Revelation 6:4

Revelation 6:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.
• New International Version (NIV)Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make people kill each other. To him was given a large sword.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And out came another horse, bright red. Its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that people should slay one another, and he was given a great sword.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword.

Context of Revelation 6:4

2Then I looked, and there was a white horse, and its rider had a bow. He was given a crown and rode off as a warrior to win battles. 3When the lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Go!” A second horse went out. It was fiery red. Its rider was given the power to take peace away from the earth and to make people slaughter one another. So he was given a large sword. 5When the lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Go!” I looked, and there was a black horse, and its rider held a scale. 6I heard what sounded like a voice from among the four living creatures, saying, “A quart of wheat for a day’s pay or three quarts of barley for a day’s pay. But do not damage the olive oil and the wine.”

Revelation 6:4 word by word

καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ἄλλος ἵππος πυρρός. καὶ τῷ καθημένῳ ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν ἐδόθη αὐτῷ λαβεῖν τὴν εἰρήνην ἐκ τῆς γῆς, καὶ ἵνα ἀλλήλους σφάξουσιν. καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτῷ μάχαιρα μεγάλη.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• there went outἐξέρχομαιexerchomai · to go outG1831
• anotherἄλλοςallos · anotherG243
• horseἵπποςhippos · horseG2462
• redπυρρόςpurrhos · fiery redG4450
• was givenδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
• to himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• that satκάθημαιkathēmai · to sitG2521
• ·ἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• to takeλαμβάνωlambanō · to takeG2983
• peaceὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• peaceεἰρήνηeirēnē · peaceG1515
• fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
• the earthγῆgē · earth: planetG1093
• thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• they should killσφάζωsphazō · to slaughterG4969
• one anotherἀλλήλωνallēlōn · one anotherG240
• a greatμέγαςmegas · greatG3173
• swordμάχαιραmachaira · swordG3162

Cross-references for Revelation 6:4

• Revelation 12:3Another sign appeared in the sky: a huge fiery red serpent with seven heads, ten horns, and seven crowns on its heads.
• Revelation 17:3Then the angel carried me by his power into the wilderness. I saw a woman sitting on a bright red beast covered with insulting names. It had seven heads and ten horns.
• Zechariah 1:8During that night I saw a man riding on a red horse. He was standing among the myrtle trees in a ravine. Behind him were red, chestnut, and white horses.
• Zechariah 6:2The first chariot had red horses. The second had black horses.
• Revelation 13:10If anyone is taken prisoner, he must go to prison. If anyone is killed with a sword, with a sword he must be killed. In this situation God’s holy people need endurance and confidence.
• Exodus 9:16But I have spared you for this reason. I want to show you my power and make my name famous throughout the earth.
• Isaiah 37:26“ ‘Haven’t you heard? I did this long ago. I planned it in the distant past. Now I make it happen so that you will turn fortified cities into piles of rubble.
• Ezekiel 29:18“Son of man, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon made his army fight hard against Tyre. Every soldier’s head was worn bald, and every soldier’s shoulder was rubbed raw. Yet, he and his army got no reward for their hard-fought battle against Tyre.
• Daniel 2:37“Your Majesty, you are the greatest king. The God of heaven has given you a kingdom. He has given you power, strength, and honor.
• Daniel 5:19People from every province, nation, and language trembled and were terrified by him, because God gave him power. Nebuchadnezzar killed whomever he wanted to kill, and he kept alive whomever he wanted to keep alive. He promoted whomever he wanted to promote, and he demoted whomever he wanted to demote.
• John 19:11Jesus answered Pilate, “You wouldn’t have any authority over me if it hadn’t been given to you from above. That’s why the man who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.”
• Psalms 17:13Arise, O Lord; confront them! Bring them to their knees! With your sword rescue my life from wicked people.
• Isaiah 10:5“How horrible it will be for Assyria! It is the rod of my anger. My fury is the staff in the Assyrians’ hands.
• Ezekiel 30:24I will make the arms of the king of Babylon strong. I will put my sword in his hand, but I will break Pharaoh’s arms. Pharaoh will groan like a person who is dying.

Commentaries on Revelation 6:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Another horse - red - The emblem of war; perhaps also of severe persecution, and the martyrdom of the saints. Him that sat thereon - Same say, Christ; others, Vespasian; others, the Roman armies; others, Artabanus, king of the Parthians, etc., etc. Take peace from the earth - To deprive Judea of all tranquillity. They should kill one another - This was literally the case with the Jews, while besieged by the Romans. A great sword - Great influence and…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4And there went out another horse - In this symbol there were, as in the others, several particulars which it is proper to explain in order that we may be able to understand its application. The particular things in the symbol are the following: (a) The horse. See this explained in the notes on Revelation 6:2. (b) The color of the horse: another horse that was red. This symbol cannot be mistaken. As the white horse denoted prosperity, triumph, and…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-4The red horse symbolizes bloody violence on earth. The Roman Empire promised peace (the pax Romana), but widespread violence was the grim reality. This rider represents slaughter, including civil unrest and ethnic cleansing.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. red--the color of blood. The color of the horse in each case answers to the mission of the rider. Compare Mt 10:24-36, "Think not I am come to send peace on earth; I came not to send peace, but a sword." The white horse of Christ's bloodless victories is soon followed, through man's perversion of the Gospel, by the red horse of bloodshed; but this is overruled to the clearing away of the obstacles to Christ's coming kingdom. The patient ox is the…Read the comment

Topics related to Revelation 6:4

• Animals
• Horse
• Vision
• War

In the dictionaries

• Colour
• Conquer
• Hurt
• Mighty
• Shake
• Color; Colors
• Eschatology of the New Testament
• Ethics
• Horse, Red
• Jael

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