Revelation 4:7

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 King James Version (NKJV)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.

Context of Revelation 4:7

5And out from the throne come flashes of lightning and rumblings and clashes of thunder—and seven torches of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God. 6And before the throne was something like a sea of glass, like crystal. In the middle of the throne and around it were four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind. The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature was like an ox, 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 all around and within. They do not rest day or night, chanting, “Kadosh, kadosh, kadosh Adonai Elohei-Tzva’ot, asher haya v’hoveh v’yavo! Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God of Hosts, who was and who is and who is to come!” 9And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to the One seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever,

Revelation 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 4:6And before the throne was something like a sea of glass, like crystal. In the middle of the throne and around it were four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind.
• Genesis 49:9A lion’s cub is Judah— from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He crouches, lies down like a lion, or like a lioness— who would rouse him?
• Numbers 2:2Let each man encamp under his own standard among the banners of their ancestral house at an appropriate distance around the Tent of Meeting.
• Numbers 23:24The people rise like a lioness, like a lion who does not rest until he eats his prey and drinks his victim’s blood!”
• Numbers 24:9He crouches like a lion or a lioness— who would rouse him? He who blesses you will be blessed, and he who curses you will be cursed.”
• Proverbs 28:2When a country is in rebellion, it has many rulers, but a man of discernment and knowledge maintains order.
• Ezekiel 1:10As for the form of their faces, each had a human face, the four had the face of a lion on the right side, the four had the face of an ox on the left side and the four had the face of an eagle.
• Ezekiel 10:14Each one had four faces: the first face was the face of the cheruv, the second face was 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 Torah of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it is threshing.” Is it the oxen that concern God,
• 1 Corinthians 14:20Brothers and sisters, stop being children in your thinking—rather, be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.
• Deuteronomy 28:49“Adonai will raise up a nation against you from far away, from the end of the earth, just as the eagle swoops down—a nation whose language you will not understand,
• 2 Samuel 1:23Saul and Jonathan, loved and delightful, parted neither in life nor death. They were swifter than eagles, stronger than lions.
• Isaiah 40:31but they who wait for Adonai will renew their strength. They will soar up with wings as eagles. They will run, and not grow weary. They will walk, and not be faint.
• Ezekiel 1:8They had human hands under their wings on their four sides. The four of them had faces and wings:
• Daniel 7:4“The first was like a lion with eagle’s wings. As I watched, its wings were pulled off and it was lifted off the ground. It was made to stand upon two feet like a man, and the heart of a human was given to it.
• Obadiah 1:4Even if you soar like the eagle, and even if you set your nest among the stars, from there I will bring you down.’” declares Adonai.

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

• Animals
• Bullock
• Eagle
• Lion
• Throne
• Vision

In the dictionaries

• Living creatures
• Receive
• Barak
• Bear; Born
• Cherubim (1)
• Eagle
• Ethics
• Ezekiel
• Isaiah
• Lion

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