English
And I saw the seven angels who stand in front of God, and seven trumpets were given to them. And another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden censer. And a lot of incense was given to him to offer the prayers of all the holy ones on a golden altar in front of the throne. And the smoke of the incense rose up with the prayers of the holy ones from the angel’s hand in front of God. And the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it onto the earth. And there were thunders and booms and lightning flashes and an earthquake. And the seven angels holding the seven trumpets prepared themselves to blast.
Interpretation
The author continues the heavenly temple setting. The incense returns from chapter 5, as does the altar from chapter 6.
Parallels
Psalms
29.3 The voice of Yhwh is over the waters; the god of glory thunders, Yhwh, over mighty waters.
Isaiah
27.13 And on that day a great trumpet will be blown, and those who were lost in the land of Assyria and those who were driven out to the land of Egypt will come and worship Yhwh on the holy mountain at Jerusalem.
Kings
1.8.10–11 And when the priests came out of the holy place, a cloud filled the house of Yhwh, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud; for the glory of Yhwh filled the house of Yhwh.
Exodus
19.16 On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, as well as a thick cloud on the mountain
Leviticus
1.9 Then the priest shall offer the whole and turn it into smoke on the altar; it is a burnt-offering, an offering by fire of pleasing odor to Yhwh.
16.12 He shall take a censer of coals of fire from the altar before Yhwh, and two handfuls of crushed sweet incense, and he shall bring it inside the curtain
Numbers
10.9 When you go to war in your land against the adversary who oppresses you, you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, so that you may be remembered before Yhwh your god and be saved from your enemies.
1 Enoch
14.10–12, 18, 22 I drew near to a great house built of hailstones; and the walls of this house were like stone slabs, and they were all of snow, and the floor was of snow. And the ceiling was like shooting stars and lightning flashes; and among them were fiery cherubim, and their heaven was water, and a flaming fire encircled all their walls, and the doors blazed with fire […] and the voice of the cherubs […] Flaming fire encircled him and a great fire stood by him
Dead Sea Scrolls
1QM 7 And when the priests advance to the place between the formations, seven Levites shall accompany them bearing in their hands seven rams’ horns
Revelation of Zephaniah
9.1 Then a great angel came forth having a golden trumpet in his hand, and he blew it three times over my head
10.1 Then the great angel came to me with the golden trumpet in his hand, and he blew it up to heaven.
12.1 And again the great angel comes forth with the golden trumpet in his hand blowing over the earth.
3 Baruch
11.4, 8–9 And he said to me, ‘The commander-in-chief Michael is descending to receive the prayers of men.’ [...] And I saw the commander-in-chief Michael take hold of a very large bowl, its depth being so great as from heaven to earth, and its width so great as from north to south. And I said, ‘Lord, what is it that Michael the archangel is holding?’ And he said to me, ‘This is where the virtues of the righteous and the good works which they do are carried, which are brought by him before the heavenly God.’
4 Ezra
6.23 the trumpet shall sound aloud, and when all hear it, they shall suddenly be terrified.