Revelation 1:7
in Revelation 1Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him—even those who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. So shall it be! Amen.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Behold, he cometh with the clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they that pierced him; and all the tribes of the earth shall mourn over him. Even so, Amen.
KJV
Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
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This verse in Revelation 1
Commentary
4 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Behold he cometh with clouds - That is, the Lord Jesus, when he returns, will come accompanied with clouds. This is in accordance with the uniform representation respecting the return of the Saviour. See the notes on Mat 24:30. Compare Mat 26:64; Mar 13:26; Mar 14:62; Act 1:9, Act 1:11. Clouds are appropriate symbols of majesty, and God is often represented as appearing in that manner. See Exo 19:18; Psa 18:11 ff; Isa 19:1. So, among the pagan, it was common to represent their divinities as appearing clothed with a cloud: “tandem venias, precamur, Nube candentes humeros amictus.
This site's exposition
he cometh with clouds
on Revelation 1:7-8
The book's theme verse joins Daniel 7:13's clouds to Zechariah 12:10's pierced one: behold, he cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him, a visible, universal coming. All kindreds of the earth shall wail, and Zechariah's own scene is Israel's future mourning that turns to grace, the site's reading keeping that hope in the wail; even so, Amen doubles the assent in Greek and Hebrew at once. The Almighty then speaks for himself, I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, which is, and which was, and which is to come, a self-naming the risen Lord will take on his own lips at verse 11 and at 22:13, the book's quiet and constant deity claim.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
He that cometh saith, Yea; he that testifies it, Amen. The word translated yea is Greek; Amen is Hebrew: for what is here spoken respects both Jew and gentile.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Even the godly while rejoicing in His love shall feel penitential sorrow at their sins, which shall all be manifested at the general judgment. because of--Greek, "at," or "in regard to Him." Even so, Amen--Gods seal of His own word; to which corresponds the believer's prayer, Re 22:20. To both Gentiles and Jews His promises and threats are unchangeable.
The words behind it
25 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ἰδοὺ | idou | Behold | G2400 → | 200 times |
| ἔρχεται | erchetai | He is coming | G2064 → | 628 times |
| μετὰ | meta | with | G3326 → | 461 times |
| τῶν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| νεφελῶν, | nephelon | clouds, | G3507 → | 25 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ὄψεται | opsetai | will behold | G3700 → | 54 times |
| αὐτὸν | auton | Him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| πᾶς | pas | every | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| ὀφθαλμὸς | ophthalmos | eye | G3788 → | 100 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| οἵτινες | oitines | those who | G3748 → | 144 times |
| αὐτὸν | auton | Him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἐξεκέντησαν· | exekentesan | pierced; | G1574 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| κόψονται | kopsontai | will wail | G2875 → | |
| ἐπ᾽ | ep᾽ | because of | G1909 → | 883 times |
| αὐτὸν | auton | Him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| πᾶσαι | pasai | all | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| αἱ | hai | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| φυλαὶ | phulai | tribes | G5443 → | 31 times |
| τῆς | tes | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| γῆς, | ges | earth, | G1093 → | 248 times |
| ναὶ | nai | Yes | G3483 → | 33 times |
| ἀμήν.¶ | amen | Amen! | G281 → | 127 times |
ἸδοὺBehold
idouG2400 →200 times
ἔρχεταιHe is coming
erchetaiG2064 →628 times
μετὰwith
metaG3326 →461 times
τῶνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
νεφελῶν,clouds,
nephelonG3507 →25 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ὄψεταιwill behold
opsetaiG3700 →54 times
αὐτὸνHim
autonG846 →5565 times
πᾶςevery
pasG3956 →1235 times
ὀφθαλμὸςeye
ophthalmosG3788 →100 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
οἵτινεςthose who
oitinesG3748 →144 times
αὐτὸνHim
autonG846 →5565 times
ἐξεκέντησαν·pierced;
exekentesanG1574 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
κόψονταιwill wail
kopsontaiG2875 →
ἐπ᾽because of
ep᾽G1909 →883 times
αὐτὸνHim
autonG846 →5565 times
πᾶσαιall
pasaiG3956 →1235 times
αἱthe
haiG3588 →19766 times
φυλαὶtribes
phulaiG5443 →31 times
τῆςof the
tesG3588 →19766 times
γῆς,earth,
gesG1093 →248 times
ναὶYes
naiG3483 →33 times
ἀμήν.¶Amen!
amenG281 →127 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Daniel 7:13In my vision in the night I continued to watch, and I saw One like the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led…
it leads to
- Matthew 26:64
“You have said it yourself,” Jesus answered. “But I say to all of you, from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming on…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Luke 21:27
At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Matthew 24:30
At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Revelation 14:14
And I looked and saw a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was One like the Son of Man, with a golden crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand.
- Mark 14:61–62
But Jesus remained silent and made no reply. Again the high priest questioned Him, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?”
- Matthew 26:64
Through
Mark 14:62“I am,” said Jesus, “and you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.”
it leads to
- Daniel 7:13–14
In my vision in the night I continued to watch, and I saw One like the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led…
- Psalms 110:1
The LORD said to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”
- Daniel 7:13–14
Through
John 19:37And, as another Scripture says: “They will look on the One they have pierced.”
it leads to
- Zechariah 12:10
Then I will pour out on the house of David and on the people of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and prayer, and they will look on Me, the One they have pierced. They…
- Zechariah 12:10
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies16
On this verse
About Revelation

This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible and John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament.
