Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
A red horse (ippov purrov). Old adjective from pur (fire), flame-coloured, blood-red (II Kings 3:22), in N.T. only here and Revelation 12:3, like Zechariah 1:8; Zechariah 6:2 (roan horse).
To take peace from the earth (labein thn eirhnhn ek thv ghv). Second aorist active infinitive of lambanw, and here the nominative case, the subject of edoqh (see verse Revelation 6:2), "to take peace out of the earth." Alas, how many red horses have been ridden through the ages.
And that they should slay one another (kai ina allhlouv sfacousin). Epexegetical explanatory purpose clause with ina and the future active of sfazw (Revelation 5:6) instead of the more usual subjunctive (verse Revelation 6:2). Cf. Robertson, Grammar, p. 998f. This is what war does to perfection, makes cannon fodder (cf. John 14:27) of men.
A great sword (maxaira megalh). Maxaira may be a knife carried in a sheath at the girdle (John 18:10) or a long sword in battle as here. Romfaia, also a large sword, is the only other word for sword in the N.T. (Revelation 1:16; Revelation 2:12, Revelation 2:16; Revelation 6:8; Revelation 19:15, Revelation 19:21).
Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing Revelation 6:4:
Acts 15:39
Revelation 2:7
Revelation 4:2
Revelation 5:6
Revelation 6:11
Revelation 7:2
Revelation 9:5
Revelation 11:3
Revelation 12:3
Revelation 22:14
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