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Revelation 9:6

New Testament Apocalyptic ASV (1901)

What does Revelation 9:6 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “And in those days men shall seek death, and shall in no wise find it; and they shall desire to die, and death fleeth from them.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

And in those days men shall seek death, and shall in no wise find it; and they shall desire to die, and death fleeth from them.
Revelation 9:6 — American Standard Version

Context — Revelation 9

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
3And out of the smoke came forth locusts upon the earth; and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power.
4And 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.
5And it was given them that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when it striketh a man.
6And in those days men shall seek death, and shall in no wise find it; and they shall desire to die, and death fleeth from them.
7And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared for war; and upon their heads as it were crowns like unto gold, and their faces were as men`s faces.
8And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as [teeth] of lions.
9And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots, of many horses rushing to war.
← Revelation 9:5Revelation 9:7 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And in those days men shall seek death, etc.] Or desire to die, as Job did: and shall not find it; or shall not die: and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them; death will be preferred to a miserable life; it will be chosen rather than life, (<240803>Jeremiah 8:3). The ravages of the Saracens, their incursions, and the invasions by them, struck such terror into the inhabitants of divers parts of the empire, that they made death more eligible to them than life.”
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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
“shall desire--Greek, "eagerly desire"; set their mind on. shall flee--So B, Vulgate, Syriac, and Coptic read. But A and Aleph read, "fleeth," namely continually. In Rev 6:16, which is at a later stage of God's judgments, the ungodly seek annihilation, not from the torment of their suffering, but from fear of the face of the Lamb before whom they have to stand.”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“And in those days shall men seek death ... - See the notes on Revelation 9:5. It is very easy to conceive of such a state of things as is here described, and, indeed, this has not been very uncommon in the world. It is a state where the distress is so great that people would consider death a relief, and where they anxiously look to the time when they may be released from their sufferings by death. In the case before us it is not intimated that they would lay violent hands on themselves, or that they would take any positive measures to end their sufferings; and this, perhaps, may be a circumstance of some importance to show that the persons referred to were servants of God. When it is said…”
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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
“The men - That is, the men who are so tormented. Revelation 9:7”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“shall men: Rev 6:16; Sa2 1:9; Job 3:20-22, Job 7:15, Job 7:16; Isa 2:19; Jer 8:3; Hos 10:8; Joh 4:8, Joh 4:9; Luk 23:30 Revelation 9:7”
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Related study paths

Read Revelation 9 in contextBrowse Greek word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification