Revelation 9:4

Contemporary English Version

The locusts were told not to harm the grass on the earth or any plant or any tree. They were to punish only those people who did not have God's mark on their foreheads.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
They were told not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green plant, or any tree, but only those people who do not have God’s seal on their foreheads.

King James Version (1611)
And it was commaunded them that they should not hurt the grasse of the earth, neither any greene thing, neither any tree: but only those men which haue not the seale of God in their foreheads.

King James Version
And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.

New American Standard Bible
They were told not to hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but only the people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.

New Century Version
They were told not to harm the grass on the earth or any plant or tree. They could harm only the people who did not have the sign of God on their foreheads.

English Standard Version
They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any green plant or any tree, but only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
They were told not to hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but only the men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.

Berean Standard Bible
They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads.

Complete Jewish Bible
They were instructed not to harm the grass on the earth, any green plant or any tree, but only the people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads.

Darby Translation
and it was said to them, that they should not injure the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but the men who have not the seal of God on their foreheads:

Easy-to-Read Version
They were told not to damage the fields of grass or any plant or tree. They were to hurt only those who did not have God's mark on their foreheads.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And it was comanded them, that they should not hurt the grasse of the earth, neither any greene thing, neither any tree: but onely those men which haue not the seale of God in their foreheads.

George Lamsa Translation
And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree: but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their brows.

Good News Translation
They were told not to harm the grass or the trees or any other plant; they could harm only the people who did not have the mark of God's seal on their foreheads.

Lexham English Bible
And it was told to them that they should not damage the grass of the earth or any green plant or any tree, except those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.

Literal Translation
And it was said to them that they should not harm the grass of the earth, nor every green thing, nor every tree, except only the men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.

Amplified Bible
They were told not to hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but [to hurt] only the people who do not have the seal (mark of ownership, protection) of God on their foreheads.

American Standard Version
And it was said unto them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only such men as have not the seal of God on their foreheads.

Bible in Basic English
And they were ordered to do no damage to the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only to such men as have not the mark of God on their brows.

Hebrew Names Version
They were told that they should not hurt the grass of the eretz, neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only those men who don't have God's seal on their foreheads.

International Standard Version
They were told not to harm the grass on the earth, any green plant, or any tree. They could harmThey could harm">[fn] only the people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.Exodus 12:23; Ezekiel 9:4; Revelation 6:6; 7:3; 8:7;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
And it was told them, that they should not hurt the herbage of the earth, nor any green (thing), nor any tree, but only those men who had not the seal of Aloha upon their foreheads.

Murdock Translation
And it was commanded them, that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, nor any herb, nor any tree; but [fn] the persons, who had not the seal of God upon their foreheads.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And it was commaunded them that they shoulde not hurt the grasse of the earth, neither any greene thing, neither any tree: but only those men which haue not the seale of God in their forheades.

English Revised Version
And it was said unto them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only such men as have not the seal of God on their foreheads.

World English Bible
They were told that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only those men who don't have God's seal on their foreheads.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And it was commanded them, not to hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only the men who have not the seal of God on their foreheads.

Weymouth's New Testament
And they were forbidden to injure the herbage of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree. They were only to injure human beings--those who have not the seal of God on their foreheads.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And it was comaundid to hem, that thei schulden not hirte the gras of erthe, nether ony grene thing, nether ony tre, but oneli men, that han not the signe of God in her forhedis.

Update Bible Version
And it was said to them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only such men as don't have the seal of God on their foreheads.

Webster's Bible Translation
And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men who have not the seal of God in their foreheads.

New English Translation
They were told not to damage the grass of the earth, or any green plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their forehead.

New King James Version
They were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.

New Living Translation
They were told not to harm the grass or plants or trees, but only the people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads.

New Life Bible
They were told not to hurt the grass or any green plant or any tree. They were to hurt only the men who did not have the mark of God on their foreheads.

New Revised Standard
They were told not to damage the grass of the earth or any green growth or any tree, but only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And it was bidden them that they should not injure the herbage of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, - but only the men who have not the seal of God upon their foreheads.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth nor any green thing nor any tree: but only the men who have not the sign of God on their foreheads.

