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Read the Bible

Louis Segond

Apocalypse 5:8

Quand il eut pris le livre, les quatre êtres vivants et les vingt-quatre vieillards se prosternèrent devant l'agneau, tenant chacun une harpe et des coupes d'or remplies de parfums, qui sont les prières des saints.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Angel (a Spirit);   Animals;   Elder;   Harp;   Incense;   Intercession;   Jesus Continued;   Music;   Prayer;   Psaltery;   Vision;   Thompson Chain Reference - Harps;   Instruments, Chosen;   Music;   Musical Instruments;   Odours, Sweet;   Perfume;   Prayer;   Sweet Odours;   Vials;   Worship;   Worship, True and False;   Worshipped, Christ;   The Topic Concordance - Government;   Jesus Christ;   Redemption;   Sacrifice;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Excellency and Glory of Christ, the;   Incense;   Music;   Prayer;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Censer;   Incense;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Heaven;   Kingdom of god;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Murder;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Humility;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Altar;   Frankincense;   Incense;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Angels;   Cherub (1);   Frankincense;   Incense;   Jacob;   Sacrifice;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Gestures;   Redeem, Redemption, Redeemer;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Beast;   Incense;   Prayer;   Salvation, Saviour;   Vial;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Angels (2);   Apocalypse;   Enoch Book of;   Gold ;   Harp ;   Incense;   Incense ;   Lamb;   Mediator;   Praise;   Pre-Eminence ;   Propitiation (2);   Type;   Wisdom of Christ;   Zacharias ;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Adoration;   Elders;   Harp;   Lamb;   Vials;   20 To Ask, Request;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Judah;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Lamb;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Cherub, Cherubim;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Aloes;   Old - golden;   Odor;   Palace;   Smoke;   Vial;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Roman Catholics;   Vocation;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Amen;   Ascension;   Four;   Incense;   Lord's Supper (Eucharist);   Odor;   Revelation of John:;   Seraphim;   Tabernacle;   Vial;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Incense;  

Parallel Translations

La Bible David Martin (1744)
Et quand il eut pris le Livre, les quatre animaux et les vingt-quatre Anciens se prostern�rent devant l'agneau, ayant chacun des harpes et des fioles d'or, pleines de parfums, qui sont les pri�res des Saints.
La Bible Ostervald (1996)
Et quand il eut pris le livre, les quatre animaux et les vingt-quatre Anciens se prostern�rent devant l'Agneau, ayant chacun des harpes et des coupes d'or pleines de parfums, lesquelles sont les pri�res des Saints.
Darby's French Translation
Et lorsqu'il eut pris le livre, les quatre animaux et les vingt-quatre anciens tomb�rent sur leurs faces devant l'Agneau, ayant chacun une harpe et des coupes d'or pleines de parfums, qui sont les pri�res des saints.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the four: Revelation 5:14, Revelation 4:4, Revelation 4:8, Revelation 4:10, Revelation 7:10-12, Revelation 19:4, John 5:23, Romans 14:10-12, Philippians 2:9-11, Hebrews 1:6

having: Revelation 14:2, Revelation 14:3, Revelation 15:2, Psalms 33:2, Psalms 43:4, Psalms 81:2, Psalms 150:3

golden: Revelation 15:7

odours: or incense

the prayers: Revelation 8:3, Revelation 8:4, Psalms 141:2

Reciprocal: Genesis 17:17 - fell Leviticus 4:32 - a lamb Leviticus 9:24 - they shouted 1 Samuel 10:1 - a vial 1 Chronicles 23:30 - stand 2 Chronicles 5:13 - as one 2 Chronicles 9:11 - harps 2 Chronicles 29:28 - And all the congregation Nehemiah 12:27 - thanksgivings Psalms 21:5 - glory Psalms 45:11 - worship Psalms 72:15 - daily Psalms 98:5 - General Psalms 118:3 - General Psalms 147:7 - General Psalms 148:14 - the praise Song of Solomon 2:14 - for sweet Song of Solomon 3:6 - perfumed Song of Solomon 4:6 - the mountain Song of Solomon 4:10 - the smell Isaiah 44:23 - Sing Isaiah 49:13 - O heavens Isaiah 52:8 - with Ezekiel 3:23 - and I fell Zechariah 3:5 - fair Malachi 1:11 - incense Matthew 2:11 - frankincense Matthew 20:28 - and to Matthew 26:29 - until Mark 14:22 - this Mark 14:24 - which Luke 4:7 - worship me Luke 8:41 - and he fell John 1:17 - grace John 1:29 - Behold John 11:32 - she fell John 14:6 - no John 17:10 - and I Acts 10:31 - are 1 Corinthians 14:25 - falling 2 Corinthians 4:15 - the abundant Ephesians 3:15 - the whole Revelation 11:9 - and shall not

