Revelation 10:3
in Revelation 10Then he cried out in a loud voice like the roar of a lion. And when he cried out, the seven thunders sounded their voices.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and he cried with a great voice, as a lion roareth: and when he cried, the seven thunders uttered their voices.
KJV
And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices.
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This verse in Revelation 10
Commentary
13 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth - The lion is the monarch of the woods, and his roar is an image of terror. The point of the comparison here seems to be the loudness with which the angel cried, and the power of what he said to awe the world - as the roar of the lion keeps the dwellers of the forest in awe. What he said is not stated; nor did John attempt to record it. Prof.
This site's exposition
the seven thunders sounded their voices
on Revelation 10:3-4
The seven thunders sounded their voices, and John is about to write when a voice says Seal up what the seven thunders have said. It is the one revelation in the book John must withhold, like the sealed words of Daniel 12:4 and 12:9.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
[The loud voice] indicates that through his servants he was proclaimed faithfully and with strength. As the prophet says, "And he made firm the glory of his strength." "When he called out, the seven thunders sounded." Because of the known use of the number seven, …
A commentator
Victorinus of PettauCommentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John · Written before 304.
proposed
"Seven thunders uttered their voices."
And he cried out with a loud voice, as when a lion roars. And it is said that the holy angel of wrath was symbolically represented as having roared like a lion, signifying the judgment against the impious. And when he said, "he cried out," …
The Medieval Church2 voices
And when he cried out, the seven thunders uttered their voices. When the Lord preaches mightily, the Church, also full of sevenfold grace, raises its voices to preach. For the lion roars, who will not fear? The Lord God has spoken, who will not prophesy …
And he cried with a loud voice as when a lion roareth. Just as the lion's cry inspires beasts with fear, so does Christ inspire beastlike men with fear by threatening through the holy preachers, according to this: The lion roareth, who will not fear? …
6 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
), and his awful voice was echoed by seven thunders, seven solemn and terrible ways of discovering the mind of God. The prohibition given to the apostle, that he should not publish, but conceal what he had learned from the seven thunders,
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
And while he cried, or was crying - At the same instant. Seven thunders uttered their voices - In distinct words, each after the other. Those who spoke these words were glorious, heavenly powers, whose voice was as the loudest thunder.
And cried with a loud voice,....
An account of seven thunders which the apostle heard, as echoing to the voice of this angel, and communicating some discoveries, which the apostle was not yet allowed to write,
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
as . . . lion--Christ, whom the angel represents, is often so symbolized (Re 5:5, "the Lion of the tribe of Juda"). seven thunders--Greek, "the seven thunders." They form part of the Apocalyptic symbolism; and so are marked by the article as well known.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
Seven thunders - Seven being a number of perfection, it may here mean many, great, loud, and strong peals of thunder, accompanied with distinct voices; but what was said, St. John was not permitted to reveal, Rev 10:4.
The words behind it
17 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἔκραξεν | ekraxen | he cried out | G2896 → | 55 times |
| φωνῇ | phonea | in a voice | G5456 → | 139 times |
| μεγάλῃ | megale | loud | G3173 → | 243 times |
| ὥσπερ | hosper | as | G5618 → | |
| λέων | leon | a lion | G3023 → | 9 times |
| μυκᾶται. | mukatai | roars. | G3455 → | |
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ὅτε | hote | when | G3753 → | 103 times |
| ἔκραξεν, | ekraxen | he cried out, | G2896 → | 55 times |
| ἐλάλησαν | elalesan | sounded | G2980 → | 294 times |
| αἱ | hai | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἑπτὰ | hepta | seven | G2033 → | 86 times |
| βρονταὶ | brontai | thunders | G1027 → | 12 times |
| τὰς | tas | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἑαυτῶν | he'auton | their own | G1438 → | 322 times |
| φωνάς. | phonas | voice. | G5456 → | 139 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἔκραξενhe cried out
ekraxenG2896 →55 times
φωνῇin a voice
phoneaG5456 →139 times
μεγάλῃloud
megaleG3173 →243 times
ὥσπερas
hosperG5618 →
λέωνa lion
leonG3023 →9 times
μυκᾶται.roars.
mukataiG3455 →
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ὅτεwhen
hoteG3753 →103 times
ἔκραξεν,he cried out,
ekraxenG2896 →55 times
ἐλάλησανsounded
elalesanG2980 →294 times
αἱthe
haiG3588 →19766 times
ἑπτὰseven
heptaG2033 →86 times
βρονταὶthunders
brontaiG1027 →12 times
τὰςthe
tasG3588 →19766 times
ἑαυτῶνtheir own
he'autonG1438 →322 times
φωνάς.voice.
phonasG5456 →139 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
Joel 3:16The LORD will roar from Zion and raise His voice from Jerusalem; heaven and earth will tremble. But the LORD will be a refuge for His people, a stronghold for the people of Israel.
it leads to
- Isaiah 42:13
The LORD goes forth like a mighty one; He stirs up His zeal like a warrior. He shouts; yes, He roars in triumph over His enemies:
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- Joel 2:10–11
Before them the earth quakes; the heavens tremble. The sun and moon grow dark, and the stars lose their brightness.
- Amos 1:2
He said: “The LORD roars from Zion and raises His voice from Jerusalem; the pastures of the shepherds mourn, and the summit of Carmel withers.”
- Isaiah 42:13
Through
Revelation 4:5From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings, and peals of thunder. Before the throne burned seven torches of fire. These are the seven Spirits of God.
it leads to
- Revelation 11:19
Then the temple of God in heaven was opened, and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple. And there were flashes of lightning, and rumblings, and peals of thunder, and an earthquake,…
- Revelation 8:5
Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it to the earth; and there were peals of thunder, and rumblings, and flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.
- Revelation 1:4
John, To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from Him who is and was and is to come, and from the seven Spirits before His throne,
- Revelation 5:6
Then I saw a Lamb who appeared to have been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven…
- Revelation 16:17–18
Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came from the throne in the temple, saying, “It is done!”
- Revelation 11:19
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies2
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About Revelation
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Alcuin of York, COMMENTARY ON REVELATION; Bede, Commentary on Revelation; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Revelation; Primasius of Hadrumetum, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 10:3 and Victorinus of Pettau, Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John.