Revelation 12:4

Revelation 12:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.
• New International Version (NIV)Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born.
• English Standard Version (ESV)His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it.
• New King James Version (NKJV)His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born.

Context of Revelation 12:4

2She is pregnant—crying out in birth pains, in agony to give birth. 3Then another sign appeared in heaven: a great fiery red dragon that had seven heads and ten horns, and seven royal crowns on his heads. His tail sweeps away a third of the stars of heaven—it hurled them to the earth. Now the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that whenever she gave birth he might devour her child. 5And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with an iron rod. And her child was snatched away to God and to His throne. 6Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God so they might take care of her for 1,260 days.

Revelation 12:4 word by word

καὶ ἡ οὐρὰ αὐτοῦ σύρει τὸ τρίτον τῶν ἀστέρων τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ ἔβαλεν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν γῆν. καὶ ὁ δράκων ἕστηκεν ἐνώπιον τῆς γυναικὸς τῆς μελλούσης τεκεῖν, ἵνα ὅταν τέκῃ τὸ τέκνον αὐτῆς καταφάγῃ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• tailὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• tailοὐράoura · tailG3769
• drewσύρωsurō · to dragG4951
• the third partτρίτοςtritos · thirdG5154
• of the starsἀστήρastēr · starG792
• of heavenοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
• did castβάλλωballō · to throw: throwG906
• toεἰςeis · towardG1519
• the earthγῆgē · earth: planetG1093
• the dragonδράκωνdrakōn · dragonG1404
• stoodἵστημιhistēmi · to standG2476
• beforeἐνώπιονenōpion · beforeG1799
• the womanγυνήgunē · womanG1135
• which was readyμέλλωmellō · to ensueG3195
• to be deliveredτίκτωtiktō · to give birth toG5088
• forἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• to devourκατεσθίωkatesthiō · to devourG2719
• childτέκνονteknon · childG5043
• as soon asὅτανhotan · when(-ever)G3752

Cross-references for Revelation 12:4

• Revelation 9:10They have tails like scorpions with stingers; and in their tails is their power to harm people for five months.
• Daniel 8:9“Out of one of them came forth a small horn, which grew extremely large to the south and the east, and toward the beautiful land.
• Revelation 17:18And the woman that you saw is the great city exercising kingship over the kings of the earth.”
• Revelation 12:2She is pregnant—crying out in birth pains, in agony to give birth.
• Exodus 1:16and said, “When you help the Hebrew women during childbirth, look at the sex. If it’s a son, then kill him, but if it’s a daughter, she may live.”
• Matthew 2:3When King Herod heard, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
• John 8:44You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks lies he is just being himself—for he is a liar and the father of lies.
• 1 Peter 5:8Stay alert! Watch out! Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, searching for someone to devour.

Commentaries on Revelation 12:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven - It is not unusual in Scripture, as Dr. Mitchell observes, to call the hindmost of an enemy the tail, as in Joshua 10:19; : Ye shall cut off the hindmost of them, which is literally in Hebrew, אותם וזנבתם "Ye shall cut off their tail." See also Deuteronomy 25:18. It is also observable that the word , in this verse, has been used by the Greeks in the same sense with the Hebrew word זנב already…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven - The word rendered “drew” - surō- means to “draw, drag, haul.” Prof. Stuart renders it “drew along”; and explains it as meaning that “the danger is represented as being in the upper region of the air, so that his tail may be supposed to interfere with and sweep down the stars, which, as viewed by the ancients, were all set in the visible expanse or welkin.” So Daniel 8:10, speaking of the little…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-4The large red dragon symbolizes Satan (see Revelation 12:9). seven heads, ten horns: These numbers symbolize a mix of divine and created powers (see Revelation 17:7–14). The historic battle between evil and God's people occurs on a cosmic scale (see Genesis 3:1–7, 14–15; Job 1:9–12). Herod’s wish to kill Jesus showed Satan’s attempt to destroy her baby after birth (see Matthew 2:7–8, 16).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. drew--Greek, present tense, "draweth," "drags down." His dragging down the stars with his tail (lashed back and forward in his fury) implies his persuading to apostatize, like himself, and to become earthy, those angels and also once eminent human teachers who had formerly been heavenly (compare Re 12:1; 1:20; Is 14:12). stood--"stands" [Alford]: perfect tense, Greek, "hesteken." ready to be delivered--"about to bring forth." for to devour, &c.--"that…Read the comment

Topics related to Revelation 12:4

• Astronomy
• Meteorology and Celestial Phenomena
• Stars
• Vision

In the dictionaries

• Adultery
• Dragon
• Earth
• Star
• About
• Astronomy
• Deliver
• Mary
• Michael
• Mizpah; Mizpeh

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