And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus.
5. the angel of the waters ] Here at least there is no question (see on Rev 7:1, Rev 14:18) that we have an elemental Angel; see Exc. I.
O Lord ] Should be omitted.
which art, and wast, and shalt be ] Read, which art and wast, the Holy One: the word for “holy” being the same as in Rev 15:4. As the phrase for “which art and wast” is ungrammatical (see on Rev 1:4), it is perhaps better to render “which is and which was.” For the omission of “which is to come,” cf. Rev 11:17. Its virtual insertion here in the A. V. seems to be an oversight in translation, not a mistaken reading.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And I heard the angel of the waters say – The angel who presides over the element of water; in allusion to the common opinion among the Hebrews that the angels presided over elements, and that each element was committed to the jurisdiction of a particular angel. Compare the notes on Rev 7:1.
Thou art righteous, O Lord – In view of the judgments that reddened these streams and fountains with the blood of people, the angel ascribes righteousness to God. These judgments seemed terrible – the numbers slain were so vast – the bloody stream indicated so great slaughter, and such severity of the divine judgment; yet the angel sees in all this only the act of a righteous God bringing just retribution on the guilty.
Which art, and wast, and shalt be – That is, who art eternal – existing now; who hast existed in all past time; and who will exist ever onward. See the notes on Rev 1:8. The reason why this attribute of God is here referred to, seems to be that the mind of the angel adverts to it in the changes and desolations that were occurring around him. In such overturnings among people – such revolutions of kingdoms – such desolations of war – the mind naturally turns to one who is unchanging; to one whose throne is from everlasting to everlasting.
Because thou hast judged thus – Hast suffered these wars to occur that have changed rivers and fountains to blood.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 5. The angel of the waters] The rabbins attribute angels, not only to the four elements so called, but to almost every thing besides. We have already seen the angel of the bottomless pit, Re 9:11, and the angel of the fire, Re 14:18. The angel of the earth is spoken of in Yalcut Rubeni, fol. 13, 2, and is called Admael. They have also an angel that presides over the grass; another that presides over the cattle which feed upon the grass.
They say that God employed the angel of the sea to swallow up the waters at the creation, that the dry land might appear. He disobeyed, and God slew him; the name of the angel of the sea is Rahab. See Baba bathra, fol. 74, 2. It is plain from several places that the writer of the Apocalypse keeps these notions distinctly in view.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
This and the two following verses do but express the honour and glory that shall be given unto God, when he shall have accomplished his great work in destroying those who feed, and uphold, and maintain the beast, partly by those instruments he shall use in that work, expressed here by
the angel of the waters, partly from others.
Thou art righteous. O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus; acknowledging the Lords justice and righteousness in such destruction.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
5. angel of the watersthatis, presiding over the waters.
O Lordomitted by A, B,C, Vulgate, Syriac, Coptic, and ANDREAS.
and shalt beA, B, C,Vulgate, and ANDREASfor this clause read, “(which art and wast) holy.“The Lord is now no longer He that shall come, for He iscome in vengeance and therefore the third of the three clausesfound in Rev 1:4; Rev 1:8;Rev 4:8 is here and in Re11:17 omitted.
judged thusliterally,”these things.” “Thou didst inflict this judgment.”
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And I heard the angel of the waters say,…. So we read in Jewish writings t of an angel that was , “the prince of the sea”, and of angels that were over the waters, and others over fire u; though here is designed not one of the “angels of the water”, that presided ove the waters, as another over fire;
[See comments on Re 14:18], but the third angel that poured out his vial upon the waters; when he had so done, he said as follows. Dr. Lightfoot thinks, and that not without reason, that since these angels appeared in the garb of priests, Re 15:6 and since there was a priest appointed to take care of the wells, and fountains, and ditches about Jerusalem, that the people might have water at the feasts w, there is an allusion to him; and certain it is that there was such an officer; there was one Nechoniah, who was over the fountains and ditches x; and in the same office was Nicodemon ben Gorion y, thought to be the Nicodemus mentioned in the New Testament.
Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shall be: which may be understood either of God the Father, who had power over these plagues, Re 16:9 and sent them; or of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all, and is righteous in all his ways and works, in all his judgments on antichrist, and is the eternal “I AM”, which is, and was, and shall be; see Re 1:8. The Alexandrian copy, and most others, and the Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions, read “holy”, instead of “shalt be”; for the purity and holiness of Christ will be seen in the judgments which he will exercise, as follows:
because thou hast judged thus; or “these things”; or “them”, as the Ethiopic version reads; that is, has brought these judgments upon the men signified by rivers and fountains, and made great havoc and slaughter of them, expressed by their becoming blood; the justice of which appears from the following reason.
t T. Bab. Gittin, fol. 68. 3. u Yalkut Simeoni, par. 2. fol. 58. 4. par. 2. fol. 167. 4. w Maimon, Cele Hamikdash, c. 7. sect. 15. x Misn. Shekalim, c. 5. sect. 1. y Abot R. Nathan, c. 5. fol. 3. 2.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The angel of the waters ( ). Genitive case object of . See 7:1 for the four angels in control of the winds and 14:18 for the angel with power over fire. The rabbis spoke also of an angel with power over the earth and another over the sea.
Which art and which wast ( ). See this peculiar idiom for God’s eternity with as relative before in Rev 1:4; Rev 1:8; Rev 4:8, but without (the coming on, the one who is to be) there for the future as in 11:17.
Thou Holy One ( ). Nominative form, but vocative case, as often. Note both and applied to God as in Rev 3:1; Rev 15:3.
Because thou didst thus judge ( ). Reason for calling God and . The punishment on the waters is deserved. First aorist active indicative of , to judge.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
The angel of the waters. Set over the waters as other angels over the winds (ch. 7 1) and over the fire (ch. 14 18).
O Lord. Omit.
And shalt be. Following the reading oJ ejsomenov. Read oJ osiov Thou Holy One.
Thou didst thus judge [ ] . Lit., Thou didst judge these things.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And I heard the angel of the waters say,” (kai ekousa tou angelou ton hudaton legontos) “the third of the seven angels saying repeatedly,” the one that had poured out his bowl of Divine vengeance upon the rivers and fountains of waters, repeating the following Divine adoration of his righteous judgment.
2) “Thou art righteous, 0 Lord, which art,” (dikaios ei ho on ho hosios) “righteous art thou, the one who is the holy one,” 0 Lord, as in Rev 15:3.
3) “And wast and shalt be,” (kai ho en) “and existed (was) and shall ever be; the eternal God, the Master or Lord of all forever, Rev 1:4; Rev 1:8; Rev 4:8; Rev 11:17.
4) “Because thou hast judged thus,” (hoti tauta ekrinas) “Because thou judgest these things; only the evil of the earth question the justice and righteousness of God- not the angels of heaven or the redeemed, Rom 3:3-6.
If God did not judge sin, he could not save sinners. It was the judgment of sin in his Son (sins that he bore for us), that provided the righteous ground for the believer’s pardon, as well as the unbeliever’s judgment for his own sins, 1Pe 2:24; 1Pe 3:18; Joh 3:18; Joh 8:24.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(5) And I heard the angel of the waters . . .That is, the angel who was set over the waters, or the angel who is, on the heavenly side, representative of the waters. (See Excursus A: On the Angels.) The angel acknowledges Gods righteousness. Thou art righteous . . . because Thou didst judge these thingsi.e., because of the righteous law which these judgments manifested.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
(5-7) But this state of things is declared to be a just retribution, and reasonably so; for the corruption arises because the true power of life has been rejected: it is the refusal of the good, the want of the life-giving element, which is the secret of all death, physical, moral, spiritual. Tis life we want when breath is scant. The world-power and its worshippers have driven away goodness and faith, the elements of the higher life of man; they have slain the just and the righteous, who were the salt of the earth; they have rejected Christ, who is the life of men; how can they reap anything but decay and death? They slay the righteous; the death of righteousness leaves them nothing but the lifeless blood behind; they can no longer drink moral life from the good; there is but the legacy of death. Blood of saints and prophets did they pour out; and blood didst Thou give them to drink.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
5. The angel of the waters Note on Rev 14:18. The water- angel might have complained at this sanguinary invasion of his domain, but he humbly acknowledges the divine justice. Note Rev 18:6. Not for his own sin, nor for the guilt of the waters, is this terrible transformation; but for the guilt of man, the idolatry of Babylon.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And I heard the angel of the waters saying, “You are righteous, you who are and were, you holy one, because you did thus judge. For they poured out the blood of God’s people (saints) and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink. They are worthy”. And I heard the altar saying, “Yes Oh Lord God, the Almighty, true and righteous are your judgments”.’
All catastrophic events in nature, and all warfare, are to be seen as God’s judgments because the world is at enmity with God and attacks His people. These particular judgments are seen as like for like. They remind us that God is not only merciful but also holy and righteous. He is the Holy One. If men will not repent, then they will receive the consequence of their sin. ‘He is’ therefore He acts now. ‘He was’ and therefore He knows all that has been.
