His head and his hair were white as white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire.
Parallel Translations
-
His head and his hair were white as white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire.
-
His heed and his heares were whyte as whyte woll and as snowe: and his eyes were as a flame of fyre:
-
His head, and heares were white as white wooll, and as snowe, and his eyes were as a flame of fire,
Cross-references (5)
Passages linked to Revelation 1:14 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Daniel 10:6 His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as flaming torches. His arms and his feet were like burnished bronze. The voice of his words was like the voice of a multitude.
- Daniel 7:9 “I watched until thrones were placed, and one who was ancient of days sat. His clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool. His throne was fiery flames, and its wheels burning fire.
- Revelation 2:18 “To the angel of the assembly in Thyatira write: “The Son of God, who has his eyes like a flame of fire, and his feet are like burnished brass, says these things:
- Revelation 19:12 His eyes are a flame of fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has names written and a name written which no one knows but he himself.
- Matthew 28:3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (15 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
Private notes
Saved on this device only — never synced or sent anywhere.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 14 His head and his hairs were white like…
14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;
Ver. 14. White like wool] Noting his antiquity, or rather his eternity and unspeakable purity. Thales, one of the heathen sages, called God πρεσβυτατον των οντων, the most ancient of beings. (Diog. Laert.)
Read full note →
As a flame of fire] Sharp and terrible, such as pierce into the inward parts, Heb 4:13. {See Trapp on "Heb 4:13"} The school of nature teacheth, that the fiery eye needeth not outward light; that seeth extra mittendo, by sending out a ray, &c.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain His head and his hairs were white like wool,…
His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow: whiteness signifies purity; whiteness of hair signifies old age ordinarily, which commonly is attended with more prudence, as having most experience: hence this appearance of Christ may denote both his purity and wisdom, and that he is the Ancient of days; see Dan 7:9,13,22; though there the term of Ancient of days belongs to God the Father, yet it also agreeth to Christ, who is equal with the Father, as to his Divine nature.
And his eyes were as a flame of fire; such an appearance is applied to God, Eze 1:27; Dan 10:6; and to Christ, Rev 19:12, to denote either Christ’s knowledge, wisdom, and omniscience; or his grace in purifying souls, as fire doth metals; or his wrath and anger against his enemies.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain His head and his hairs were white like wool,…
His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow,.... In allusion to the white head and hairs of old men, said to be hoary, or like the hoar frost, and compared to an almond tree in bloom, Ecc 12:5; and here to wool and snow for whiteness; see Eze 27:18; and according to the Jews (p), , "white wool", is the wool of a lamb just born, about which a cloth is bound, that it may not be defiled; now these metaphors are expressive of the antiquity of Christ, who is the everlasting Father, and whose goings forth were of old, even from everlasting; and of his senile gravity and prudence, for with the Ancient is wisdom; he is the wisdom of God, in whom all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hid; and also of his glory and majesty, being the brightness of his Father's glory; and likewise of his true and proper deity, since this description is the same with that of the Ancient of days in Dan 7:9; for by his head is not here meant either God the Father, who is sometimes called the head of Christ, Co1 11:3, nor his divine nature, which is the chief and principal in him, nor his headship over the church; nor do his hairs intend his elect, which grow upon him, and are nourished by him, and are so called for their number, weakness, and purity:
and his eyes were as a flame of fire: see Dan 10:6; which may design the omniscience of Christ, which reaches to all persons, and things, and is very searching and penetrating, and discovers and brings to light things the most dark and obscure; and also Christ's eyes of love upon his own people, which have both heat and light; Christ's love never waxes cold, and, being shed abroad in the hearts of his people, warms theirs; and in the light of his gracious countenance do they see light; and his love, like flames of fire, melts their souls into a true and genuine repentance for sin: or else, rather his eyes of wrath and vengeance, as set upon his enemies, are here meant: which will be fierce and furious, bring swift and sudden destruction on them, before which there is no standing, and from which there is no fleeing. It is said of Augustus Caesar, that he had fiery eyes (q),
Read full note →
(p) T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 54. 1. Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. Sabbat, c. 5. sect. 2. (q) Servius in Virgil. Aeneid. l. 8. p. 13. 55.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain His head and his hair - That is, the…
His head and his hair - That is, the hair of his head, not his whole head. Were white as white wool - Like the Ancient of Days, represented in Daniel's vision, Dan. vii, 9. Wool is commonly supposed to be an emblem of eternity. As snow - Betokening his spotless purity. And his eyes as a flame of fire - Piercing through all things; a token of his omniscience.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 14. His head and his hairs were white…
Verse 14. His head and his hairs were white like wool] This was not only an emblem of his antiquity, but it was the evidence of his glory; for the whiteness or splendour of his head and hair doubtless proceeded from the rays of light and glory which encircled his head, and darted from it in all directions. The splendour around the head was termed by the Romans nimbus, and by us a glory; and was represented round the heads of gods, deified persons, and saints. It is used in the same way through almost all the nations of the earth.