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And when he had taken the book,.... The Vulgate Latin version reads, "when he had opened the book", very wrongly; for the opening of it by unloosing the seals, one after another, is hereafter mentioned, in Revelation 6:1, but when it was observed, that the Lamb took the book, and his commission to open, unseal, and fulfil it,

the four beasts, and four [and] twenty elders, fell down before the Lamb; by way of religious worship and adoration of him; which shows that he was not a mere creature, who assumed human nature, suffered, and died, and is the Mediator between God and men, but is truly God, and is the proper object of worship; and so he is regarded by all his faithful ministers, and true churches, which are here signified by the four living creatures, and four and twenty elders; who are represented as

having everyone of them harps; which were instruments of music, and with which the saints formerly used to praise God, Psalms 33:2; and so may here intend the praises and thanksgivings of the saints, of everyone of them, greater or lesser, upon the present occasion; having their hearts in right tune, making melody with them to the Lord, and giving thanks unto him for all their blessings, temporal and spiritual, and particularly for the Lamb, and his worthiness to open the book, and unloose the seals:

and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints; this is said in allusion to the golden censers full of incense, which ascended upwards, and was of a sweet smell; the vessels on the shewbread table, in which incense was put, are by Josephus h called "golden vials", as here; his words are, upon the loaves were put two φιαλαι χρυσεαι, "golden vials", full of incense: the prayers of the saints are compared to "odours", or "incense", as the word may be rendered, and as they are called, Psalms 141:2; partly because as incense goes upwards, so do they go up to God, and are received, regarded, and had in remembrance by him; and partly because as incense is of a sweet smell, so the prayers of the saints, put up in the name and faith of Christ, are very grateful and acceptable to God: the "golden vials" said to be "full" of them, may design the hearts of believers, in which they first are, and from whence they proceed; true prayer is that which is inwrought in the soul, and comes from the heart, even from a heart pure like gold, purified by faith in the blood of Christ, a true heart, that asks in faith, nothing wavering; such as are really saints, true believers in Christ, are praying souls; they are full of prayers for themselves and others; they pray always, and for all saints: this makes nothing for praying to angels and saints departed; for these prayers were their own, and not others; and besides, these four living creatures, and four and twenty elders, were not angels, for they are said to be redeemed by the blood of Christ, and are distinguished from angels in the following verses; nor the saints in heaven, but ministers and churches on earth, and who were to reign with Christ on earth, Revelation 5:10; it may be observed, that the Jews sometimes represent prayer in such like figures as here;

"prayer (they say) ascends with those spices which are mentioned in Song of Solomon 4:14; and at the time that prayer ascends it is perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, and of this the holy blessed God asks, "who is this that comes up", c. i Song of Solomon 3:6''

and they say, prayer is greater than all offerings k. See Revelation 8:3.

h Antiqu. l. 3. c. 6. sect. 6. i Raya Mehimna in Zohar in Exod. fol. 48. 3. k Yalkut Simeoni, par. 2. fol. 40. 3.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And when he had taken the book, the four beasts ... - The acts of adoration here described as rendered by the four living creatures and the elders are, according to the explanation given in Revelation 4:4-7, emblematic of the honor done to the Redeemer by the church, and by the course of providential events in the government of the world.

Fell down before the Lamb - The usual posture of profound worship. Usually in such worship there was entire prostration on the earth. See the Matthew 2:2 note; 1 Corinthians 14:25 note.

