Revelation 12:15

Revelation 12:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.
• New International Version (NIV)Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent.
• English Standard Version (ESV)The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with a flood.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood.

Context of Revelation 12:15

13Now when the dragon realized that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. 14But the woman was given the two wings of a giant eagle so that she could fly out into the wilderness, to the place God prepared for her, where she is taken care of – away from the presence of the serpent – for a time, times, and half a time. Then the serpent spouted water like a river out of his mouth after the woman in an attempt to sweep her away by a flood, 16but the earth came to her rescue; the ground opened up and swallowed the river that the dragon had spewed from his mouth. 17So the dragon became enraged at the woman and went away to make war on the rest of her children, those who keep God’s commandments and hold to the testimony about Jesus.

Revelation 12:15 word by word

καὶ ἔβαλεν ὁ ὄφις ἐκ τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ ὀπίσω τῆς γυναικὸς ὕδωρ ὡς ποταμόν, ἵνα αὐτὴν ποταμοφόρητον ποιήσῃ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• the serpentὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the serpentὄφιςophis · snakeG3789
• cast outβάλλωballō · to throw: pourG906
• ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• mouthστόμαstoma · mouthG4750
• waterὕδωρhudōr hudatos · waterG5204
• asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• a floodποταμόςpotamos · riverG4215
• afterὀπίσωopisō · afterG3694
• the womanγυνήgunē · womanG1135
• thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• he might causeποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• herοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• to be carried away of the floodποταμοφόρητοςpotamophorētos · floodedG4216

Cross-references for Revelation 12:15

• Revelation 17:15Then the angel said to me, “The waters you saw (where the prostitute is seated) are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages.
• Psalms 18:4The waves of death engulfed me, the currents of chaos overwhelmed me.
• Psalms 65:7You calm the raging seas and their roaring waves, as well as the commotion made by the nations.
• Psalms 93:3The waves roar, O Lord, the waves roar, the waves roar and crash.
• Isaiah 8:7So look, the sovereign master is bringing up against them the turbulent and mighty waters of the Euphrates River – the king of Assyria and all his majestic power. It will reach flood stage and overflow its banks.
• Isaiah 28:2Look, the sovereign master sends a strong, powerful one. With the force of a hailstorm or a destructive windstorm, with the might of a driving, torrential rainstorm, he will knock that crown to the ground with his hand.
• Isaiah 59:19In the west, people respect the Lord’s reputation; in the east they recognize his splendor. For he comes like a rushing stream driven on by wind sent from the Lord.

Commentaries on Revelation 12:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood - The water here evidently means great multitudes of nations and peoples; for in Revelation 17:15, the interpreting angel says, The waters which thou sawest - are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. This water, then, which the dragon cast out of his mouth, must be an inundation of heathen barbarous nations upon the Roman empire; and the purpose which the dragon has in view by this…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood - This is special and uncommon imagery, and it is not necessary to suppose that anything like this literally occurs in nature. Some serpents are indeed said to eject from their mouths poisonous bile when they are enraged, in order to annoy their pursuers; and some sea monsters, it is known, spout forth large quantities of water; but the representation here does not seem to be taken from either of…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-17Verses 12-17 The church and all her friends might well be called to praise God for deliverance from pagan persecution, though other troubles awaited her. The wilderness is a desolate place, and full of serpents and scorpions, uncomfortable and destitute of provisions; yet a place of safety, as well as where one might be alone. But being thus retired could not protect the woman. The flood of water is explained by many to mean the invasions of barbarians…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15-16John imagines Satan as Leviathan, a great sea monster (compare Job 41:1), trying to destroy God's people (the woman; see study note on Revelation 12:1). In the vision, the earth protects the woman, and the dangerous waters are held back. This is similar to the way God contained the waters of chaos at creation (compare Genesis 1:2, 6–7, 9–10).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 15-1615-16. flood--Greek, "river" (compare Ex 2:3; Mt 2:20; and especially Ex 14:1-31). The flood, or river, is the stream of Germanic tribes which, pouring on Rome, threatened to destroy Christianity. But the earth helped the woman, by swallowing up the flood. The earth, as contradistinguished from water, is the world consolidated and civilized. The German masses were brought under the influence of Roman civilization and Christianity [Auberlen]. Perhaps it…Read the comment

Topics related to Revelation 12:15

• Vision
• Water

In the dictionaries

• Adultery
• Earth
• Star
• Apostolic Age
• Astronomy
• Dragon
• Flood
• Michael
• Revelation of John

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