OET interlinear REV 9:9

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

εἶχον θώρακας ὡς θώρακας σιδηροῦς

˱they˲_/were/_having breastplates like breastplates iron

John is speaking as if these locusts literally had breastplates. He probably means that the skin on the front of their bodies was very hard. If it would be clearer in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “the hard skin on the front of their bodies was like iron breastplates”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / simile

εἶχον θώρακας ὡς θώρακας σιδηροῦς

˱they˲_/were/_having breastplates like breastplates iron

The point of this comparison is that the skin on the front of the locusts’ bodies was very strong, as if it were made of iron. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make this point explicitly. Alternate translation: “the hard skin on the front of their bodies was very strong, like an iron breastplate”

Note 3 topic: translate-unknown

θώρακας σιδηροῦς

breastplates breastplates iron

A breastplate was a piece of armor that covered and protected the chest. If your readers would not be familiar with what a breastplate is, in your translation you could use the name of a comparable object in your culture, or you could use a general expression. Alternate translation: “pieces of armor made of iron to protect a soldier’s chest”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / simile

ἡ φωνὴ τῶν πτερύγων αὐτῶν ὡς φωνὴ ἁρμάτων ἵππων πολλῶν

the sound ˱of˲_the wings ˱of˲_them as /the/_sound ˱of˲_chariots ˱of˲_horses many

The point of this comparison is that the wings of all the locusts flying around made a very loud sound, like the sound of chariots. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make this point explicitly. Alternate translation: “the sound of their wings was very loud, like the sound of many chariots of horses”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

ἁρμάτων ἵππων

˱of˲_chariots ˱of˲_horses

John is using this possessive form to describe chariots that horses pull into battle. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this meaning without using a possessive form. Alternate translation: “horse-drawn chariots”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

τρεχόντων εἰς πόλεμον

running into war

John is speaking as if these chariots were themselves literally running into battle, though it is the horses pulling the chariots which would be running and the drivers of the chariots who would be hurrying to get into the battle. If it would be clearer in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “whose drivers are hurrying them into battle”