Revised Standard Version
they were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any green growth or any tree, but only those of mankind who have not the seal of God upon their foreheads;

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And it hurt ye grasse of the erth: nether eny grene thinge: nether eny tree: but only those me which have not ye seale in their forhedes

Young's Literal Translation
and it was said to them that they may not injure the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but -- the men only who have not the seal of God upon their foreheads,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And it was sayde vnto them, that they shulde not hurt the grasse of the earth: nether eny grene thinge: nether eny tre: but onely those men which haue not the seale in their forhedes,

Mace New Testament (1729)
and they were commanded not to hurt the fruits of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree; but those men who have not the seal of God in their foreheads.

Simplified Cowboy Version
They only targeted and tormented those without the brand of Christ on the foreheads.

Contextual Overview

¹ When the fifth angel blew his trumpet, I saw a star fall from the sky to earth. It was given the key to the tunnel that leads down to the deep pit. ² As it opened the tunnel, smoke poured out like the smoke of a great furnace. The sun and the air turned dark because of the smoke. ³ Locusts came out of the smoke and covered the earth. They were given the same power that scorpions have. ⁴ The locusts were told not to harm the grass on the earth or any plant or any tree. They were to punish only those people who did not have God's mark on their foreheads. ⁵ The locusts were allowed to make them suffer for five months, but not to kill them. The suffering they caused was like the sting of a scorpion. ⁶ In those days people will want to die, but they will not be able to. They will hope for death, but it will escape from them. ⁷ These locusts looked like horses ready for battle. On their heads they wore something like gold crowns, and they had human faces. ⁸ Their hair was like a woman's long hair, and their teeth were like those of a lion. ⁹ On their chests they wore armor made of iron. Their wings roared like an army of horse-drawn chariots rushing into battle. ¹⁰ Their tails were like a scorpion's tail with a stinger that had the power to hurt someone for five months.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

that they: Revelation 6:6, Revelation 7:3, Job 1:10, Job 1:12, Psalms 76:10, Matthew 24:24, 2 Timothy 3:8, 2 Timothy 3:9

hurt: Revelation 8:7

but: Corrupt and idolatrous Christians; against whom the Saracens chiefly prevailed.

which: Revelation 7:3, Revelation 7:4, Revelation 14:1, Exodus 12:23, Job 2:6, Ezekiel 9:4, Ezekiel 9:6, Ephesians 4:30

Reciprocal: Psalms 105:33 - General Jeremiah 32:10 - and sealed Amos 7:2 - when Acts 28:5 - felt Romans 4:11 - a seal 2 Corinthians 1:22 - sealed Revelation 7:1 - the wind

Cross-References

Genesis 9:10
This includes the birds and the animals that came out of the boat.

Genesis 9:14
When I send clouds over the earth, and a rainbow appears in the sky,

Leviticus 3:17
So you and your descendants must never eat any fat or any blood, not even in the privacy of your own homes. This law will never change.

Leviticus 7:26
And no matter where you live, you must not eat the blood of any bird or animal,

Leviticus 19:26
Don't eat the blood of any animal. Don't practice any kind of witchcraft.

Deuteronomy 12:23
But don't eat the blood. It is the life of the animal, so let it drain out on the ground before you eat the meat.

Deuteronomy 14:21
You belong to the Lord your God, so if you happen to find a dead animal, don't eat its meat. You may give it to foreigners who live in your town or sell it to foreigners who are visiting your town. Don't boil a young goat in its mother's milk.

Deuteronomy 15:23
But you must never eat the blood of an animal—let it drain out on the ground.

Acts 15:20
We should simply write and tell them not to eat anything that has been offered to idols. They should be told not to eat the meat of any animal that has been strangled or that still has blood in it. They must also not commit any terrible sexual sins.

