Revelation 6 · Verse 13

Revelation 6:13

And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.

Revelation 6:13, King James Version

Revelation 6:13 in other translations

BSB	and the stars of the sky fell to the earth like unripe figs dropping from a tree shaken by a great wind.
WEB	The stars of the sky fell to the earth, like a fig tree dropping its unripe figs when it is shaken by a great wind.
ASV	and the stars of the heaven fell unto the earth, as a fig tree casteth her unripe figs when she is shaken of a great wind.
YLT	and the stars of the heaven fell to the earth--as a fig-tree doth cast her winter figs, by a great wind being shaken--
DARBY	and the stars of heaven fell upon the earth, as a fig tree, shaken by a great wind, casts its unseasonable figs.
BBE	And the stars of heaven were falling to the earth, like green fruit from a tree before the force of a great wind.
Webster	And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, even as a fig-tree casteth its untimely figs, when it is shaken by a mighty wind.

What does Revelation 6:13 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

13. stars ... fell ... as a fig tree casteth her ... figs--(Is 34:4; Na 3:12). The Church shall be then ripe for glorification, the Antichristian world for destruction, which shall be accompanied with mighty phenomena in nature. As to the stars falling to the earth, Scripture describes natural phenomena as they would appear to the spectator, not in the language of scientific accuracy; and yet, while thus adapting itself to ordinary men, it drops hints which show that it anticipates the discoveries of modern science.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 13. The falling of the stars: And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth. This language is derived from the poetic idea that the sky seems to be a solid concave in which the stars are set, and that, when any convulsion takes place, that concave will be shaken, and the stars will be loosened and fall from their places. See this language explained in Barnes "Isa 34:4". Sometimes the expanse above us is spoken of as a curtain that is spread out and that may be rolled up; sometimes as a solid crystalline expanse in which the stars are fixed. According to either representation, the stars are described as falling to the earth. If the expanse is rolled up, the stars, having nothing to support them, fall; if violent tempests or concussions shake the heavens, the stars, loosened from their fixtures, fall to the earth. Stars, in the Scriptures, are symbols of princes and rulers, (see Dan 8:10, Rev 8:10-11, 9:1) and the natural meaning of this symbol is, that there would be commotions which would unsettle princes, and bring them down from their thrones--like stars falling from the sky.

Even as a fig-tree casteth her untimely figs. Marg., green; Gr., ολυνθους. This word properly denotes winter-figs, or such as grow under the leaves, and do not ripen at the proper season, but hang upon the trees during the winter.-- Rob. Lex. This fruit seldom matures, and easily falls off in the spring of the year. --Stuart, in loc. A violent wind shaking a plantation of fig-trees would of course cast many such figs to the ground. The point of the comparison is, the ease with which the stars would seem to be shaken from their places, and hence the ease with which, in these commotions, princes would be dethroned.

See also:

Barnes "Re 6:14", seq.

(c) "stars" Rev 8:10 (1) "untimely" "green"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 13 The stars of heaven - The gods and goddesses, demi-gods, and deified heroes, of their poetical and mythological heaven, were prostrated indiscriminately, and lay as useless as the figs or fruit of a tree shaken down before ripe by a tempestuous wind.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Revelation 6:12-17

When the sixth seal was opened, there was a great earthquake. The foundations of churches and states would be terribly shaken. Such bold figurative descriptions of great changes abound in the prophecies of Scripture; for these events are emblems, and declare the end of the world and the day of judgment. Dread and terror would seize on all sorts of men. Neither grandeur, riches, valour, nor strength, can support men…

Read the full comment on Revelation 6:12-17 →

Revelation 6:13 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

καὶkaiandG2532

οἱhoitheG3588

ἀστέρεςasteresstarsG792

τοῦtou<the>G3588

οὐρανοῦouranouof heavenG3772

ἔπεσανepesanfellG4098

εἰςeistoG1519

τὴνtēntheG3588

γῆνgēnearthG1093

ὡςhōsasG5613

συκῆsukēa fig treeG4808

βάλλειballeicastsG906

τοὺςtoustheG3588

ὀλύνθουςolunthousunripe figsG3653

αὐτῆςautēsof itG846

ὑπὸhupobyG5259

ἀνέμουanemoua windG417

μεγάλουmegalougreatG3173

σειομένη,seiomenēbeing shaken,G4579

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Revelation 6:13

Isaiah 34:4
And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree.
Matthew 24:29
Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
Revelation 9:1
And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
Revelation 8:10-12
And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter. And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.
Ezekiel 32:7
And when I shall put thee out, I will cover the heaven, and make the stars thereof dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give her light.
Daniel 8:10
And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them.
Isaiah 7:2
And it was told the house of David, saying, Syria is confederate with Ephraim. And his heart was moved, and the heart of his people, as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind.
Luke 21:25
And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
Nahum 3:12
All thy strong holds shall be like fig trees with the firstripe figs: if they be shaken, they shall even fall into the mouth of the eater.
Daniel 4:14
He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches:
Isaiah 33:9
The earth mourneth and languisheth: Lebanon is ashamed and hewn down: Sharon is like a wilderness; and Bashan and Carmel shake off their fruits.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

the stars.
8:10-12; 9:1; Eze 32:7; Da 8:10; Lu 21:25
untimely figs. or green figs. of a.
Isa 7:2; 33:9; Da 4:14; Na 3:12

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Revelation 6:12
And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
Revelation 6:13
And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
Revelation 6:14
And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

Read all of Revelation 6

Revelation 6:13 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y las estrellas del cielo cayeron sobre la tierra, como la higuera echa sus higos cuando es movida de gran viento.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	et les étoiles du ciel tombèrent sur la terre, comme un figuier agité par un grand vent jette loin ses figues tardives.
German Elberfelder 1871	und die Sterne des Himmels fielen auf die Erde, wie ein Feigenbaum, geschüttelt von einem starken Winde, seine unreifen Feigen abwirft.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	et stellæ de cælo ceciderunt super terram, sicut ficus emittit grossos suos cum a vento magno movetur: