complete verse (Revelation 9:16)

Following are a number of back-translations of Revelation 9:16:

  • Uma: “The soldiers on horseback that followed them were two hundred million their manyness. I knew that, for someone told me their manyness.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “I heard how many the riding soldiers were, the followers of the four demons. Their number was twenty thousand times ten thousand.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “I was told the number of their soldiers riding horses. They are two hundred thousand thousand.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “It was told me that the number of their soldiers who rode-horseback, it was two hundred million.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “I was told the total of their soldiers who rode horses when going fighting. They were two hundred million in all.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “I heard then when it was said how many horsemen of the army there were that went with the four angels. There were two hundred million.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

large numbers in Angguruk Yali

Many languages use a “body part tally system” where body parts function as numerals (see body part tally systems with a description). One such language is Angguruk Yali which uses a system that ends at the number 27. To circumvent this limitation, the Angguruk Yali translators adopted a strategy where a large number is first indicated with an approximation via the traditional system, followed by the exact number according to Arabic numerals. For example, where in 2 Samuel 6:1 it says “thirty thousand” in the English translation, the Angguruk Yali says teng-teng angge 30.000 or “so many rounds [following the body part tally system] 30,000,” likewise, in Acts 27:37 where the number “two hundred seventy-six” is used, the Angguruk Yali translation says teng-teng angge 276 or “so many rounds 276,” or in John 6:10 teng-teng angge 5.000 for “five thousand.”

This strategy is used in all the verses referenced here.

Source: Lourens de Vries in The Bible Translator 1998, p. 409ff.

See also numbers in Ngalum and numbers in Kombai.

Translation commentary on Revelation 9:16

The four angels disappear from the vision; in their place appear two hundred million cavalry troops. It seems implied that the four angels were in charge of these troops, but the text does not specifically say so. For the troops of cavalry something like “cavalry troops” (New American Bible, Revised) or “mounted troops” (New Jerusalem Bible), or even “soldiers who ride on horses” may be better. Those who ride these war horses are not identified; if possible, a neutral term such as troops should be used, which avoids saying they are human beings. But this may not be possible.

In some languages it may be difficult, if not impossible, to speak precisely of two hundred million mounted horses. Where such is the case, some superlative such as “a very large number” or “too many to count” may be used (as in 5.11; see also 7.9).

I heard their number: see 7.4. Another way of saying this is “Someone told me….”

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 .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Revelation 9:16

9:16a–b

The words here imply that the four angels controlled the army. In some languages a literal translation would not imply that the four angels controlled the army. If that is true in your language, you may want to explain the implied information in a footnote. An example footnote is:

The four angels controlled this vast army of two hundred million soldiers, because both 9:15 and 9:18 refer to killing one third of mankind.

9:16a

mounted troops: This phrase refers to soldiers riding horses. At that time, these soldiers fought using swords, spears, or bows. They fought while sitting on the backs of the horses. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

troops of cavalry (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
soldiers on ⌊war⌋ horses

In some languages people are not familiar with soldiers riding horses. If that is true in your language, you may want to explain what cavalry is in a footnote. For example:

Soldiers on horses were a very strong fighting part of an army at that time.

two hundred million: The Greek phrase is literally “twice ten thousand of ten thousand.” This may refer to a huge but indefinite number of soldiers. But all English reference versions translate according to the calculation of “twice ten thousand of ten thousand,” which is two hundred million.

In some languages combinations of number words such as two hundred million are not known. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

• Follow the literal Greek phrase. For example:

twice ten thousand times ten thousand (Revised Standard Version)

• Use both numerals and number words. For example:

200 million

• Use only numerals. For example:

200,000,000

• Use a combination of smaller number words that equal two hundred million. For example:

two hundred thousands of thousands

• Use the major language word for “million.” For example:

200 milien
-or-
two hundred miliens

9:16b

I heard their number: The word heard implies that someone said how many soldiers there were. John heard what he said. In some languages it is more natural to refer to the person speaking. For example:

I heard ⌊someone tell⌋ the number of soldiers
-or-
I heard ⌊someone say⌋ how many of them there were

Having this clause after the number (9:16a) emphasizes the number. Another example of emphasizing the number is:

this was the number I heard (Revised English Bible)

General Comment on 9:16a–b

In some languages it is more natural to have the clause about hearing the number first. If possible, then emphasize the number naturally. For example:

16b I heard 16a the number of the mounted troops, and ⌊indeed,⌋ it was two hundred million!

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