They were told: it must be assumed that the order comes from God or from an angel who speaks in God’s name. Told can also be expressed as “commanded” or “ordered.” In languages that do not use the passive, this phrase may be rendered as “someone commanded them.”

Not to harm: the same verb appears here that is used in 2.11 (“hurt”); 6.6; 7.2, 3. In certain languages this phrase must be rendered as direct speech; for example, “Do not harm.”

The grass of the earth or any green growth or any tree: this is a rather full way of speaking of all vegetable life (trees, plants, weeds), which the swarms of locusts usually devour.

But only those of mankind: only people are to be harmed, not plant life.

Who have not the seal of God upon their foreheads: see 7.2-3. God’s people are not to be harmed (see Ezek 9.4).

Alternative translation models for this verse are:

• Someone commanded them, “Do not harm any plants, but only people, that is, those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.”

Or:

• Someone commanded them, “You must harm only those people who have not been marked with the seal of God on their foreheads. But don’t harm any plants.”

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 .