{A red horse} (hippos purros). Old adjective from pur
(fire), flame-coloured, blood-red ( 2Ki 3:22 ), in N.T. only here
and  12:3 , like  Zec 1:8  6:2  (roan horse). {To take peace from
the earth} (labein t(886e) eir(886e)(886e) ek t(8873) g(8873)). Second aorist
active infinitive of lamban(935c), and here the nominative case, the
subject of edoth(885c) (see verse  2 ), "to take peace out of the
earth." Alas, how many red horses have been ridden through the
ages. {And that they should slay one another} (kai hina all(886c)ous
sphaxousin). Epexegetical explanatory purpose clause with hina
and the future active of sphaz(935c) ( 5:6 ) instead of the more
usual subjunctive (verse  2 ). Cf. Robertson, _Grammar_, p. 998f.
This is what war does to perfection, makes cannon fodder (cf.
 Joh 14:27 ) of men. {A great sword} (machaira megal(885c)).
Machaira may be a knife carried in a sheath at the girdle ( Joh
18:10 ) or a long sword in battle as here. Romphaia, also a
large sword, is the only other word for sword in the N.T. ( Re
1:16  2:12,16  6:8  19:15,21 ).