His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.
His countenance was like lightning,.... There was such a lustre and brightness in his face, that it glittered like lightning: such a description is in Dan 10:6, and his raiment white as snow: the word "white" is left out in the Vulgate Latin, and in Munster's Hebrew Gospel: the angel appeared clad in white, as a token of the purity and innocence of his nature...
Verse 3. His countenance. In our language, the word countenance refers to the face only. In the original, it refers to his whole person. His general aspect, or the appearance of the angel himself, was, etc. Like lightning. Peculiarly bright and shining. His raiment white as snow. Celestial beings are usually represented as clothed in white, . White, among the Jews, was the symbol of purity, or innocence. (e) "countenance"
His countenance--appearance. was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow--the one expressing the glory, the other the purity of the celestial abode from which he came.