8. _And I looked, and behold a pale horse_――ἵππος χλωρὸς. On the _horse_, as an emblem, see Notes on ver. 2. The _peculiarity_ of this emblem consists in the _colour_ of the horse, the rider, and the power that was given unto him. In these there is entire harmony, and there can be comparatively little difficulty in the explanation and application. The _colour_ of the horse was _pale_――χλωρὸς. This word properly means _pale-green_, _yellowish-green_, like the colour of the first shoots of grass and herbage; then _green_, _verdant_, like young herbage, Mar. vi. 39; Re. viii. 7; ix. 4; and then _pale yellowish_ (Rob. _Lex._). The colour here would be an appropriate one to denote the reign of death――as one of the most striking effects of death is _paleness_――and, of course, of death produced by any cause, famine, pestilence, or the sword. From this portion of the symbol, if it stood with nothing to limit and define it, we should naturally look for some condition of things in which death would prevail in a remarkable manner, or in which multitudes of human beings would be swept away. And yet, perhaps, from the very nature of _this_ part of the symbol, we should look for the prevalence of death in some such peaceful manner as by famine or disease. The _red_ colour would more naturally denote the ravages of death in war; the black, the ravages of death by sudden calamity; the pale would more obviously suggest famine or wasting disease. ¶ _And his name that sat on him was Death._ No description is given of his aspect; nor does he appear with any emblem――as sword, or spear, {155} or bow. There is evident scope for the fancy to picture to itself the form of the destroyer; and there is just that kind of obscurity about it which contributes to sublimity. Accordingly, there has been ample room for the exercise of the imagination in the attempts to paint “Death on the pale horse,” and the opening of this seal has furnished occasion for some of the greatest triumphs of the pencil. The simple _idea_ in this portion of the symbol is, that death would reign or prevail under the opening of this seal――whether by sword, by famine, or by pestilence, is to be determined by other descriptions in the symbol. ¶ _And Hell followed with him._ Attended him as he went forth. On the meaning of the word here rendered _hell_――ᾅδης, _hades_――see Notes on Lu. xvi. 23, comp. Notes on Job x. 21, 22; Is. xiv. 9. It is here used to denote the abode of the dead, considered as a place where they dwell, and not in the more restricted sense in which the word is now commonly used as a place of punishment. The idea is, that the dead would be so numerous at the going forth of this horseman, that it would seem as if the pale nations of the dead had come again upon the earth. A vast retinue of the dead would accompany him; that is, it would be a time when death would prevail on the earth, or when multitudes would die. ¶ _And power was given unto them._ Marg., _to him_. The common