Revelation 13:9

If any man have an ear, let him hear.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(9) This verse—an echo of his Master’s words from the lips of the beloved disciple—calls marked attention to the warning words of the next verse.

Benson Commentary

Revelation 13:9-10. If any man have an ear, let him hear — It was customary with our Saviour, when he would have his auditors to pay a particular attention to what he had been saying, to add, He who hath ears to hear, let him hear. St. John repeats the same admonition at the end of each of the seven epistles to the seven churches of Asia, and here in the conclusion of his description of the beast, If any man have an ear, let him hear: and certainly the description of the beast is deserving of the highest attention upon many accounts, and particularly because the right interpretation of this book turns upon it, as one of its main hinges. It is added, by way of consolation to the church, that these enemies of God and of Christ, represented under the character of the beast, shall suffer the law of retaliation, and be as remarkably punished and tormented themselves, as they punished and tormented others, Revelation 13:10. He who leadeth into captivity, shall go into captivity; he who killeth with the sword, must be killed with the sword — Such a promise might administer some comfort; and indeed it would be wanted, for the patience and the faith of the saints would be tried to the utmost during the reign of the beast. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints — Of all the trials and persecutions of the church this would be the most severe, and exceed those of the primitive times, both in degree and in duration.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

13:1-10 The apostle, standing on the shore, saw a savage beast rise out of the sea; a tyrannical, idolatrous, persecuting power, springing up out of the troubles which took place. It was a frightful monster! It appears to mean that worldly, oppressing dominion, which for many ages, even from the times of the Babylonish captivity, had been hostile to the church. The first beast then began to oppress and persecute the righteous for righteousness' sake, but they suffered most under the fourth beast of Daniel, (the Roman empire,) which has afflicted the saints with many cruel persecutions. The source of its power was the dragon. It was set up by the devil, and supported by him. The wounding the head may be the abolishing pagan idolatry; and the healing of the wound, introducing popish idolatry, the same in substance, only in a new dress, but which as effectually answers the devil's design. The world admired its power, policy and success. They paid honour and subjection to the devil and his instruments. It exercised infernal power and policy, requiring men to render that honour to creatures which belongs to God alone. Yet the devil's power and success are limited. Christ has a chosen remnant, redeemed by his blood, recorded in his book, sealed by his Spirit; and though the devil and antichrist may overcome the body, and take away the natural life, they cannot conquer the soul, nor prevail with true believers to forsake their Saviour, and join his enemies. Perseverance in the faith of the gospel and true worship of God, in this great hour of trial and temptation, which would deceive all but the elect, is the character of those registered in the book of life. This powerful motive and encouragement to constancy, is the great design of the whole Revelation.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

If any man have an ear, let him hear - See the notes on Revelation 2:7. The idea here is, that what was here said respecting the "beast" was worthy of special attention, as it pertained to most important events in the history of the church.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

9. A general exhortation. Christ's own words of monition calling solemn attention.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Either, let him hear what hath been already said, and take heed that he be not one of those that worship the beast; or, let him hear what followeth concerning the ruin of antichrist and his adherents: but from the usage of this phrase in other scriptures, where it is oft made use of to stir up attention to some remarkable thing, it seemeth rather to be applied to what went before. The phrase also further lets us know, that (comparatively) the number of those who should refuse to worship the beast would be very small, as indeed it proved.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

If any man have an ear, let him hear. And diligently attend to this mystical description of antichrist, as being matter of some difficulty to understand, as well as of great moment and importance, and seriously consider it, that he may know him, and his followers, and avoid them; See Gill on Revelation 1:7.

Geneva Study Bible

{14} If any man have an ear, let him hear.

