Revelation 9:12

New Testament Apocalyptic ASV (1901)

What does Revelation 9:12 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “The first Woe is past: behold, there come yet two Woes hereafter.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

The first Woe is past: behold, there come yet two Woes hereafter.
Revelation 9:12 — American Standard Version

Context — Revelation 9

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
12The first Woe is past: behold, there come yet two Woes hereafter.

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“One woe is past, etc.] One of the three woe trumpets, the first of them; that is, in the vision which John had of it, not the thing itself designed by it: [and] behold there come two woes more hereafter; under the blowing of the sixth and seventh trumpets.”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Greek, "The one woe." hereafter--Greek, "after these things." I agree with ALFORD and DE BURGH, that these locusts from the abyss refer to judgments about to fall on the ungodly immediately before Christ's second advent. None of the interpretations which regard them as past, are satisfactory. Joe 1:2-7; Joe 2:1-11, is strictly parallel and expressly refers (Joe 2:11) to THE DAY OF THE LORD GREAT AND VERY TERRIBLE: Joe 2:10 gives the portents accompanying the day of the Lord's coming, the earth quaking, the heavens trembling, the sun, moon, and stars, withdrawing their shining: Joe 2:18, Joe 2:31-32, also point to the immediately succeeding deliverance of Jerusalem: compare also, the previous…”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“One woe is past - The woe referred to in Revelation 9:1-11. In Revelation 8:13 three woes are mentioned which were to occur successively, and which were to embrace the whole of the period comprised in the seven seals and the seven trumpets. Under the last of the seals we have considered four successive periods, referring to events connected with the downfall of the Western empire; and then we have found one important event worthy of a place in noticing the things which would permanently affect the destiny of the world - the rise, the character, and the conquests of the Saracens. This was referred to by the first woe-trumpet. We enter now on the consideration of the second. This occupies the…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“One woe is past; behold, there come yet two woes after these things - The Persian power, under which was the first woe, was now broken by the Saracens: from this time the first pause made a wide way for the two succeeding woes. In 589, when the first woe ended, Mahomet was twenty years old, and the contentions of the Christians with each other were exceeding great. In 591 Chosroes II. reigned in Persia, who, after the death of the emperor, made dreadful disturbances in the east, Hence Mahomet found an open door for his new religion and empire. And when the usurper Phocas had, in the year 606, not only declared the Bishop of Rome, Boniface III., universal bishop, but also the church of Rome…”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“woe: Rev 9:1, Rev 9:2 two: Rev 9:13-21, Rev 8:13, Rev 11:14 Revelation 9:13”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification