7 and the first living creature `is' like a lion, and the second living creature `is' like a calf, and the third living creature hath the face as a man, and the fourth living creature `is' like an eagle flying.
As to the likeness of their faces, the face of a man, and the face of a lion, toward the right `are' to them four, and the face of an ox on the left `are' to them four, and the face of an eagle `are' to them four.
And four faces `are' to each; the face of the one `is' the face of the cherub, and the face of the second the face of man, and of the third the face of a lion, and of the fourth the face of an eagle.
A lion's whelp `is' Judah, For prey, my son, thou hast gone up; He hath bent, he hath crouched as a lion, And as a lioness; who causeth him to arise?
`Each by his standard, with ensigns of the house of their fathers, do the sons of Israel encamp; over-against round about the tent of meeting they encamp.' And those encamping eastward towards the sun-rising, `are of' the standard of the camp of Judah, by their hosts; and the prince of the sons of Judah `is' Nahshon, son of Amminadab; and his host, and their numbered ones, `are' four and seventy thousand and six hundred. And those encamping by him `are of' the tribe of Issachar; and the prince of the sons of Issachar `is' Nethaneel son of Zuar; and his host, and its numbered ones, `are' four and fifty thousand and four hundred. The tribe of Zebulun; and the prince of the sons of Zebulun `is' Eliab son of Helon; and his host, and its numbered ones, `are' seven and fifty thousand and four hundred; all those numbered of the camp of Judah `are' a hundred thousand, and eighty thousand, and six thousand, and four hundred, by their hosts; they journey first. The standard of the camp of Reuben `is' southward, by their hosts; and the prince of the sons of Reuben `is' Elizur son of Shedeur; and his host, and its numbered ones, `are' six and forty thousand and five hundred. And those encamping by him `are of' the tribe of Simeon; and the prince of the sons of Simeon `is' Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai; and his host, and their numbered ones, `are' nine and fifty thousand and three hundred. And the tribe of Gad; and the prince of the sons of Gad `is' Eliasaph son of Reuel; and his host, and their numbered ones, `are' five and forty thousand and six hundred and fifty. All those numbered of the camp of Reuben `are' a hundred thousand, and one and fifty thousand, and four hundred and fifty, by their hosts; and they journey second. And the tent of meeting -- the camp of the Levites -- hath journeyed in the midst of the camps; as they encamp so they journey, each at his station by their standards. The standard of the camp of Ephraim, by their hosts, `is' westward; and the prince of the sons of Ephraim `is' Elishama son of Ammihud; and his host, and their numbered ones, `are' forty thousand and five hundred. And by him `is' the tribe of Manasseh; and the prince of the sons of Manasseh `is' Gamaliel son of Pedahzur; and his host, and their numbered ones, `are' two and thirty thousand, and two hundred. And the tribe of Benjamin; and the prince of the sons of Benjamin `is' Abidan son of Gideoni; and his host, and their numbered ones, `are' five and thirty thousand and four hundred. All those numbered of the camp of Ephraim `are' a hundred thousand, and eight thousand, and a hundred, by their hosts; and they journey third. The standard of the camp of Dan `is' northward, by their hosts; and the prince of the sons of Dan `is' Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai; and his host, and their numbered ones, `are' two and sixty thousand and seven hundred. And those encamping by him `are of' the tribe of Asher; and the prince of the sons of Asher `is' Pagiel son of Ocran; and his host, and their numbered ones, `are' one and forty thousand and five hundred. And the tribe of Naphtali; and the prince of the sons of Naphtali `is' Ahira son of Enan; and his host, and their numbered ones, `are' three and fifty thousand and four hundred. All those numbered of the camp of Dan `are' a hundred thousand, and seven and fifty thousand, and six hundred; at the rear they journey, by their standards. These `are' those numbered of the sons of Israel by the house of their fathers; all those numbered of the camps by their hosts `are' six hundred thousand, and three thousand, and five hundred and fifty. And the Levites have not numbered themselves in the midst of the sons of Israel, as Jehovah hath commanded Moses. And the sons of Israel do according to all that Jehovah hath commanded Moses; so they have encamped by their standards, and so they have journeyed; each by his families, by the house of his fathers.
He hath bent, he hath lain down as a lion, And as a lioness: who doth raise him up? He who is blessing thee `is' blessed, And he who is cursing thee `is' cursed.'
`Jehovah doth lift up against thee a nation, from afar, from the end of the earth, as the eagle it flieth; a nation whose tongue thou hast not heard,
Four faces `are' to each, and four wings to each, and the likeness of the hands of man `is' under their wings.
The first `is' like a lion, and it hath an eagle's wings. I was seeing till that its wings have been plucked, and it hath been lifted up from the earth, and on feet as a man it hath been caused to stand, and a heart of man is given to it.
Brethren, become not children in the understanding, but in the evil be ye babes, and in the understanding become ye perfect;
and before the throne `is' a sea of glass like to crystal, and in the midst of the throne, and round the throne, `are' four living creatures, full of eyes before and behind;
for in the law of Moses it hath been written, `thou shalt not muzzle an ox treading out corn;' for the oxen doth God care? or because of us by all means doth He say `it'? yes, because of us it was written, because in hope ought the plower to plow, and he who is treading `ought' of his hope to partake in hope.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Revelation 4
Commentary on Revelation 4 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 4
In this chapter the prophetical scene opens; and, as the epistolary part opened with a vision of Christ (ch. 1), so this part is introduced with a glorious appearance of the great God, whose throne is in heaven, compassed about with the heavenly host. This discovery was made to John, and in this chapter he,
Rev 4:1-8
We have here an account of a second vision with which the apostle John was favoured: After this, that is, not only "after I had seen the vision of Christ walking in the midst of the golden candlesticks,' but "after I had taken his messages from his mouth, and written and sent them to the several churches, according to his command, after this I had another vision.' Those who well improve the discoveries they have had of God already are prepared thereby for more, and may expect them. Observe,
Rev 4:8-11
We have considered the sights that the apostle saw in heaven: now let us observe the songs that he heard, for there is in heaven not only that to be seen which will highly please a sanctified eye, but there is that to be heard which will greatly delight a sanctified ear. This is true concerning the church of Christ here, which is a heaven upon earth, and it will be eminently so in the church made perfect in the heaven of heavens.