Albert Barnes Commentary Revelation 5:11

"And I saw, and I heard a voice of many angels round about the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;" — Revelation 5:11 (ASV)

And I beheld. And I looked again.

And I heard the voice of many angels. The inhabitants of heaven uniting with the representatives of the redeemed church, in ascribing honour to the Lamb of God. The design is to show that there is universal sympathy and harmony in heaven, and that all worlds will unite in ascribing honour to the Lamb of God.

Round about the throne and the beasts and the elders. This describes a circle or area beyond that which was occupied by the throne, the living creatures, and the elders. They occupied the centre as it appeared to John, and this innumerable company of angels surrounded them.

The angels are represented here, as they are everywhere in the Scriptures, as taking a deep interest in all that pertains to the redemption of humanity. It is not surprising, therefore, that they are here described as uniting with the representatives of the church in rendering honour to the Lamb of God (See 1 Peter 1:12).

And the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand. One hundred millions—a general term to denote either a countless number, or an exceedingly great number. We are not to suppose that it is to be taken literally.

And thousands of thousands. This implies that the number previously specified was not large enough to include all of them. Besides the "ten thousand times ten thousand," there was a vast, uncounted host that one could not attempt to enumerate.

The language here seems to be taken from Daniel 7:10: Thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. Compare Psalm 68:17: The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels. See also Deuteronomy 33:2; 1 Kings 22:19.