Note that God’s suffering people are now linked with the prophets. They share their sufferings, they share their blessing (compare Rev 11:18; Rev 17:6; Rev 18:20). The blood of the prophets is a regular description of persecution (Mat 23:30; Luk 11:50-51 compare Mar 12:5) and we should note that it would be ‘required’ of Jesus’ generation (Luk 11:51). Thus this bowl finds its fulfilment partly in 1st century AD. The sufferings of ‘the last days’ must not all be assigned to the final days of the age. And because of the shedding of the blood of the prophets, and of the martyred Christians, God will give those responsible ‘blood to drink’ in their turn. They too in their turn will die violently.
‘Blood to drink’. Compare Isa 49:26, where the phrase speaks of death in civil war, and also Zec 9:15 LXX. The filling of the rivers and fountains of waters with blood therefore probably refers to blood shed in wars and wholesale death. The constant references to wholesale bloodshed in Revelation are a vivid reminder that ‘the wages of sin is death’ (Rom 6:23). It is in total contrast with the water that the righteous are given to drink (Rev 7:17; Rev 22:1-2)..
These things are declared by ‘the angel of the waters’, and his words are echoed by ‘the altar’. The latter idea looks back to the souls under the altar of Rev 6:9-11. It is God’s people awaiting resurrection, and awaiting God’s the exercise of God’s justice, who speak from the altar. The ‘angel of the waters’ is on the side of good, and is probably in contrast to the falling star of Rev 8:10 who defiles the waters. By the defiling of the waters a part of his sphere of responsibility has been under attack, but he recognises that the fact that God has allowed it is just and right because the final consequence is justice.
It is probable that behind all this blood John has in mind in the background the death of Christ. ‘Blood as of a dead man’ (Rev 16:3), ‘you have given them blood to drink’ (Rev 16:6). But whereas God’s people partake in Christ’s blood as a joyous thing through faith, here the unbelievers partake of blood because of the judgments coming on them. Contrast this with references to the slain Lamb and the blood of the Lamb that enhances the whiteness of the garments of God’s people (Rev 1:5; Rev 5:6; Rev 7:14; Rev 12:11; Rev 19:13). Those who reject the offering of Christ on their behalf must themselves suffer as He suffered, for in their case there is none to bear it for them. Because they will not ‘drink His blood’ by responding to Him (Joh 6:53 on) they must drink blood in another way, through death.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
5 And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus.
Ver. 5. The angel of the waters ] The same that poured forth his vial upon the waters, Rev 16:4 .
Thou art righteous ] God’s judgments are sometimes secret, always just, and so to be acknowledged. We shall one day see the reason of all, and say as Jehu did, 2Ki 9:36 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Rev 16:5 . and are used together of God in hieratic inscriptions of dedication throughout Asia Minor, possibly under Jewish influence. , often a title of messiah (see on Rev 3:1 and Beer’s note on En. xxxviii. 2), is reserved here for God. Retribution is the outcome of God’s intense holiness or majesty ( cf. Rev 6:10 , Rev 15:4 ) asserting itself on behalf of his people (Rev 15:3 , Rev 19:2 , cf. Rev 3:7 ) and in self-vindication.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
righteous. App-191.
O Lord. The texts omit.
and Shalt be. The texts read “Thou Holy One”.
judged. App-122.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Rev 16:5. [178] , which art and which wast) See on ch. Rev 11:17, and comp. D. Lang. Comm. Apoc. f. 188.- ) Others put before , or for , or omit .[179] Sound exegesis often distinguishes the pearls of a genuine reading from the filth of various readings: and Wolf excellently compares with this the passage, ch. Rev 1:8, , , . It will also be profitable to have brought forward another, ch. Rev 4:8 : , , , , . There is a very great resemblance between those two passages and this passage, which is thus: , , . The subject there is, here, in the vocative case, . The epithet belonging to the subject is there, here, in the same case, in both places without the particle . The predicate there, ch. Rev 4:8, is here . For the sentence is not to be thus construed, since there are many intervening words in the text. At the commencement and at the close of the Apocalypse the Lord is called , the Almighty; here, where judgments show themselves, He is called , the Holy. First of all He is praised on account of His Might, lest in the time of His patience He should appear to have no strength, whereas in the end He is about to display enough of Might; afterwards He is praised for His Grace, when retribution commences. Might and Grace are alike assigned to the Lord in Psa 62:11-12. The epithet answers to the Hebrew , and signifies gracious, in an active or a passive sense. God exhibits His own grace in all His works, and He receives gratitude [the attribution of grace] from all saints.
