Revelation of John 11:3
I will give ( δωσω ). Future active of διδωμ. The speaker may be God (Beckwith) or Christ (Swete) as in 2:13; 21:6 or his angel representative (22:7, 12ff.). The idiom that follows is Hebraic instead of either the infinitive after διδωμ as in 2:7; 3:21; 6:4; 7:2; 13:7, 15; 16:8 or ινα with the subjunctive (9:5; 19:8) we have κα προφητευσουσιν (and they shall prophesy).Unto my two witnesses ( τοις δυσιν μαρτυσιν μου ). Dative case after δωσω. The article seems to point to two well-known characters, like Elijah, Elisha, but there is no possible way to determine who they are. All sorts of identifications have been attempted.
Clothed ( περιβλημενους ). Perfect passive participle of περιβαλλω as often before (7:9, 13; 10:1, etc.). But Aleph A P Q here read the accusative plural in -ους, while C has the nominative in -ο. Charles suggests a mere slip for the nominative, but Hort suggests a primitive error in early MSS. for the dative περιβεβλεμενοις agreeing with μαρτυσιν.
In sackcloth ( σακκους ). Accusative retained with this passive verb as in 7:9, 13. See 6:12 for σακκος and also Mt 3:4. The dress suited the message (Mt 11:21).
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