Acts 15:25
So we met together and decided to choose some men and to send them to you along with our good friends Barnabas and Paul.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And it was commanded them,.... The locusts, by Christ, who has a sovereign power over all men, and lays them under the restraints of his providence:

that they should not hurt the grass of the earth: true Christians, private believers, it may be those of the lower class; who for their numbers, and for their flourishing estate under the dews of heavenly grace, and the distillations of the doctrine of grace, and the clear shining of the sun of righteousness upon them, and for their weakness, may be compared to grass; and yet as these being a company reserved by Christ for himself, who will not break nor bruise them, so neither will he suffer others to hurt them, and resents every offence done to these little ones:

neither any green thing; who have the truth of grace in them, are spiritually alive, and in prosperous circumstances, in a fruitful condition, being filled with the fruits of righteousness from Christ, the green fir tree, and whose leaves of profession continue green; and are themselves, as David says of himself; like a green olive tree in the house of God, Psalms 3:8.

Neither any tree; any trees of righteousness, good and righteous who are often compared to trees planted by rivers of water, Psalms 1:3

Jeremiah 17:8; it may be the ministers of the Gospel, then of great grace and gifts, the tall cedars in Lebanon, may be intended; and so by these various expressions, Christians of every size, from the lowest to the highest class, may be signified. Green things and leaves of trees are what the locusts generally destroy, as appears from the plague of them in Egypt, Exodus 10:5; and as they did in Syria in the year 1586, as Thuanus reports g. Now as grass, green things, and trees, are what locusts most desire to feed upon and hurt, so real believers, truly godly persons, are those which both the eastern and western locusts, the Mahometans and Papists, have been very desirous of rooting out and destroying; but Christ takes care of these; these are as the apple of his eye, his jewels, his sheep, his sealed ones; none shall hurt them, they shall never perish; he knows them that are his, and he will preserve them amidst fire and smoke, amidst all the corruptions and calamities in the world:

but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads; see Revelation 7:2; the antichristian party, those of the Romish apostasy, the Papists; and these were they that suffered most by the Saracens, who abhorred image worship, and fell foul on the idolaters of this kind: and, on the other hand, the western locusts, the clergy of the church of Rome, had only influence over the reprobate part of mankind, and only wrought with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish, who were giver, up to believe a lie, that they might be damned, but not upon any of the chosen ones, 2 Thessalonians 2:11.

g Hist. sui Temporis, par. 4. l. 84. p. 162. Ed. Francofurt.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And it was commanded them - The writer does not say by whom this command was given, but it is clearly by someone who had the direction of them. As they were evoked from the “bottomless pit” by one who had the key to that dark abode, and as they are represented in Revelation 9:11 as under the command of one who is there called Abaddon, or Apollyon - the Destroyer - it would seem most probable that the command referred to is one that is given by him; that is, that this expresses one of the principles on which he would act in his devastations. At all events, this denotes what would be one of the characteristics of these destroyers. Their purpose would be to vex and trouble people; not to spread desolation over vineyards, olive-yards, and fields of grain.

That they should not hurt the grass of the earth, ... - See the notes on Revelation 8:7. The meaning here is plain. There would be some sense in which these invaders would be characterized in a manner that was not common among invaders, to wit, that they would show particular care not to carry their devastations into the vegetable world. Their warfare would be with people, and not with orchards and green fields.

But only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads - See the notes on Revelation 7:2-3. They commenced war against that part of the human race only. The language here properly denotes those who were not the friends of God. It may here refer, however, either to those who in reality were not such, or to those who were regarded by him who gave this command as not being such. In the former case, the commission would have respect to real infidels in the sight of God - that is, to those who rejected the true religion; in the latter it would express the sentiment of the leader of this host, as referring to those who in his apprehension were infidels or enemies of God. The true interpretation must depend on the sense in which we understand the phrase “it was commanded”; whether as referring to God, or to the leader of the host himself. The language, therefore, is ambiguous, and the meaning must be determined by the other parts of the passage. Either method of understanding the passage would be in accordance with its fair interpretation.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Revelation 9:4. They should not hurt the grass — Neither the common people, the men of middling condition, nor the nobles. However, this appears rather to refer to the prudent counsels of a military chief, not to destroy the crops and herbage of which they might have need in their campaigns.

Which have not the seal of God — All false, hypocritical, and heterodox Christians.