| Geneva Study Bible {5} And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood. (5) The story of the third angel striking the rivers, in this verse, who proclaiming the justice of God, commends the same by a grave comparison of the sins of men, with the punishment of God: which is common to this place, and that which went before. Wherefore also this praising is attributed to the angel of the waters, a name common to the second and third angels, according as both of them are said to be sent against the waters, though the one of the sea, the other of the rivers, in Re 16:5,6. People's New Testament 16:4-7 THE THIRD VIAL. And the third angel poured out his vial. John sees the third vial poured upon the rivers and fountain of waters; and they become blood. Wesley's Notes 16:4 The third poured out his phial on the rivers and fountains of water - Which were over all the earth. And they became blood - So that none could drink thereof. Scofield Reference Notes Margin angel See Scofield Note: "Heb 1:4". Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary 4. (Ex 7:20.) angel-so Syriac, Coptic, and Andreas. But A, B, C, and Vulgate omit it. Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary 16:1-7 We are to pray that the will of God may be done on earth as it is done in heaven. Here is a succession of terrible judgments of Providence; and there seems to be an allusion to several of the plagues of Egypt. The sins were alike, and so were the punishments. The vials refer to the seven trumpets, which represented the rise of antichrist; and the fall of the enemies of the church shall bear some resemblance to their rise. All things throughout their earth, their air, their sea, their rivers, their cities, all are condemned to ruin, all accursed for the wickedness of that people. No wonder that angels, who witness or execute the Divine vengeance on the obstinate haters of God, of Christ, and of holiness, praise his justice and truth; and adore his awful judgments, when he brings upon cruel persecutors the tortures they made his saints and prophets suffer. | 
