Revelation 6:2

Revelation 6:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.
• New International Version (NIV)I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And I looked, and behold, a white horse! And its rider had a bow, and a crown was given to him, and he came out conquering, and to conquer.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.

Context of Revelation 6:2

1Then I watched while the Lamb opened one of the seven seals on the book. I heard one of the four beings say, ‘Come!’ It spoke very loudly with a voice like thunder. I looked, and I saw a white horse. The person who was riding the horse held a bow. Someone gave him a crown. He had fought against many people and he had won. Now he rode out on his horse to win against many more people. 3Then the Lamb opened the second seal. I heard another of the beings say, ‘Come!’ 4Then another horse came out. This horse was bright red, like fire. The person who was riding the horse had authority. He could take peace away from the earth, so that people killed each other. Someone gave him a large sword.

Revelation 6:2 word by word

Καὶ εἶδον καὶ ἰδοὺ ἵππος λευκὸς καὶ ὁ καθήμενος ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν ἔχων τόξον. καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτῷ στέφανος, καὶ ἐξῆλθεν νικῶν καὶ ἵνα νικήσῃ.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• I sawὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
• a whiteλευκόςleukos · whiteG3022
• horseἵπποςhippos · horseG2462
• heὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• that satκάθημαιkathēmai · to sitG2521
• onἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• hadἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• a bowτόξονtoxon · bowG5115
• a crownστέφανοςstephanos · crownG4735
• was givenδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
• he went forthἐξέρχομαιexerchomai · to go outG1831
• conqueringνικάωnikaō · to conquerG3528
• toἵναhina · in order that/toG2443

Cross-references for Revelation 6:2

• Revelation 19:11I saw that heaven was now open. I saw a white horse there! The name of the man who was riding the horse was this: ‘A faithful, honest person’. He is always right when he judges people and when he goes to punish them in war.
• Zechariah 1:8During the night I, Zechariah, had a dream from the Lord. I saw a man on a red horse. The horse was standing among some trees called myrtle trees, in the valley. And behind him were red, brown and white horses.
• Zechariah 6:3The third chariot had white horses and the fourth chariot had grey horses. All the horses were strong.
• Psalms 45:3Brave soldier, wear your sword at your side! Show what a great king you are!
• Psalms 76:7Yes, everyone is afraid of you, our God! When you are angry, nobody can stand against you.
• Revelation 14:14Then I looked, and I saw a white cloud in front of me. I saw someone who was like a son of man. He was sitting on the cloud. He had a gold crown on his head and a sharp knife in his hand.
• Revelation 19:12His eyes burn like bright flames of fire. Many crowns are on his head. He has a name that is written on him, but nobody knows that name except himself.
• Zechariah 6:11Take the gold and other valuable metal and make a crown. Put it on the head of Joshua the most important priest. He is the son of Jehozadak.
• Matthew 28:18Jesus went near to them and he said to them, ‘God has given me authority over everyone and everything. I have all authority in heaven and in this world.
• Revelation 11:15The seventh angel made a sound with his trumpet. Then there was the sound of loud voices in heaven. They shouted: ‘Our Lord God and his Messiah now have all authority! The whole world has become their kingdom. God will rule as King for ever!’
• Revelation 15:2Then I saw what seemed to be a glass sea. Fire was mixed in it. I also saw people who were standing at the edge of the glass sea. Those people had fought against the wild animal and they had won. They had won against its image and the number that means its name. They had fought and they had won. God had given them harps. They held the harps to make music.
• Revelation 17:14Together they will fight a war against the Lamb. But the Lamb will win against them. He is the Lord above all lords. He is the King who rules over all kings. And God's people will be with him. They are the people that the Lamb has chosen to belong to him. They are the people who have continued to trust him.’
• Psalms 98:1Sing a new song to praise the Lord. He has done great things. He has used his own power and his holy strength to win against his enemies.
• Psalms 110:2The Lord will give you great authority, as you rule from Zion. You will rule over all your enemies that are round you.
• Isaiah 25:8The Almighty Lord will destroy death for ever. He will clean away the tears in everyone's eyes. His people will not feel ashamed any more. Nobody in all the world will ever insult them again. That is what the Lord has said.
• Romans 15:18But I will only speak about the work that Christ has made me able to do. I have lived among the Gentiles and I have spoken God's message to them. They have obeyed God as a result of Christ's work through me.

Commentaries on Revelation 6:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2A white horse - Supposed to represent the Gospel system, and pointing out its excellence, swiftness, and purity. He that sat on him - Supposed to represent Jesus Christ. A bow - The preaching of the Gospel, darting conviction into the hearts of sinners. A crown - The emblem of the kingdom which Christ is to establish on earth. Conquering, and to conquer - Overcoming and confounding the Jews first, and then the Gentiles; spreading more and more the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2And I saw, and behold - A question has arisen as to the mode of representation here: whether what John saw in these visions was a series of pictures, drawn on successive portions of the volume as one seal was broken after another; or whether the description of the horses and of the events was written on the volume, so that John read it himself, or heard it read by another; or whether the opening of the seal was merely the occasion of a scenic…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2Some people think the rider on a white horse is Christ, like in Revelation 19:11. But the only similarity between these two images is the horse. The four riders represent a destructive and senseless world. It has no redeeming qualities. A bow is a weapon made of a curved piece of wood and a string. People shoot arrows with it. The bow was a common Greco-Roman military equipment. Here it is as a symbol of war. to overcome and conquer: The repeated use of…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. Evidently Christ, whether in person, or by His angel, preparatory to His coming again, as appears from Re 19:11, 12. bow--(Psa 45:4, 5). crown--Greek, "stephanos," the garland or wreath of a conqueror, which is also implied by His white horse, white being the emblem of victory. In Re 19:11, 12 the last step in His victorious progress is represented; accordingly there He wears many diadems (Greek, "diademata"; not merely Greek, "stephanoi," "crowns" or…Read the comment

Topics related to Revelation 6:2

• Animals
• Bow
• Colors
• Crown
• Horse
• Vision

In the dictionaries

• White Horse
• Colour
• Conquer
• Hurt
• Mighty
• Shake
• Color; Colors
• Crown
• Eschatology of the New Testament
• Ethics

Commentaries on Revelation 6

• 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
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings