing and judgment. Historically, the lifespan of a locust is about five months, from May to September, which may provide a natural parallel to the duration of this torment. This limitation underscores God's mercy even in judgment, as the suffering is not indefinite but has a set end, offering hope for eventual relief and redemption.

(10)And they had tails . . .--Better, And they have tails like to scorpions, and stings, and in their tails is their power to hurt men five months. In this verse the secret of their power is mentioned: they have tails like scorpions' tails, and stings which wound and so cause agony to men. On the period of five months, see Revelation 9:5. In the exposition of this passage it is utterly vain to look for features of the ordinary natural locust corresponding to the several particulars set forth by the sacred seer: this is admitted even by those who seem anxious to find such counterparts. "We must regard the comparison as rather belonging to the supernatural portion of our description." The rule is a good one. Like the description of the Divine Presence in Revelation 4, most of the visions of the book are incapable of pictorial realisation without incongruities which would be grotesque and profane; nor need we be surprised, since the principles and truths are the main points with the writer. This general rule must be kept in mind if we would avoid the danger of dwelling too much on the bearing of details. It is not in the locust that we shall find even the suggestive basis of the details in the description here. The smoke rises from the pit of the abyss; the heaven is darkened, and out of the smoke emerges the pitchy cloud of locusts. The seer then adds certain characteristics of this locust plague, partly drawn from the earlier prophets, but, as his custom is, with some original additions. They are locusts, but they have the malice of scorpions; they advance like horse-soldiers to battle; they wear crowns; they bear a resemblance to men; there is something womanlike also in their appearance, and in their voracity they are as lions. The exigencies of the symbolism are quite beyond the features of the ordinary locust: the sacred writer shows us a plague in which devastation, malice, kinglike authority, intelligence, seductiveness, fierceness, strength, meet together under one directing spirit, to torment men. Some parts may be purely graphic, as Alford says, but surely the vision shows us a great symbolical army multitudinous as locusts, malicious as scorpions, ruling as kings, intelligent as men, wily as womanhood, bold and fierce as lions, resistless as those clad in iron armour. The symbolism of course must not be pressed too closely, but its meaning must be allowed to widen as new elements are added, especially when those elements are not suggested by anything in the locust itself, but are additions clearly designed to give force to the symbol employed. The locust-like army has characteristics partly human, partly diabolical, partly civilised, partly barbarous. They have been variously interpreted: the historical school have seen in them the Saracens under Mohammed, who gave to them a religion which was "essentially a military system;" others are inclined to refer them to "the hordes of Goths and others whose unkempt locks and savage ferocity" resemble this locust host. There is a good ground for taking the vision to prefigure the hosts of a fierce invading army. Even those who believe that Joel's prophecy foretold a plague of literal locusts, yet acknowledge that these "may in a subsidiary manner" represent "the northern, or Assyrian enemies of Judah" (Introduction to Joel, Speaker's Commentary). But, as the writer there says, these were "themselves types of still future scourges;" so may we see here a vision which neither the history of the Zealots, nor that of Gothic hordes, nor of Saracens, have exhausted, but one which draws our thoughts mainly to its spiritual and moral bearing, and teaches us that in the history of advancing truth there will come times when confused ideas will darken simple truth and right, and out of the darkness will emerge strange and mongrel teachings, with a certain enforced unity, but without moral harmony, a medley of fair and hideous, reasonable and barbarous, dignified and debased, which enslave and torment mankind. The outcome of these teachings is oftentimes war and tyrannous oppression; but the sacred seer teaches us distinctly that those who hold fast by the seal of God are those who cannot be injured, for he would have us remember that the true sting of false conceptions is not in the havoc of open war, but in the wounded soul and conscience. Nor is it altogether out of place to notice (by way of one example) that the power of Mohammed was more in a divided and debased Christendom than in his own creed or sword; the smoke of ill-regulated opinions and erroneous teachings preceded the scourge. Here, as in other parts of the book, we may notice that subtle, plausible errors pave the way for dire troubles and often sanguinary revolutions. Falsehoods and false worships that have been diffused over the world become "the forerunners and foretellers of a conflict between the powers of good and evil." Yet as the trumpet sounds we know that every battle is a step towards the end of a victorious war.

Verse 10. - And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails; and they have tails like unto scorpions, and stings (Revised Version). The next words are included in the following clause. Not that their tails possessed the appearance of scorpions (as Bengel, Hengstenberg, and others), but that their tails were like the tails of scorpions in respect of having stings in them. Cf. 2 Samuel 22:34; Psalm 18:33, "He maketh my feet like hands" (omit "feet"); also Revelation 13:11, "Two horns like a lamb" (see the description of the scorpion quoted above, under ver. 3). And their power was to hurt men five months; and in their tails is their power to hurt, etc. (Revised Version) (see the preceding clause). As no Greek manuscript gives the reading of the Textus Receptus followed by the Authorized Version, the probability is that this is an example of a passage in which the Greek of his edition was supplied by Erasmus, by the simple process of retranslating into Greek the Vulgate Version. By the possession of the noxious sting, the locusts here described are represented as being yet more terrible than the natural locusts. (See the description of the locusts given under ver. 3. For the signification of the "five months," see on ver. 5.) They limit the period of this judgment to the time of man's existence on this earth.

Parallel Commentaries ...


They had
ἔχουσιν (echousin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 2192: To have, hold, possess. Including an alternate form scheo skheh'-o; a primary verb; to hold.

tails
οὐρὰς (ouras)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural
Strong's 3769: A tail. Apparently a primary word; a tail.

with
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

stingers
κέντρα (kentra)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 2759: A sting, goad; met: of death. From kenteo; a point, i.e. A sting or goad.

like
ὁμοίας (homoias)
Adjective - Accusative Feminine Plural
Strong's 3664: Like, similar to, resembling, of equal rank. From the base of homou; similar.

scorpions,
σκορπίοις (skorpiois)
Noun - Dative Masculine Plural
Strong's 4651: A scorpion. Probably from an obsolete skerpo; a 'scorpion'.

[which]
οὐραῖς (ourais)
Noun - Dative Feminine Plural
Strong's 3769: A tail. Apparently a primary word; a tail.

had
αὐτῶν (autōn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Feminine 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

the
ἡ (hē)
Article - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

power
ἐξουσία (exousia)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1849: From exesti; privilege, i.e. force, capacity, competency, freedom, or mastery, delegated influence.

to injure
ἀδικῆσαι (adikēsai)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active
Strong's 91: To act unjustly towards, injure, harm. From adikos; to be unjust, i.e. do wrong.

people
ἀνθρώπους (anthrōpous)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 444: A man, one of the human race. From aner and ops; man-faced, i.e. A human being.

for five
πέντε (pente)
Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 4002: Five. A primary number; 'five'.

months.
μῆνας (mēnas)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3376: A (lunar) month. A primary word; a month.


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NT Prophecy: Revelation 9:10 They have tails like those of scorpions (Rev. Re Apocalypse)