And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.
And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them – Those dwelling in the land would rejoice over their fall and ruin. This cannot, of course, mean all who inhabit the globe; but, according to the usage in Scripture, those who dwell in the country where this would occur. Compare the notes on Luk 2:1. We now affix to the word earth an idea which was not necessarily implied in the Hebrew word erets, (compare Exo 3:8; Exo 13:5; Deu 19:2, Deu 19:10; Deu 28:12; Neh 9:22; Psa 37:9, Psa 37:11, Psa 37:22, Psa 37:29; Psa 66:4; Pro 2:21; Pro 10:30; Joe 1:2); or the Greek word ge, compare Mat 2:6, Mat 2:20-21; Mat 14:15; Act 7:7, Act 7:11, Act 7:36, Act 7:40; Act 13:17. Our word land, as now commonly understood, would better express the idea intended to be conveyed here; and thus understood, the meaning is, that the dwellers in the country where these things would happen would thus rejoice. The meaning is, that while alive they would, by their faithful testimony against existing errors, excite so much hatred against themselves, and would be so great an annoyance to the governing powers, that there would be general exultation when the voice of their testimony should be silenced. This, too, has been so common in the world that there would be no difficulty in applying the language used here, or in finding events which it would appropriately deseribe.
And make merry – Be glad. See the notes on Luk 12:19; Luk 15:23. The Greek word does not necessarily denote the lighthearted mirth expressed by our word merriment, but rather joy or happiness in general. The meaning is, that they would be filled with joy at such an event.
And shall send gifts one to another – As expressive of their joy. To send presents is a natural expression of our own happiness, and our desire for the happiness of others – as is indicated now by Christmas and New Years gifts. Compare also Neh 8:10-12; Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength, etc. See also Est 9:19-22.Because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth – They tormented them, or were a source of annoyance to them, by bearing testimony to the truth; by opposing the prevailing errors; and by rebuking the vices of the age: perhaps by demanding reformation, and by denouncing the judgment of heaven on the guilty. There is no intimation that they tormented them in any other way than by the truths which they held forth. See the word explained in the notes on 2Pe 2:8.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 10. Shall send gifts] This was a custom in days of public rejoicing. They sent gifts to each other, and gave portions to the poor. See Est 9:19; Est 9:22.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
It is plain by the repeating of the same words in the close of the verse, that by those that
dwell upon the earth are meant earthly, carnal men, whether papists or atheists; men that are mad upon their lusts; for these are those in whose consciences faithful and powerful preaching breeds a torment and uneasiness, so as they always count godly ministers their enemies, (as Ahab told Elijah), and are not able to bear their words (as the Israelites could not bear the words of Amos).
Shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; these therefore shall keep holiday, when they see these their enemies conquered, and show all signs and expressions of joy. These preachers were they that hindered them from a quiet sleep in their beds of lust.
Because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth; and though they fought against them only with a fire going out of their mouths, as prophets declaring the will of God to be contrary to their lewd practices, and denouncing Gods wrath against those that did such things; yet their preaching made their heads ache, partly by alarming their consciences, so as they often flew in their faces; and by it they were exposed to the reproach of people, as living directly contrary to the Divine rule, and in defiance of his law: thus they torment wicked men, who therefore always did, and always will, triumph in their suppression, or in any evil that shall betide them. And as they see their suppression greater than ever before, (as it will be undoubtedly during these three years and a half), so the triumph of lewd and wicked men will be proportionably more, though it will be but like a widows joy, for a short time, for it will appear that their dead bodies were not put into the grave.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
10. they that dwell upon . . .earththose who belong to the earth, as its citizens, not toheaven (Rev 3:10; Rev 8:13;Rev 12:12; Rev 13:8).
shallso Vulgate,Syriac, and Coptic. But A, B, and C read the presenttense; compare Note, see on Re11:9, on “shall not suffer.”
rejoice over themTheAntichristianity of the last days shall probably be under the name ofphilosophical enlightenment and civilization, but really man’sdeification of himself. Fanaticism shall lead Antichrist’s followersto exult in having at last seemingly silenced in death theirChristian rebukers. Like her Lord, the Church will have her darkpassion week followed by the bright resurrection morn. It is acurious historical coincidence that, at the fifth Lateran Council,May 5, 1514, no witness (not even the Moravians who were summoned)testified for the truth, as HUSSand JEROME did atConstance; an orator ascended the tribunal before the representativesof papal Christendom, and said, “There is no reclaimant, noopponent.” LUTHER, onOctober 31, 1517, exactly three and a half years afterwards, postedup his famous theses on the church at Wittenberg. The objection is,the years are years of three hundred sixty-five, not three hundredsixty, days, and so two and a half days are deficient; but still thecoincidence is curious; and if this prophecy be allowed otherfulfilments, besides the final and literal one under the lastAntichrist, this may reasonably be regarded as one.
send gifts one to anotheraswas usual at a joyous festival.
tormented themnamely,with the plagues which they had power to inflict (Rev 11:5;Rev 11:6); also, by theirtestimony against the earthly.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And they that dwell upon the earth,…. Out of which the beast arose, and over which he reigns, even the inhabitants of the Roman empire, often in this book called the earth, the followers of antichrist, men that mind nothing but earth, and earthly things:
shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; as is usual with persons, and was with the Jews, to do in times of public rejoicing; see Es 9:18.