His eyes were as a flame of fire] To denote his omniscience, and the all-penetrating nature of the Divine knowledge.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain His head and his hairs were white like wool,…
His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow - Exceedingly or perfectly white - the first suggestion to the mind of the apostle being that of wool, and then the thought occurring of its extreme whiteness resembling snow - the purest white of which the mind conceives. The comparison with wool and snow to denote anything especially white is not uncommon. See Isa 1:18. Prof. Stuart supposes that this means, not that his hairs were literally white, as if with age, which he says would be incongruous to one just risen from the dead, clothed with immortal youth and vigor, but that it means radiant, bright, resplendent - similar to what occurred on the transfiguration of the Saviour, Mat 17:2. But to this it may be replied:
That this would not accord well with that with which his hair is compared - snow and wool, particularly the latter. The usual meaning of the word is more obvious here, and not at all inappropriate.
Read full note →
The representation was suited to signify majesty and authority; and this would be best accomplished by the image of one who was venerable in years. Thus, in the vision that appeared to Daniel Dan 7:9, it is said of him who is there called the “Ancient of Days,” that “his garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool.” It is not improbable that John had that representation in his eye, and that therefore he would be impressed with the conviction that this was a manifestation of a divine person. We are not necessarily to suppose that this is the form in which the Saviour always appears now in heaven, anymore than we are to suppose that God appears always in the form in which he was manifested to Isaiah Isa 6:1, to Daniel Dan 7:9, or to Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu in the mount, Exo 24:10-11. The representation is, that this form was assumed for the purpose of impressing the mind of the apostle with a sense of his majesty and glory.
And his eyes were as a flame of fire - Bright, sharp, penetrating; as if everything was light before them, or they would penetrate into the thoughts of people. Such a representation is not uncommon. We speak of a lightning glance, a fiery look, etc. In Dan 10:6, it is said of the man who appeared to the prophet on the banks of the river Hiddekel, that his eyes were “as lamps of fire.” Numerous instances of this comparison from the Greek and Latin Classics may be seen in Wetstein, in loco.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain --Greek, "But," or "And."
--Greek, "But," or "And."
like wool--Greek, "like white wool." The color is the point of comparison; signifying purity and glory. (So in Isa 1:18). Not age, for hoary hairs are the sign of decay.
Read full note →
eyes . . . as . . . flame--all-searching and penetrating like fire: at the same time, also, implying consuming indignation against sin, especially at His coming "in flaming fire, taking vengeance" on all the ungodly, which is confirmed as the meaning here, by Rev 19:11-12.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 14. As (Rev_1:16) his face was like the sun,…
14. As (Rev_1:16) his face was like the sun, so this sun bore a “corona” of hairs of dazzling whiteness.
White like wool—But that is not quite white enough, and so as snow. The whiteness is not indicative of age, but, like the whiteness of the priest’s robe, of purity, and of that celestial lustre characterizing the whole figure. See note, Rev_1:16.