(14) The conclusion of this speech of the first beast, consisting of two parts, an exhortation to attentive audience, in this verse: and a foretelling, which partly contains threatenings against the wicked and partly comfort for those who in patience and faith shall wait for that glorious coming of our Lord and Saviour Christ; Re 13:10

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary

Revelation 13:9-10. This consolatory assurance is expressly urged as one extremely important.[3333]

ΕἼ ΤΙς ΕἸς ΑἸΧΜΑΛΩΣΊΑΝ, ΕἸς ΑἸΧΜΑΛΩΣΊΑΝ. The jus talionis is exercised by the righteous judgment of God.[3334] The brevity of the elliptical expression corresponds very well with the immutability of the strict sentence, in case the second ΕἸς ΑἸΧΜΑΛΩΣΊΑΝ stands without further definition.[3335]

On the two kinds of persecution, cf. Revelation 2:10; Revelation 2:13, Revelation 6:10, Revelation 11:7. Volkm. regards the threat of the sword as directed against Nero. But how is it conceivable if Revelation 13:3 refers, according to Volkmar’s interpretation, to Nero?

ὠδε ἐστι ἡ ὑπομονή, κ.τ.λ. The formula ὦδε ἐστιν is in itself so indefinite that it can express both gradations of the idea: “Here must the patience, the wisdom,[3336] of believers be displayed,”[3337] and “Here patience is present, here lies its foundation and source.” In this passage, and Revelation 14:12, the latter idea results from the connection; by the ὠδε, κ.τ.λ., an allusion is made to what has just been said, Revelation 13:10, yea already in Revelation 13:8; viz., to that in which the patience of the saints consists, who by their faith lay hold of that divine consolation. Otherwise, Revelation 13:18; Revelation 17:9.

[3333] Revelation 13:9. Cf. Revelation 2:7; Revelation 2:11.

[3334] Cf. Revelation 18:6, Revelation 19:2.

[3335] ὑπάγει, Revelation 17:8. See Critical Notes.

[3336] Revelation 13:18; Revelation 17:9.

[3337] De Wette, Hengstenb.

NOTES BY THE AMERICAN EDITOR

LXXII. Revelation 13:8. ἀπὸ κατβαολῆς κόσμου

In favor of the translation in our A. V., is the distance of this clause from the γέγραπται. 1 Peter 1:19-20, John 17:24, are sometimes cited as supporting “slain from the foundation;” but the shade of meaning there expressed is different. Revelation 17:8 seems to be decisive in favor of the construction advocated by Düsterdieck; and it has, on the basis of this passage, been adopted by the American section of the committee on the R. V.

Expositor's Greek Testament

Revelation 13:9. The prophet’s nota bene introduces (Revelation 13:10) what is either (a) a demand for patience and non-resistance, or (b) an encouragement to it. (a) “Be patient. If captivity is your destiny from God, accept it. If any one is (destined) for captivity, to captivity he goes (in God’s order, ὑπάγει in a future sense). Show your patient faith in God by abstaining from the use of force” (cf. Matthew 26:52). This interpretation (rejecting συνάγει or ἀπάγει in 10a) is preferable to (b) that which reads (or even understands; with B. Weiss) συνάγει, ἀπάγει, or ὑπάγει (so some cursives and versions) in 10a, and thus finds in the words a promise of requital rather than an appeal for endurance. The fate inflicted on Christians will recoil on their persecutors (cf. Revelation 14:12). Imprisonment or captivity and death were the normal fates of the age for criminals who refused to invoke the emperor’s genius (cf. Jos. Bell. iii. 10. 10, vi. 8. 2, Philo: de Flacc. 11, leg. ad Gaium, 32). A variation of this meaning would be: use force, and you (Christians) will suffer for it. The whole stanza is written for saints who, like Sigurd, are not born for blenching.—ὧδε κ.τ.λ. Josephus (Bell. iii. 5. 8, etc.) had just given, from prudential motives, a similar warning to Jews against participating in any anti-Roman movement. It was always hard to disabuse the Oriental mind of the idea that religious faith must be bound up with fate and fighting. cf. Introd. § 6.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

9. If any man &c.] See on Revelation 2:7.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 9. - If any man have an ear, let him hear. This verse draws attention to the solemn declaration which follows in the succeeding verse (cf. Revelation 2:7; Revelation 3:6; also Matthew 11:15, etc.). Revelation 13:9