Because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth; not because they were tormented by them, but because they were now freed from their tormenting ministry; they had tormented them by the preaching of the Gospel, which is foolishness, and the savour of death to natural men, and gives them pain, and fills them with vexation and wrath; by their testimony which they had bore for Christ, and against antichrist; by their sharp reproof of them for their false doctrine and will worship, and their impure lives and conversations; by their own holy lives, which would sometimes flash light into their consciences, and make them uneasy; and by their foretelling the calamities and ruin, temporal and eternal, that would come upon them; but now they are silenced, and they hear and see no more of these things at which they rejoice.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
They that dwell upon the earth ( ). Present active articular participle of , “an Apocalyptic formula” (Swete) for the non-Christian world (Rev 3:10; Rev 6:10; Rev 8:13; Rev 13:8; Rev 13:12; Rev 13:14; Rev 17:8).
Rejoice (). Present active indicative of .
Over them (‘ ). Locative (or dative) case with as in 10:11.
Make merry (). Present middle indicative of , old verb (, , jolly mind), as in Luke 15:32; Rev 12:12; Rev 18:20. Jubilant jollification over the cessation of the activity of the two prophets.
They shall send gifts to one another ( ). Future active of with dative . Just as we see it done in Esth 9:19; Esth 9:22; Neh 8:10; Neh 8:12.
Tormented (). First aorist active indicative of , for which see 9:5. This is the reason () of the fiendish glee of Jew and Gentile, who no longer will have to endure the prophecies (11:3f.) and dread miracles (11:5f.) of these two prophets. “Such a sense of relief is perhaps not seldom felt today by bad men when a preacher of righteousness or a signal example of goodness is removed” (Swete).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Shall rejoice (carousin). Read cairousin, present tense, rejoice. Shall make merry [] . Read eujfrainontai, present tense, make merry; and for the word see note on fared sumptuously, Luk 16:19.
Shall send gifts. As on a day of festival. See Neh 8:10, 12. Tormented (ejbasanisan). See on vexed, 2Pe 2:8, and on Mt 4:23, 24.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And they that dwell upon the earth,” (kai hoi katoikountes epi tes ges) “And those dwelling upon the earth,” those left after the church has been raptured, the 144,000 of Israel have been sealed against death, the antichrist has required to be worshipped as God, and the restraining power of the Holy Spirit has been taken away with the church; 1Th 4:13-18; 2Th 2:3-10; Rev 7:3-4.
2) “Shall rejoice over them, and make merry,” (chairousin epi autois kai euphrainontai) “Rejoice over them and are glad.” The people following the antichrist (Joh 5:43; Dan 9:26-27; 2Th 2:3-12) who requires worship of himself, like Nebuchadnezzar, Dan 3:4-18; shall first rejoice that there is no gospel preached to prick or convict their conscience, but it will be temporary, Pro 29:11; Heb 4:7; Joh 16:20.
3) “And shall send gifts one to another,” (kai dora pempsousin allelois) “and they will send gifts (indiscriminately) one to another;” The joy of the world order is so foolish, so fickle, so fleeting, for soon thereafter they “gnaw their tongues” for pain, in anguish, when God shall laugh, Rev 16:10; Pro 1:22-32.
4) “Because these two prophets,” (hoti houtoi hoi duo prophetoi) “because these two prophets,” or prophesying witnesses, Israel and the church, 1) the two olive trees, 2) the two candlesticks, 3) the two custodians of the Old and New Testaments whose testimony and programs of worship shall overlap about 31/2 years prior to the end of the church and Gentile age as they did during the ministry of Christ, until the veil of the temple was rent, Rev 11:3-4; 1Co 10:32; Mat 27:51; 2Co 3:7; 2Co 3:11; Col 3:14-17; Mat 5:17-18; Joh 3:29.
5) “tormented them that dwelt on the earth,” (ebasanisan tous katoikountas epi tes ges) “tormented those dwelling upon the earth; The message of the gospel is a conscience-tormenting one to sinners, to call them to repentance, without which none can be saved; under its conviction Paul was pricked, Felix trembled, Act 9:5-6; Act 24:25.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
10. Send gifts As if the day of their death were a festival, a Christmas, or a new-year, when presents are made among friends.
Tormented Tired, perplexed, or harassed them with a testimony against their sins and dogmas.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And those who dwell on the earth rejoice over them and make merry, and they will send gifts to one another because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on earth.’