Read full note →
Eyes… fire—Fire, we are told, denotes wrath, and so these eyes denote flaming wrath—for which there is no demand. How often does love find fire in the eyes of its object, and admiration find fire in the eye of genius. These are celestial eyes, beaming, burning, blazing with divine brilliancy; clairvoyant to look with omniscience into and through all visible things. In reality, however, the intensity and power of the eyes are simply in keeping with the supernatural splendour of the whole figure, stature, hair, and voice.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 14. like wool, as white as snow] Either these…
14. like wool, as white as snow] Either these words are to be taken together, ‘like wool white as snow’ or we must punctuate “were white like white wool, like snow.” Though the Person seen is the Son of Man of Dan_7:13, the description is more nearly that of the Ancient of Days, ibid. 9. We need not wonder that Their union was made more plain to the later Prophet.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (14) His head and his hairs were white like…
(14) His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow.—The whiteness here is thought by some to be the token of the transfiguration in light of the glorified person of the Redeemer. “It is the glorious white which is the colour and livery of heaven.” This doubtless is true; but it appears to me a mistake to say that there is no hint here of age. It is argued that the white hair of age is a token of decay, and that no such token would have place here; but surely this is straining a point, and making a mere emblem an argument. Age and youth alike have their glories; the glory of young men is their strength; the hoary head, too, the token of experience, dignity, authority, is the glory of age. Physically, white hair may be a sign of decay; typically it never is, else the effort to produce the appearance of it in the persons of monarchs and judges would never have been made. The white head is never in public sentiment other than the venerable sign of ripe knowledge, mature judgment, and solid wisdom; and as such it well betokens that full wisdom and authority which is wielded by the Ancient of Days, who, though always the same in the fresh dew of youth, is yet from everlasting, the captain of salvation, perfect through suffering, radiant in the glorious youthhood of heaven, venerable in that eternal wisdom and glory which He had with the Father before the world. (Comp. Dan_7:9.) “He was one,” Saadias Gaon beautifully says, “with the appearance of an old man, and like an old man full of mercies. His white hair, His white garments, indicated the pure, kind intentions He had to purify His people from their sins.”
His eyes were as a flame of fire.—Comp. Rev_19:12; Dan_10:6. The eyes of the Lord, which are in every place, beholding the evil and the good, are here described as like unto fire, to express not merely indignation (He had looked once on the Jewish rulers in indignation) against evil, but determination to consume it; for our God is a consuming fire, purging away sin from those who forsake sin, and consuming in their sin those who refuse to be separated from it. (See Rev_20:9; Dan_7:9-10; Jud_1:7.)
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain His head. From the garments of the great High…
His head. From the garments of the great High Priest, St. John passes on to himself. What he had seen as a momentary foretaste of glory at the Transfiguration, he sees now as the abiding condition of the Christ. In Dan_7:9 "the Ancient of days" has "the hair of his head like pure wool." This snowy whiteness is partly the brightness of heavenly glory, partly the majesty of the hoary head. The Christ appears to St. John as a son of man, but also as a "Divine Person invested with the attributes of eternity." As a flame of fire. "The Lord thy God is a consuming fire". (Deu_4:24) "I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins". (Jer_17:10) The flame purifies the conscience and kindles the affections.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain 14. His head and his hair were white. White…
14. His head and his hair were white. White is the color of purity and of triumph. The idea here is not age but heavenly glory. His eyes were as a flame of fire. Bright, piercing, all seeing, flashing light, and also a consuming fire of the wicked.
B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.
William B. Godbey 1900 · Public Domain 14. “His head and His hands were white as…
14. “His head and His hands were white as wool, white as snow.” This clause describes His antiquity, setting forth the fact that He is uncreated, and has existed from all eternity. “His eyes are as a flame of fire.” This certifies His omniscience. The eye is the great receptacle of knowledge, and symbolizes all the senses.
William B. Godbey, Commentary on the New Testament (1896–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 His head and hair were as white as wool—as…
His head and hair were as white as wool—as white as snow
Wool and snow are examples of things that are very white. The repetition of "as white as" emphasizes that they were very white. (See: Simile and Doublet)
Read full note →
wool
This is the hair of a sheep or goat. It was known to be very white.
his eyes were like a flame of fire
His eyes are described as being full of light like a flame of fire. AT: "his eyes were glowing like a flame of fire" (See: Simile)
His feet were like polished bronze
Bronze is polished to make it shine and reflect light. AT: "His feet were very shiny like polished bronze" (See: Simile)
like polished bronze, like bronze that had been refined in a furnace
The bronze would be refined first and then polished. AT: "like bronze that has been purified in a hot furnace and polished" (See: Order of Events)
furnace
a strong container for holding a very hot fire. People would put metal in it, and the hot fire would burn away any impurities that were in the metal.
the sound of many rushing waters
This is very loud, like the sound of a large, fast flowing river, of a large waterfall, or of loud waves in the sea.
a sword ... was coming out of his mouth
The sword blade was sticking out of his mouth. The sword itself was not in motion.
a sword with two sharp edges
This refers to a double-edged sword, which is sharpened on both sides to cut both directions.
translationWords
head
snow
like
fire
bronze
voice
water
right hand
sword
face
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 1:14 White hair represents wisdom and maturity; this vision…
1:14 White hair represents wisdom and maturity; this vision reflects Daniel’s vision of the Ancient One (Dan 7:9). • His eyes . . . like flames of fire pierce through pretense; the One who knows everything will judge everyone (see Dan 10:6; Heb 4:13).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.