10. angel--omitted by A, B, C, Vulgate, and
Syriac. But Coptic and ANDREAS
support it.
seat--Greek, "throne of the beast": set up in
arrogant mimicry of God's throne; the dragon gave his throne to the
beast
(Re 13:2).
darkness--parallel to the Egyptian plague of darkness, Pharaoh
being the type of Antichrist (compare Notes, see on
Re 15:2, 3;
compare the fifth trumpet,
Re 9:2).
gnawed their tongues for pain--Greek, "owing to
the pain" occasioned by the previous plagues, rendered more
appalling by the darkness. Or, as "gnashing of teeth" is one of the
accompaniments of hell, so this "gnawing of their tongues" is through
rage at the baffling of their hopes and the overthrow of their kingdom.
They meditate revenge and are unable to effect it; hence their frenzy
[GROTIUS]. Those in anguish, mental and bodily,
bite their lips and tongues.
JFB.
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