² Then ·it [or he] opened up the ·hole that leads to the bottomless pit [shaft of the Abyss], and smoke came up from the ·hole [shaft] like smoke from a ·big [great; giant] furnace. Then the sun and ·sky [air] became dark because of the smoke from the ·hole [shaft]. ³ Then locusts came down to the earth out of the smoke [^Csimilar to the eighth Egyptian plague; Ex. 10:1–20; see also Joel 1:2—2:10], and they were given the power ·to sting like [^Llike the power of] scorpions [^Lof the earth]. ⁴ They were told not to ·harm [damage] the grass on the earth or any ·plant [greenery] or tree. They could ·harm [damage] only the people who did not have the ·sign [seal] of God on their foreheads [7:3].