Albert Barnes Commentary Revelation 9:5

"And it was given them that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when it striketh a man." — Revelation 9:5 (ASV)

And to them it was given. There is the same indefiniteness here as in the former verse, with the impersonal verb also being used here. The writer does not say by whom this power was given—whether by God or by the leader of the host. It may be admitted, however, that the most natural interpretation is to suppose that it was given to them by God, and that this was the execution of His purpose in this case. Still, it is remarkable that this is not directly affirmed and that the language is so general as to allow for the other application. The fact that they did not kill them but tormented them—if such a fact were found to exist—would be in every sense a fulfillment of what is said here.

That they should not kill them. This is in accordance with the nature of the symbol. The locusts do not themselves destroy any living creature, and the sting of the scorpion, though exceedingly painful, is not usually fatal. The proper fulfillment of this would be found in something that would not be generally fatal but would diffuse misery and wretchedness. .

Perhaps all that would necessarily be meant by this would be, not that individual men would not be killed, but that they would be sent to inflict plagues and torments rather than to take life, and that the characteristic effects of their appearing would be distress and suffering rather than death. A fair interpretation of the words may include general distress and sorrow; acts of oppression, cruelty, and violence; such a condition of public suffering that people would regard death as a relief if they could find it.

But that they should be tormented. That is, that they should be subjected to ills and troubles that could be properly compared with the sting of a scorpion.

Five months. As far as the words here are concerned, this might be taken literally, denoting five months or one hundred and fifty days, or as a prophetic reckoning, where a day stands for a year. (Compare Barnes on Daniel 9:24 and following). The latter is undoubtedly the correct interpretation here, for it is characteristic of the book to reckon time this way. (See Barnes on Revelation 9:15).

If this is the true method of reckoning here, then it will be necessary to find some events that will cover a period of about one hundred and fifty years, during which this distress and sorrow would continue. The proper laws of interpretation demand that one or the other of these periods be found—either that of five months literally or that of one hundred and fifty years.

It may be true, as Professor Stuart suggests (in loc.,), that "the usual time of locusts is from May to September inclusive—five months." It may also be true that this symbol was chosen partly because that was the fact, and they would, from that fact, be well-suited to symbolize a period that could be spoken of as "five months"; but still, the meaning must be more than simply that it was "a short period," as he supposes. The phrase a few months might designate such a period; but if that had been the writer's intention, he would not have selected the definite number five.

And their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, etc. (See Barnes on Revelation 9:3).

That is, it would be painful, severe, dangerous.