John Gill Commentary Revelation 9:11

"They have over them as king the angel of the abyss: his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek [tongue] he hath the name Apollyon." — Revelation 9:11 (ASV)

And they had a king over them
Which natural locusts have not, (Proverbs 30:27); by whom is meant the false prophet Mahomet, who was at the head of the Saracens, and led them on to commit the outrages they did; and is believed in by the Turks to this day, as the great prophet of God, and by them preferred to all prophets, not only to Moses, but to Jesus Christ; he is the king of the eastern locusts, as the pope of Rome is the king of the western ones; for the Romish antichrist reigns, or at least has reigned, over the kings of the earth, (Revelation 17:17Revelation 17:18);

[which is] the angel of the bottomless pit ;
to whom the key of it was given, (Revelation 9:1);

whose name in the Hebrew tongue [is] Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue
has [his] name Apollyon ;
both which signify a "destroyer"; and are very applicable both to Mahomet, who by his imposture has been the cause of the destruction of multitudes of souls, as well as by his wars, and those of the Saracens and Turks, of the lives of millions, and of the ruin of many kingdoms, countries, cities, and towns.

Abulpharagius^F23, an Arabic writer, relates, that in the times of the Chalif Al-walid, there was one Hejajus, who had caused to be slain, of the chief and illustrious men, an hundred and twenty thousand, besides others of the common people, and that fell in war; moreover, that there died in his prison fifty thousand men, and thirty thousand women: and the same writer reports^F24, that the famous Abu Moslem put to death six hundred thousand men, who were known, besides those that were unknown, and whom he slew in wars and battles.

Both these instances are taken notice of by Mr. Daubuz, who justly observes, that surely nothing can come near this "Abaddon", but the beast, the son of perdition, (2 Thessalonians 2:3). And to him, the pope of Rome, may the name be truly applied, who has led thousands into perdition, and will go into it himself; and both he, and the false prophet, with the devil, will be cast into the lake, which burns with fire and brimstone, and will be tormented for ever and ever, (2 Thessalonians 2:4) (Revelation 17:8Revelation 17:11) (20:10).

"Abaddon", with the Jews, is one of the habitations or apartments of hell^F25, because it destroys all; "Apollyon" is the same with "Apollo", the god of the Heathens, who has his name from destroying^F26.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F23: Hist. Dynast. p. 129. Dya. 9.
• F24: lb. p. 140.
• F25: T. Bab. Erubin, fol. 19. 1. Zohar in Gen. fol. 47. 2. & in Numb. fol. 74. 2. Yalkut Simeoni, par. 2. fol. 47. 3. & 93. 4. Raziel, fol. 14. 2. & 35. 2.
• F26: Phurnutus de Natura Deorum, p. 92. Macrob. Saturnal. l. 1. c. 17.