Revelation 8 is the eighth chapter of the Book of Revelation or the Apocalypse of John in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. The book is traditionally attributed to John the Apostle, but the precise identity of the author remains a point of academic debate.F. L. Cross, The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, (New York: Oxford University Press, 1997), 45
In verse 1, the opening of the seventh seal concludes a section beginning in chapter 6 which records the opening of the "Seven Seals". Verses 2-13 and chapters 9 to 11 contain an account relating to the sounding of the "Seven Trumpets".Simcox, W. H., Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges on Revelation 8, accessed 27 October 2018 In chapter 8, the first four angels' trumpets are sounded.
Text The original text was written in Koine Greek. This chapter is divided into 13 verses.
Textual witnesses Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter are among others:Elliott, J. K. "Revelations from the apparatus criticus of the Book of Revelation: How Textual Criticism Can Help Historians." Union Seminary Quarterly Review 63, no. 3-4 (2012): 1-23. Papyrus 115 (ca. AD 275; extant verses 3–8, 11–13) Codex Sinaiticus (330-360) Codex Alexandrinus (400-440) Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus (ca. 450; extant verses 1–4)
The Seventh Seal (8:1–5) Verse 1 When He (the Lamb) opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. NKJV; "the Lamb" is added in the English Standard Version and the Revised Standard Version "The silence in heaven, lasting about a half-hour, begins at the place where the songs of praise still resound ()."Meyer, H. A. W., Meyer's NT Commentary on Revelation 8, accessed 26 October 2018 The Expanded Bible describes the silence as "a dramatic pause induced by awe".: Expanded Bible Silence in the presence of God is evoked by several of the minor prophets: Habakkuk 2:20, and .Jerusalem Bible (1966), footnote at Revelation 8:1
Verse 2 And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets. NKJV "The seven angels who stand before God": Heinrich Meyer notes that these are "seven particular angels, not called 'archangels', who, with a certain precedency above all the rest, stand before God". In the deuterocanonical Book of Tobit, Raphael introduces himself as "the angel Raphael, one of the seven, who stand before the Lord". Douai-Rheims Bible W. H. Simcox, in the Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges commentary, suggests that the passage in Tobit bears reference to "a popular Jewish belief as to these Angels" and that "St John’s vision is expressed in terms of that belief and, it may fairly be thought, sanctions it with his prophetic authority".
Verse 3 And another angel came and stood at the altar, 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. KJV
The First Four Trumpets (8:6–12) Similar to the first four seals, 'the first four trumpet-blasts' form a quartet', each affecting a third of the four regions of God's creation: earth, sea, fresh water, and heavens (cf. ).
Verse 6 And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. NKJV Mayer points out that "this includes the grasping of the trumpets in such a way that they could bring them to their mouths".
Verse 7 And the first blew the trumpet, and there was hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was thrown to the earth, and a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up. LEB
Verse 8 Then the second angel blew his trumpet, and a great mountain of fire was thrown into the sea. One-third of the water in the sea became blood, NLT
Verse 11 And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter. NKJVJohn Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible - Revelation 8:11
Before the Last Three Trumpets (8:13) This part serves as a marker (similar to the others in ; ) to indicate the sequence of the woes and to make aware the '(slow) progress' of the terrifying plagues.
Verse 13 And I looked, and I heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, "Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!" NKJV "Angel" (Greek: , ): in King James Version and New King James Version based on Textus Receptus;Revelation 8:13 Greek Text Analysis. Biblehub.com NU and M read "eagle"Note [c] on Revelation 8:13 in NKJV (, ) based on Papyrus 115, Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Alexandrinus.N-A
See also Jesus Christ John's vision of the Son of Man Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament Seven seals Seven trumpets Wormwood Related Bible parts: Revelation 5, Revelation 6, Revelation 7, Revelation 9, Revelation 10, Revelation 11
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External links King James Bible - Wikisource English Translation with Parallel Latin Vulgate Online Bible at GospelHall.org (ESV, KJV, Darby, American Standard Version, Bible in Basic English) Multiple bible versions at Bible Gateway (NKJV, NIV, NRSV etc.)