Revelation 20:8

Revelation 20:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
• New International Version (NIV)and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—and to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore.
• English Standard Version (ESV)and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea.
• New Living Translation (NLT)He will go out to deceive the nations—called Gog and Magog—in every corner of the earth. He will gather them together for battle—a mighty army, as numberless as sand along the seashore.

Context of Revelation 20:8

6Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years. 7Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. 9They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. 10The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

Revelation 20:8 word by word

καὶ ἐξελεύσεται πλανῆσαι τὰ ἔθνη τὰ ἐν ταῖς τέσσαρσιν γωνίαις τῆς γῆς, τὸν Γὼγ καὶ Μαγώγ, συναγαγεῖν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸν πόλεμον, ὧν ὁ ἀριθμὸς αὐτῶν ὡς ἡ ἄμμος τῆς θαλάσσης.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• shall go outἐξέρχομαιexerchomai · to go outG1831
• to deceiveπλανάωplanaō · to lead astrayG4105
• the nationsἔθνοςethnos · GentilesG1484
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the fourτέσσαρεςtessares tessara · fourG5064
• quartersγωνίαgōnia · cornerG1137
• of the earthγῆgē · earth: planetG1093
• GogΓώγGōg · GogG1136
• MagogΜαγώγMagōg · MagogG3098
• to gatherσυνάγωsunagō · to assembleG4863
• themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• toεἰςeis · towardG1519
• battleπόλεμοςpolēmos · warG4171
• the numberἀριθμόςarithmos · numberG706
• of whomὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• the sandἄμμοςammos · sandG285
• of the seaθάλασσαthalassa · seaG2281

Cross-references for Revelation 20:8

• Revelation 20:3and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.
• Ezekiel 38:1Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
• Revelation 16:14For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
• Judges 7:12Now the Midianites and Amalekites, all the people of the East, were lying in the valley as numerous as locusts; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the seashore in multitude.
• 1 Samuel 13:5Then the Philistines gathered together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude. And they came up and encamped in Michmash, to the east of Beth Aven.
• 1 Kings 4:20Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking and rejoicing.
• Isaiah 10:22For though your people, O Israel, be as the sand of the sea, A remnant of them will return; The destruction decreed shall overflow with righteousness.
• Jeremiah 33:22As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, nor the sand of the sea measured, so will I multiply the descendants of David My servant and the Levites who minister to Me.’ ”
• Hebrews 11:12Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.

Commentaries on Revelation 20:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8Gog and Magog - This seems to be almost literally taken from the Jerusalem Targum, and that of Jonathan ben Uzziel, on Numbers 11:26. I shall give the words at length: "And there were two men left in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, the name of the other was Medad, and on them the spirit of prophecy rested. Eldad prophesied and said, 'Behold, Moses the prophet, the scribe of Israel, shall be taken from this world; and Joshua the son of Nun…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8And shall go out to deceive the nations - See the notes on Revelation 12:9. The meaning here is, that he would again, for a time, act in his true character, and in some way delude the nations once more. In what way this would be done is not stated. It would be, however, clearly an appeal to the wicked passions of mankind, exciting a hope that they might yet overthrow the kingdom of God on the earth. Which are in the four quarters of the earth - Literally…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-10Verses 7-10 While this world lasts, Satan's power in it will not be wholly destroyed, though it may be limited and lessened. No sooner is Satan let loose, than he again begins deceiving the nations, and stirring them up to make war with the saints and servants of God. It would be well if the servants and ministers of Christ were as active and persevering in doing good, as his enemies in doing mischief. God will fight this last and decisive battle for his…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8Jewish traditions differ on where Gog and Magog are located. Symbolically, they are to the north (see Jeremiah 1:14–15), the direction from which enemies traditionally approached Megiddo and Jerusalem. The names represent nations and rulers from all over the earth that oppose God's people (see Ezekiel 38–39). to assemble them for battle: This repeats earlier scenes where God's enemies gather for battle (Revelation 16:16; 19:19). Here, Satan makes a final…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. Gog and Magog--(Eze 38:1-39:29; see on Eze 38:2). Magog is a general name for northern nations of Japheth's posterity, whose ideal head is Gog (Ge 10:2). A has but one Greek article to "Gog and Magog," whereby the two, namely, the prince and the people, are marked as having the closest connection. B reads the second article before Magog wrongly. Hiller [Onomasticon] explains both words as signifying "lofty," "elevated." For "quarters" the Greek is…Read the comment

Topics related to Revelation 20:8

• Gog
• Magog
• Millennium
• Satan
• Vision

In the dictionaries

• the sea, the Great Sea, the western sea
• Ezekiel, Book of
• Gog
• Seal
• Corner
• Ecclesiastes, the Preacher
• Four
• Magog
• Mizpah; Mizpeh
• Number

Commentaries on Revelation 20

• 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