The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
The common feature of the first four trumpets is, the judgments affect natural objects, accessories of life-the earth, trees, grass, sea, rivers, fountains, light of the sun, moon, and stars. The last three, the woe-trumpets (Revelation 8:13), affect men with pain, death, and hell. The language is from the plagues of Egypt, five or six out of the ten exactly corresponding: the hail, fire, WATER turned to blood, darkness, locusts, perhaps the death (Exodus 7:19; Exodus 9:24; Exodus 10:12; Exodus 10:21; Revelation 9:18). Judicial retribution in kind characterizes the four first-those elements which were abused punishing their abusers.
Mingled with. A B 'Aleph ('), Vulgate, read, 'IN blood.' So in the second and third vials (Revelation 16:3-4).
Upon the earth - `unto the earth.' A B 'Aleph ('), Vulgate, Syriac, add, 'and the third of the earth was burnt up.' So under the third trumpet, the third of the rivers is affected; also, under the sixth trumpet, the third part of men are killed. In Zechariah 13:8-9, this tripartite division appears-two parts killed, a third preserved. Here vice versa-two-thirds escape, one-third is smitten. Fire was the predominant element.
All green grass - no longer a third, but all is burnt up.