Darby Bible
Revelation 12:4
4and his tail draws the third part of the stars of the heaven; and he cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to bring forth, in order that when she brought forth he might devour her child.
Revelation 12:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.
- New International Version (NIV)Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born.
- English Standard Version (ESV)His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it.
- New King James Version (NKJV)His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born.
Context of Revelation 12:4
2and being with child she cried, [being] in travail, and in pain to bring forth. 3And another sign was seen in the heaven: and behold, a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems; and his tail draws the third part of the stars of the heaven; and he cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to bring forth, in order that when she brought forth he might devour her child. 5And she brought forth a male son, who shall shepherd all the nations with an iron rod; and her child was caught up to God and to his throne. 6And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has there a place prepared of God, that they should nourish her there a thousand two hundred [and] sixty days.
Read all of Revelation 12Revelation 12:4 word by word
καὶ ἡ οὐρὰ αὐτοῦ σύρει τὸ τρίτον τῶν ἀστέρων τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ ἔβαλεν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν γῆν. καὶ ὁ δράκων ἕστηκεν ἐνώπιον τῆς γυναικὸς τῆς μελλούσης τεκεῖν, ἵνα ὅταν τέκῃ τὸ τέκνον αὐτῆς καταφάγῃ.Read the interlinear
- tailοὐράoura · tailG3769
- thirdτρίτοςtritos · thirdG5154
- starsἀστήρastēr · starG792
- heavenοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
- castβάλλωballō · to throw: throwG906
- earthγῆgē · earth: planetG1093
- dragonδράκωνdrakōn · dragonG1404
- stoodἵστημιhistēmi · to standG2476
- womanγυνήgunē · womanG1135
- bringβάλλωballō · to throw: throwG906
- forthτίκτωtiktō · to give birth toG5088
- orderἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
- whenὅτανhotan · when(-ever)G3752
- devourκατεσθίωkatesthiō · to devourG2719
- childτέκνονteknon · childG5043
Cross-references for Revelation 12:4
- Revelation 9:10and they have tails like scorpions, and stings; and their power [was] in their tails to hurt men five months.
- Daniel 8:9And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which became exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the beauty [of the earth].
- Revelation 17:18And the woman which thou sawest is the great city, which has kingship over the kings of the earth.
- Revelation 12:2and being with child she cried, [being] in travail, and in pain to bring forth.
- Exodus 1:16and he said, When ye help the Hebrew women in bearing, and see [them] on the stool, if it be a son, then ye shall kill him, but if a daughter, then she shall live.
- Matthew 2:3But Herod the king having heard [of it], was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him;
- John 8:44Ye are of the devil, as [your] father, and ye desire to do the lusts of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has not stood in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks falsehood, he speaks of what is his own; for he is a liar and its father:
- 1 Peter 5:8Be vigilant, watch. Your adversary [the] devil as a roaring lion walks about seeking whom he may devour.
Commentaries on Revelation 12:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven - It is not unusual in Scripture, as Dr. Mitchell observes, to call the hindmost of an enemy the tail, as in Joshua 10:19; : Ye shall cut off the hindmost of them, which is literally in Hebrew, אותם וזנבתם "Ye shall cut off their tail." See also Deuteronomy 25:18. It is also observable that the word , in this verse, has been used by the Greeks in the same sense with the Hebrew word זנב already…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven - The word rendered “drew” - surō- means to “draw, drag, haul.” Prof. Stuart renders it “drew along”; and explains it as meaning that “the danger is represented as being in the upper region of the air, so that his tail may be supposed to interfere with and sweep down the stars, which, as viewed by the ancients, were all set in the visible expanse or welkin.” So Daniel 8:10, speaking of the little…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-4The large red dragon symbolizes Satan (see Revelation 12:9). seven heads, ten horns: These numbers symbolize a mix of divine and created powers (see Revelation 17:7–14). The historic battle between evil and God's people occurs on a cosmic scale (see Genesis 3:1–7, 14–15; Job 1:9–12). Herod’s wish to kill Jesus showed Satan’s attempt to destroy her baby after birth (see Matthew 2:7–8, 16).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. drew--Greek, present tense, "draweth," "drags down." His dragging down the stars with his tail (lashed back and forward in his fury) implies his persuading to apostatize, like himself, and to become earthy, those angels and also once eminent human teachers who had formerly been heavenly (compare Re 12:1; 1:20; Is 14:12). stood--"stands" [Alford]: perfect tense, Greek, "hesteken." ready to be delivered--"about to bring forth." for to devour, &c.--"that…Read the comment
Topics related to Revelation 12:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Revelation 12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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