New King James Version
Revelation 4:7
7The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle.
Revelation 4:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.
- New International Version (NIV)The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle.
- English Standard Version (ESV)the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight.
- New Living Translation (NLT)The first of these living beings was like a lion; the second was like an ox; the third had a human face; and the fourth was like an eagle in flight.
Context of Revelation 4:7
5And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. 6Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. 8The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!” 9Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever,
Read all of Revelation 4Revelation 4:7 word by word
καὶ τὸ ζῷον τὸ πρῶτον ὅμοιον λέοντι, καὶ τὸ δεύτερον ζῷον ὅμοιον μόσχῳ, καὶ τὸ τρίτον ζῷον ἔχων τὸ πρόσωπον ὡς ἀνθρώπου, καὶ τὸ τέταρτον ζῷον ὅμοιον ἀετῷ πετομένῳ.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- theὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- theζῷονzōon · living thingG2226
- firstπρῶτοςprōtos · firstG4413
- likeὅμοιοςhomoios · likeG3664
- a lionλέωνleōn · lionG3023
- secondδεύτεροςdeuteros · secondlyG1208
- a calfμόσχοςmoschos · calfG3448
- thirdτρίτοςtritos · thirdG5154
- hadἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
- a faceπρόσωπονprosōpon · faceG4383
- asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
- a manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
- fourthτέταρτοςtetartos · fourthG5067
- a flyingπέτομαιpetomai petaomai ptaomai · to flyG4072
- eagleἀετόςaetos · eagleG105
Cross-references for Revelation 4:7
- Revelation 4:6Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back.
- Genesis 49:9Judah is a lion’s whelp; From the prey, my son, you have gone up. He bows down, he lies down as a lion; And as a lion, who shall rouse him?
- Numbers 2:2“Everyone of the children of Israel shall camp by his own standard, beside the emblems of his father’s house; they shall camp some distance from the tabernacle of meeting.
- Numbers 23:24Look, a people rises like a lioness, And lifts itself up like a lion; It shall not lie down until it devours the prey, And drinks the blood of the slain.”
- Numbers 24:9‘He bows down, he lies down as a lion; And as a lion, who shall rouse him?’ “Blessed is he who blesses you, And cursed is he who curses you.”
- Proverbs 28:2Because of the transgression of a land, many are its princes; But by a man of understanding and knowledge Right will be prolonged.
- Ezekiel 1:10As for the likeness of their faces, each had the face of a man; each of the four had the face of a lion on the right side, each of the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and each of the four had the face of an eagle.
- Ezekiel 10:14Each one had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, the second face the face of a man, the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.
- 1 Corinthians 9:9For it is written in the law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.” Is it oxen God is concerned about?
- 1 Corinthians 14:20Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature.
- Deuteronomy 28:49The Lord will bring a nation against you from afar, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flies, a nation whose language you will not understand,
- 2 Samuel 1:23“Saul and Jonathan were beloved and pleasant in their lives, And in their death they were not divided; They were swifter than eagles, They were stronger than lions.
- Isaiah 40:31But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.
- Ezekiel 1:8The hands of a man were under their wings on their four sides; and each of the four had faces and wings.
- Daniel 7:4The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings. I watched till its wings were plucked off; and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet like a man, and a man’s heart was given to it.
- Obadiah 1:4Though you ascend as high as the eagle, And though you set your nest among the stars, From there I will bring you down,” says the Lord.
Commentaries on Revelation 4:7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7The first beast was like a lion - It is supposed that there is a reference here to the four standards or ensigns of the four divisions of the tribes in the Israelitish camp, as they are described by Jewish writers. The first living creature was like a lion; this was, say the rabbins, the standard of Judah on the east, with the two tribes of Issachar and Zabulon. The second, like a calf or ox, which was the emblem of Ephraim who pitched on the west, with…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7And the first beast was like a lion - A general description has been given, applicable to all, denoting that in whatever form the divine government is administered, these things will be found; a particular description now follows, contemplating that government under particular aspects, as symbolized by the living beings on which the throne rests. The first is that of a lion. The lion is the monarch of the woods, the king of beasts, and he becomes thus the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7These four creatures symbolize different types of beings: a lion represents wild animals, an ox represents domesticated animals, a human represents humanity, and an eagle represents birds (see Ezekiel 1:10). These figures come from Ezekiel 1 (cherubim) and Isaiah 6 (seraphim). They likely represent the best of creation as worshiping God. Missing from this group of created beings are fish. Ancient people often connected fish with the dangerous or evil sea…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. calf--"a steer" [Alford]. The Septuagint often uses the Greek term here for an ox (Ex 22:1; 29:10, &c.). as a man--The oldest manuscripts have "as of a man."Read the comment
Topics related to Revelation 4:7
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Revelation 4
- 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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries