1. 2/y^, silence) Silence is opposed to a voice. The more frequent- voices are in this book, for instance, ch. vii. 10 and foil, verses, the more remarkable is this silence of awful expectation, preceding the clang of trumpets. D. Lange interprets it as the keeping rest [ sabbatism ] of a thousand years (Hermen. Einleit. pp. 30, 68, etc.), by an error (I am compelled to speak the truth), w’hich introduces great confusion. Neither is the silence a sabbath, nor is the half-hour the millennium. See Erkl. Offenh. p. 407 and following.
2. 11 E wra seven trumpets ) By these trumpets the king-
dom of the world is shaken, until under the trumpet of the seventh angel, after the most formidable hindrances, it is reduced to the Lord and to His Christ. The trumpets of the first, the second, the third, and the fourth angel, are closely connected wdth one another ; and so likewise the trumpets of the fifth, the sixth, and the seventh angel, which alone have woe, woe , woe.
3. K at dXkog ayys'kog i]\Qe, xai stfraOv} srri rov 6vffia.dryipiov syouv X/Buvu- rov ypvtsovr xa / id6t)rj avrfi Ovfjuu/Jjaru fl-oXXa, /Va duiffr) ra?g nrpofcvyjug ruv ccyluv, x.r.X., and another angel came and stood at the altar , having a golden censer ; and there was given unto him much incense , that he should offer it [simultaneously] ivith the prayers of saints, etc.) Respecting the angel who offers the prayers of the saints, the Hebrews, in Elle Shemoth Babba, sect. 21, speak after this manner: When the Israelites pray, they are not all found to pray altogether , but each synagogue (or congregation, riDJD) prays separately, first this synagogue, then another ; and when all the synagogues have finished all their prayers,
nanyi jta nvoaan 5m ifenniy mtann bi tau rr6snn by rmoon qatan ata yiy pKi iron' nap 5>a q^y 'kjp "n"n "pn bw pnw nnoy
: wibn nya tbo may
The angel who presides over the prayers, bears all the prayers which they have prayed in all the synagogues, and forms them into crowns, and places them (instead of pJTO I think that pnu should be read) on the head of God S. B., as it is said in Ps. lxv. 2, all flesh shall come as thy crown (for qny is so explained in that passage, as is more
1 tovs inra dyyfoovg, the seven angels) These are honoured with great prero- gative. One of them is Gabriel : Luke i. 19. — V. g.