Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Revelation 16:2

"And the first went, and poured out his bowl into the earth; and it became a noisome and grievous sore upon the men that had the mark of the beast, and that worshipped his image." — Revelation 16:2 (ASV)

The first bowl has no strict counterpart in the trumpets but recalls the sixth plague of boils under Moses (Exodus 9:10–11). As the antagonists of Moses were affected by the boils, so the enemies of Christ who worship the beast will be struck by this plague.