Having every one of them harps - That is, as the construction, and the propriety of the case would seem to demand, the elders had each of them harps. The whole prostrated themselves with profound reverence; the elders had harps and censers, and broke out into a song of praise for redemption. This construction is demanded, because:

(a)The Greek word - ἔχοντες echontes - more properly agrees with the word “elders” - πρεσβύτεροι presbuteroi - and not with the word “beasts” - ζῶα zōa;

(b)There is an incongruity in the representation that the living creatures, in the form of a lion, a calf, an eagle, should have harps and censers; and,

(c)The song of praise that is sung Revelation 5:9 is one that properly applies to the elders as the representatives of the church, and not to the living creatures - “Thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood.”

The harp was a well-known instrument used in the service of God. Josephus describes it as having ten strings, and as struck with a key (Ant. Revelation 7:12, Revelation 7:3). See the notes on Isaiah 5:12.

And golden vials - The word “vial” with us, denoting a small slender bottle with a narrow neck, evidently does not express the idea here. The article here referred to was used for offering incense, and must have been a vessel with a large open mouth. The word “bowl” or “goblet” would better express the idea, and it is so explained by Prof. Robinson, Lexicon, and by Prof. Stuart, in loco. The Greek word - φιάλη phialē - occurs in the New Testament only in Revelation Revelation 5:8; Revelation 15:7; Revelation 16:1-4, Revelation 16:8,Revelation 16:10, Revelation 16:12, Revelation 16:17; Revelation 17:1; Revelation 21:9, and is uniformly rendered “vial” and “vials,” though the idea is always that of a “bowl” or “goblet.”

Full of odours - Or rather, as in the margin, full of incense - θυμιαμάτων thumiamatōn. See the notes on Luke 1:9.

Which are the prayers of saints - Which represent or denote the prayers of saints. Compare Psalms 141:2, “Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense.” The meaning is, that incense was a proper emblem of prayer. This seems to have been in two respects:

(a)As being acceptable to God - as incense produced an agreeable fragrance; and,

(b)In its being wafted toward heaven - ascending toward the eternal throne.

In Revelation 8:3, an angel is represented as having a golden censer: “And there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. The representation there undoubtedly is, that the angel is employed in presenting the prayers of the saints which were offered on earth before the throne. See the notes on that passage. It is most natural to interpret the passage before us in the same way. The allusion is clearly to the temple service, and to the fact that incense was offered by the priest in the temple itself at the time that prayer was offered by the people in the courts of the temple. See Luke 1:9-10. The idea here is, therefore, that the representatives of the church in heaven - the elders - spoken of as “priests” Revelation 5:10, are described as officiating in the temple above in behalf of the church still below, and as offering incense while the church is engaged in prayer.

It is not said that they offer the prayers themselves, but that they offer incense as representing the prayers of the saints. If this be the correct interpretation, as it seems to be the obvious one, then the passage lays no foundation for the opinion expressed by Prof. Stuart, as derived from this passage (in loco), that prayer is offered by the redeemed in heaven. Whatever may be the truth on that point - on which the Bible seems to be silent - it will find no support from the passage before us. Adoration, praise, thanksgiving, are represented as the employment of the saints in heaven: the only representation respecting prayer as pertaining to that world is, that there are emblems there which symbolize its ascent before the throne, and which show that it is acceptable to God. It is an interesting and beautiful representation that there are in heaven appropriate symbols of ascending prayer, and that while in the outer courts here below we offer prayer, incense, emblematic of it, ascends in the holy of holies above. The impression which this should leave on our minds ought to be, that our prayers are wafted before the throne, and are acceptable to God.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Revelation 5:8. The four beasts - fell down before the Lamb — The whole Church of God, and all his children in heaven and earth, acknowledge that Jesus Christ is alone worthy and able to unfold and execute all the mysteries and counsels of God. Revelation 5:9.

Having every one of them harps — There were harps and vials; and each of the elders and living creatures had one.

Odours, which are the prayers of saints. — The frankincense and odours offered at the tabernacle were emblems of the prayers and praises of the Lord. That prayers are compared to incense, see Psalms 141:2: Let my PRAYER be set forth before thee as INCENSE. Hence that saying in Synopsis Sohar, p. 44, n. 37: "The odour of the prayers of the Israelites is equal to myrrh and frankincense; but on the Sabbath it is preferred to the scent of all kinds of perfumes." The words which are the prayers of saints are to be understood as this is my body, this signifies or represents my body; these odours represent the prayers of the saints.


 
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