Those whose hearts are on earthly things, the earth dwellers, throw parties and celebrate. At last they are free of these men who had made them feel so guilty, who had tormented their consciences. They happily send gifts to each other (compare Neh 8:12; Est 9:19) to demonstrate their relief. Their ‘tormentors’ have been dealt with. The world hates having its conscience tormented by the people of God. Possibly there is some thought in the use of this word that the torments of the evil spirits in Rev 9:5-6; Rev 9:14-21 may also have been laid at the door of the two witnesses (the passage is especially connected with the second woe (Rev 11:14)). So they celebrate their triumph. But as Job reminds us succintly ‘the triumphing of the wicked is short’ (Job 20:5).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.
Ver. 10. Shall rejoice over them ] As they did at the Council of Constance, when they had burnt John Huss and Jerome of Prague. So upon the news of the bishops burnt at Oxford, Gardiner came out rejoicing to the Duke of Norfolk; Now, said he, let us be merry and go to dinner. But it was the last he did eat, and he went to hell to digest it too. a So upon the news of the French massacre, a jubilee was proclaimed at Rome; the Cardinal of Lorrain gave a thousand crowns to the messenger; the pope caused the massacre to be painted in his palace. Those of Ireland he will surely portray in his chapel or oratory. (Thuanus.)
These two prophets tormented them ] As Elias did Ahab, Jeremiah and Amos their flagitious countrymen, and as the martyrs here did their persecutors. Dr Fuller came to William Woolsey his prisoner, and said, Thou dost much trouble my conscience; wherefore I pray thee depart and rule thy tongue, so that I hear no more complaint of thee, and come to church when thou wilt, &c. The end of carnal joy is sorrow (saith Mr Bradford, martyr, in a certain letter). Now let the whoremonger joy with the drunkard, swearer, covetous, malicious, blind buzzard, St John. For the mass will not bite them, nor make them to blush as preaching will. Now may they do what they will; come devils to the church, and go devils home; for no man must find fault; and they are glad of this. Now have they their heart’s desire, as the Sodomites had when Lot was gone, &c.
a In terris manducant quod apud inferos degerunt.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Rev 11:10 . So far from laying it to heart that the godly perish, men are hyperbolically represented as congratulating one another on getting rid of these obnoxious prophets with their vexatious words (3) and works (6), which hitherto had baffled opposition (Rev 11:4-5 ). Another naive Oriental touch is that their victims exchange presents in order to celebrate the festive occasion.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
upon, on. App-104.
shall. Omit.
over. Greek. epi. App-104.
send. App-174.
prophets. App-189.
tormented. See Rev 9:5.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
dwell: Rev 12:13, Rev 13:8, Rev 13:14, Mat 10:22
rejoice: Jdg 16:23, Jdg 16:24, Psa 13:4, Psa 35:19, Psa 35:24-26, Psa 89:42, Pro 24:17, Jer 50:11, Oba 1:12, Mic 7:8, Joh 16:20
make: Neh 8:10-12, 1Co 13:6, Est 9:19-22
these: Rev 11:5, Rev 11:6, Rev 16:10, 1Ki 18:17, 1Ki 21:20, 1Ki 22:8, 1Ki 22:18, Jer 38:4, Joh 7:7, Act 5:33, Act 7:54-57, Act 17:5, Act 17:6
Reciprocal: Exo 32:6 – sat down Num 12:6 – a prophet Jdg 19:6 – let thine heart 1Sa 30:16 – eating 2Ch 18:26 – Put 2Ch 25:16 – forbear Est 2:18 – gave gifts Est 3:15 – sat down Est 5:14 – go thou in Psa 64:5 – encourage Psa 80:6 – our enemies Amo 5:10 – hate Amo 6:13 – which Hab 1:15 – therefore Mat 23:34 – prophets Mat 27:4 – What Mat 27:40 – saying Mar 6:16 – It is Mar 6:21 – his birthday Rev 11:18 – the nations Rev 12:12 – Woe
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Rev 11:10. Even this is not all. They that dwell upon the earth, that is, the ungodly everywhere rejoice and hold high festival over their destruction. In the words used it is impossible to mistake the mocking contrast to Gods holy festival as described in Neh 8:10-12.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
11:10 And they that dwell upon the earth {16} shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets {17} tormented them that dwelt on the earth.
(16) So much the more shall they by this occasion exercise the hilarity of their Jubile.
(17) The gospel of Christ is the affliction of the world, and the ministry of it, the savour of death to death, to those that perish, 2Co 2:16 .
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
This is the only instance of rejoicing during the Tribulation recorded in this book. It reflects the widespread wickedness of that day (cf. 1Ki 18:17; 1Ki 21:20). Earth-dwellers will celebrate because they do not have to listen to messages from God any longer. This will be the world’s last great Mardi Gras type celebration.