Structure in Revelation 9

John sees demonic scorpions released from the abyss (Revelation 9). The description is intricately structured.

Verse 5 gives an initial description of the scorpions:

1) Torment for five months

2) Torment of scorpions

3) Sting

Verse 10 recapitulates this description in nearly exact reverse order:

1) Tails like scorpions

2) Stings

3) Hurt men for five months

Within this framework, the description is neatly chiastic (vv. 6-9):

a. horses prepared for battle 

b. crowns of gold on head 

c. faces like faces of men 

d. hair like women 

c’. teeth like lions 

b’. breastplates of iron 

a’. wings sound like horses rushing to battle

The connections of a/a’ are obvious: Both sections mention horses prepared for battle; the first describes the appearance of the scorpion-locusts, and the a’ describes their sound, but the imagery is the same. The b/b’ both refer to gear made of metal – gold crowns on the one hand, iron breastplates on the other. Faces of men and teeth of lions are not obviously parallel, but we can imagine man faces with bared teeth, a vampiric look. At the center of the passage, the scorpions have hair like women, because they are false Nazirites, who have let their hair grow as they engage in their unholy warfare.