[178] , of the beast) Therefore the vial of the first angel will be the first mark [character, characterism] of the beast.-V. g.
[179] Engl. Vers, has which art, and wast, and shalt be (omitting , and substituting or ). ABC Vulg. support . h has et qui es pius. Rec. Text has .-E.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
the angel: Rev 16:4
Thou art: Rev 16:7, Rev 15:3, Rev 19:2, Gen 18:25, Psa 129:4, Psa 145:17, Lam 1:18, Dan 9:14, Rom 2:5, Rom 3:5, 2Th 1:5, 2Th 1:6
which art: Rev 1:4, Rev 1:8, Rev 4:8, Rev 11:17
Reciprocal: Gen 2:4 – Lord Jdg 5:2 – for the avenging 2Ki 11:16 – there was she slain 2Ch 23:15 – they slew her there Psa 7:7 – So Psa 21:13 – so will Psa 48:11 – because Psa 50:6 – heavens Psa 51:4 – when Psa 52:6 – righteous Psa 65:5 – righteousness Isa 14:4 – How Isa 24:16 – glory Eze 35:6 – I will Luk 6:38 – with Luk 7:29 – justified Luk 13:9 – if not Rom 2:2 – judgment Rev 6:10 – dost Rev 13:15 – cause Rev 18:6 – Reward
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Rev 16:5. Angel of the waters is the one in the preceding verse. These angels form a unit (seven) and hence any principle held by one goes for all of them. The angel commended the action of the Lord for the righteous judgments inflicted upon the servants of the beast. Art, and vast and shalt be is the same as saying that God had no beginning and will have no end. Such a Being cannot do wrong hence his judgments against His enemies are bound to be just.
Rev 16:6. The first part of this verse is literal, for the agencies of both Pagan and Papal Rome caused many righteous servants of God to shed their blood. Given them blood to drink is figurative and refers to the legal executions imposed on the wicked.
Comments by Foy E. Wallace
Verses 5-6.
4. Each apocalypse had a separate attending angel in the superintendence of the scene enacted, and each angel personified the vision he represented, as verses five to six exemplify, in the angels of waters of the sea, and of the altar of the martyrs; in each symbol the one represents the other.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Rev 16:5-6. And I heard the angel of the waters saying, Thou art righteous, which art, and which wast, the Holy One. No episode of this kind had intervened at the close of the third trumpet. But at the highest stage of judgment it is fitting that even those who suffer from it should answer that it is right. The answer is given by the angel of the waters, not the angel who was set over the waters, and surely not the angel who now poured out his bowl upon the waters, but the waters themselves speaking by their angel, and responding to the fact that the judgment which they have incurred is just. The ascription of praise is to God as righteous, and it will be observed that He is described in three particulars; first, which art, secondly, which wast, thirdly, the Holy One. Which art to come can be no longer used, for God is come (comp. chap. Rev 11:17). The particular method of judgment is also commended. It is again the lex talionis; those who had poured out blood shall drink blood.
They are worthy (comp. chap. Rev 3:4).
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
These verses seem to be a key to let us into the right understanding of the verses immediately foregoing; and clearly show, that as the idolatrous enemies of the church did shed the blood of saints and martyrs, so should theirs be shed: which is called their having blood to drink.
Here note, 1. The approbation which the angel gives of the equity and righteousness of God’s judgments upon these bloody persecutors. Righteous art thou, O Lord, for thou hast given them blood to drink. Where the retribution which God makes of blood for blood, shows the righteousness of God in his judgments inflicted; and also declares that Almighty God doth sometimes so suit his judgments to the sin committed, that persons may read their sin in their punishment. As these persecutors thirsted after blood, so here they get blood to drink.
Note, 2. How the angel in the fifth verse, and the other in the seventh verse, do both rejoice in the execution of God’s judgments, and in the terrible revenge of the blood of saints. For thus they sing, Righteous art thou, O Lord, and just are thy judgments.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
5. Ascriptions of angelic and martyr praise 16:5-7
John heard praise of God in heaven that interrupted his narration of the outpouring of the bowls of wrath briefly.
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
The "angel of the waters" evidently refers to the angel responsible for the sea and fresh water, the superintendent of God’s water department. Scripture reveals that angels affect the elemental forces of nature (cf. Psa 104:4; Heb 1:7; Rev 7:1; Rev 9:11; Rev 14:18). This angel attributes righteousness to the eternal God for judging in kind (cf. Rev 15:3-4; Gal 6:7). The holy and righteous God can judge humanity according to the lex talionis principle because He is eternal.