locust

The Hebrew, Latin and Greek that is translated in English as “locust” is translated in Ayutla Mixtec as “insect like flying ants” because locusts are not known locally (source: Ronald D. Olson in Notes on Translation January, 1968, p. 15ff.), in Shuar as “edible grasshoppers” (especially in connection with John the Baptist) (source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.), and in Pa’o Karen as “grashopper” (source: Gordon Luce in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 153f. ).

See also locust (different kinds in Joel 1:4 and 2:25).

complete verse (Revelation 9:7)

Following are a number of back-translations of Revelation 9:7:

  • Uma: “The appearance of those grasshoppers was like the appearance of horses that are ridden by soldiers going into battle. On their heads was something like a golden hat. Their faces were like the faces of men.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Those locusts look like horses prepared to be taken to a battle/fight. They have like golden crowns on their heads and their faces are like human faces.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “As for the locusts, they look like horses that warriors ride on. On their heads they had what seemed to be hats of gold. Their faces were like human faces.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “The appearance of those locusts, they were like horses ready to go join-in-battle. They were hatted with something like gold crowns, and their faces, they were like people’s faces.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “As for the physical-appearance of those locusts, you could say they were horses which were in readiness which were ridden by ones going to fight. Their heads were crowned with what were like gold crowns. Their faces were like human faces.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “These grasshoppers have the appearance of horses which have been prepared to go to war. There on their heads there is seen on them crowns of gold. Their faces appear as faces of people.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Revelation 9:7 – 9:8

Revised Standard Version has one long sentence for verses 7-9. In most languages it will be preferable to have several sentences.

The description of these locusts shows that they are really demonic beings that swarm and fly like huge locusts.

In appearance the locusts were like horses arrayed for battle: see Joel 2.4. A war horse was often given protective covering, including a breast shield, and sometimes had ornaments on its bridle. The Greek verb translated arrayed means “prepared,” “made ready.” The simplest way to translate is to say something like “These locusts looked like (war) horses, ready to go into battle.” Battle in some languages will be rendered in a similar way to the English expression “battlefield,” namely, the place for fighting. An alternative translation model for this clause, then, is “These locusts looked like (war) horses ready to go where men were fighting.”

Crowns of gold: see 4.4; 6.2.

Their faces were like human faces: this probably means the whole head (including the ears) and not just the face as such.

Hair like women’s hair: that is, long and wavy.

Teeth like lions’ teeth: big and sharp (see Joel 1.6). For lion see 4.7.

A traveler in 1772 reported that an Arab from the desert described the locust as follows: “He compared the head of a locust with the head of a horse, its breast with the breast of a lion, its feet with the feet of a camel, its body with the body of a snake, its tail with the tail of a scorpion, its antennae with the hair of a maiden” (cited by Beasley-Murray).

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Revelation to John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1993. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .