entreat and exhort and advise men not to have recourse to such practices, by which they scare the multitude out of their wits, as if they were children, compelling the legislator and the judge to heal the fears which the sorcerer arouses, and to tell them, in the first place, that he who attempts to poison or enchant others knows not what he is doing, either as regards the body (unless he have a knowledge of medicine) or as regards his enchantments, unless he happens to be a prophet or diviner” (‘‘ Laws,” xi., 933).
1. A cloud. The expression occurs seven times in the Apocalypse, and in all of them is connected with the Son of Man.
Rainbow. See on ch. iv. 3.
Pillars of fire. Compare ch. i. 15.
2. In his hand (év). The roll of Ch. v. was on the hand (éré, see ch. v. 1), being too large to be grasped within it. The roll was on the right hand; the little book is in the deft. See on ver. 5.
3. Cried (xpafev). See on Mark v. 5. As when. The when of A. V. is unnecessary.
Roareth (uvxearar). Only here in the New Testament. Peter uses @pvouat for the voice of the lion. See on 1 Pet.v.8. The verb here is originally applied to the lowing of cattle, expressing the sound, moo-ka-omat. Both Aristophanes and Theocritus use it of the roar of the lion, and the former of thunder. Homer, of the ring of the shield and the hissing of meat on the spit.
Seven thunders. The Jews were accustomed to speak of thunder as “ the seven voices.” Compare the sevenfold “ voice of the Lord,” Ps. xxix.