Revelation 9:10
And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.
Revelation 9:10 in other translations
| BSB | They had tails with stingers like scorpions, which had the power to injure people for five months. |
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| WEB | They have tails like those of scorpions, with stingers. In their tails they have power to harm men for five months. |
| ASV | And they have tails like unto scorpions, and stings; and in their tails is their power to hurt men five months. |
| YLT | and they have tails like to scorpions, and stings were in their tails; and their authority is to injure men five months; |
| DARBY | and they have tails like scorpions, and stings; and their power was in their tails to hurt men five months. |
| BBE | And they have pointed tails like scorpions; and in their tails is their power to give men wounds for five months. |
| Webster | And they had tails like scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months. |
What does Revelation 9:10 mean?
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain
Barnes' Notes
And there were stings in their tails. Like the stings of scorpions. Rev 9:3. This made the locusts which appeared to John the more remarkable, for, though the fancy may imagine a resemblance between the tail of a locust and a scorpion, yet the locusts have properly no sting. The only thing which they have resembling a sting is a hard bony substance, like a needle, with which the female punctures the bark and wood of trees in order to deposit her eggs. It has, however, no adaptation, like a sting, for conveying poison into a wound. These, however, appeared to be armed with stings properly so called.
And their power was to hurt men. Not primarily to kill men, but to inflict on them various kinds of tortures. Rev 9:5. The word here used--αδικησαι, rendered to hurt--is different from the word in Rev 9:5--βασανισθωσι, rendered should be tormented. This word properly means to do wrong, to do unjustly, to injure, to hurt; and the two words would seem to convey the idea that they would produce distress by doing wrong to others, or by dealing unjustly with them. It does not appear that the wrong would be by inflicting bodily torments, but would be characterized by that injustice towards others which produces distress and anguish.
Five months. Rev 9:5.
Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain
Adam Clarke's Commentary
Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Revelation 9:1-12
Upon sounding the fifth trumpet, a star fell from heaven to the earth. Having ceased to be a minister of Christ, he who is represented by this star becomes the minister of the devil; and lets loose the powers of hell against the churches of Christ. On the opening of the bottomless pit, there arose a great smoke. The devil carries on his designs by blinding the eyes of men, by putting out light and knowledge, and…
Revelation 9:10 in the original Greek
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Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).
Cross references for Revelation 9:10
- Revelation 9:5
And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.
- Revelation 9:3
And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.
- Revelation 9:19
For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt.
Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Context
- Revelation 9:9
And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.
- Revelation 9:10
And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.
- Revelation 9:11
And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.
Revelation 9:10 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | Y tenían colas semejantes á las de los escorpiones, y tenían en sus colas aguijones; y su poder era de hacer daño á los hombres cinco meses. |
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| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | et elles ont des queues semblables à des scorpions, et des aiguillons; et leur pouvoir était dans leurs queues, pour nuire aux hommes cinq mois. |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | und sie haben Schwänze gleich Skorpionen, und Stacheln, und ihre Gewalt ist in ihren Schwänzen, die Menschen zu beschädigen fünf Monate. |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | et habebant caudas similes scorpionum, et aculei erant in caudis earum: et potestas earum nocere hominibus mensibus quinque: |