Revelation 11:9
in Revelation 11For three and a half days all peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will view their bodies and will not permit them to be laid in a tomb.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And from among the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations do men look upon their dead bodies three days and a half, and suffer not their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb.
KJV
And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.
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This verse in Revelation 11
Commentary
12 notes on this verseThose Jews and Gentiles, who once were overpowered by the false wonders of the antichrist and who had indelibly engrafted that abominable name upon their hearts, prohibited the holy bodies from being buried, and they rejoiced because they were free from the torments that [the …
This site's exposition
will view their bodies
on Revelation 11:9-10
For three and a half days all peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will view their bodies and refuse them a tomb. Those who dwell on the earth will gloat over them and send one another gifts, glad that the prophets who had tormented them are silenced.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
Since they do not allow their bodies to be gathered in a suitable place, they prevent a day for their memory to be indicated by a sacred celebration of the living.… It is no wonder that the earthly minded rejoice over the deaths of the …
The intentions are expressed by which the impious strive to remove the church of Christ from the world, as the psalmist says, "Let the name of Israel be remembered no more!" And although they are unable to fulfill their desire, yet they make their evil …
And seeing that those deceived by the Antichrist from every tribe witness the destruction of the martyrs, they will rejoice over them as if their king has been victorious.
The Medieval Church2 voices
And they of the peoples, and tribes, and tongues, and nations, shall see their bodies for three days and a half: and they shall not suffer their bodies to be laid in sepulchres. Just as graves protect bodies from human eyes, so do quiet times …
And those from the peoples and tribes, etc. He did not say: The peoples and tribes will see, but many from the peoples, who, while others believe, openly mock the saints.
5 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
And they will not allow their bodies to be laid in tombs. He spoke of their intention and opposition. Not that they are able to prevent the Church from being remembered. As: Neither do you enter yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And they of the people, and kindreds, and tongues, and nations,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
And they of the people - Some of the people; a part of the people - ἐκ τῶν λαῶν ek tōn laōn. The language is such as would be employed to describe a scene where a considerable portion of a company of people should be referred to, without intending to include all. The essential idea is, that there would be an assemblage of different classes of people to whom their carcasses would be exposed, and that they would come and look upon them.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
they--rather, "(some) of the peoples." people--Greek, "peoples." kindreds--Greek, "tribes"; all save the elect (whence it is not said, The peoples . . . but [some] of the peoples . . . , or, some of the peoples . . . may refer to those of the nations . . ., who at the time shall hold possession of Palestine and Jerusalem). shall see--So Vulgate, Syriac, and Coptic.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
Shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves - They shall be treated with the greatest barbarity. Refusal of burial to the dead was allowed to be the sum of brutality and cruelty. In popish lands they will not suffer a Protestant to have Christian burial, or to have a grave in a churchyard! Contemptible wretches!
The words behind it
27 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 |
| βλέπουσιν | blepousin | gaze | G991 → | 132 times |
| ἐκ | ek | [those] of | G1537 → | 911 times |
| τῶν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| λαῶν | laon | peoples | G2992 → | 141 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| φυλῶν | phulon | tribes | G5443 → | 31 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| γλωσσῶν | glosson | tongues | G1100 → | 49 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἐθνῶν | ethnon | nations | G1484 → | 161 times |
| τὸ | to | [on] the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πτῶμα | ptoma | body | G4430 → | 7 times |
| αὐτῶν | auton | of them | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἡμέρας | hemeras | days | G2250 → | 389 times |
| τρεῖς | treis | three | G5140 → | 69 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἥμισυ, | hemisu | a half, | G2255 → | 5 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| τὰ | ta | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πτώματα | ptomata | bodies | G4430 → | 7 times |
| αὐτῶν | auton | of them | G846 → | 5565 times |
| οὐκ | ouk | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| ἀφίουσιν | aphiousin | they allow | G863 → | 143 times |
| τεθῆναι | tethenai | to be put | G5087 → | 100 times |
| εἰς | eis | into | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| μνῆμα. | mnema | a tomb. | G3418 → |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
βλέπουσινgaze
blepousinG991 →132 times
ἐκ[those] of
ekG1537 →911 times
τῶνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
λαῶνpeoples
laonG2992 →141 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
φυλῶνtribes
phulonG5443 →31 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
γλωσσῶνtongues
glossonG1100 →49 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐθνῶνnations
ethnonG1484 →161 times
τὸ[on] the
toG3588 →19766 times
πτῶμαbody
ptomaG4430 →7 times
αὐτῶνof them
autonG846 →5565 times
ἡμέραςdays
hemerasG2250 →389 times
τρεῖςthree
treisG5140 →69 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἥμισυ,a half,
hemisuG2255 →5 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τὰthe
taG3588 →19766 times
πτώματαbodies
ptomataG4430 →7 times
αὐτῶνof them
autonG846 →5565 times
οὐκnot
oukG3756 →1664 times
ἀφίουσινthey allow
aphiousinG863 →143 times
τεθῆναιto be put
tethenaiG5087 →100 times
εἰςinto
eisG1519 →1755 times
μνῆμα.a tomb.
mnemaG3418 →
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
Revelation 11:11But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God entered the two witnesses, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell upon those who saw them.
it leads to
- Genesis 2:7
Then the LORD God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, and the man became a living being.
- Romans 8:11
And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His…
- Romans 8:2
For in Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set you free from the law of sin and death.
- Ezekiel 37:5–14
This is what the Lord GOD says to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you will come to life.
- Genesis 2:7
Through
Revelation 10:11And they told me, “You must prophesy again about many peoples and nations and tongues and kings.”
it leads to
- Ezekiel 37:4
And He said to me, “Prophesy concerning these bones and tell them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD!
- Ezekiel 37:4
Through
Revelation 17:15Then the angel said to me, “The waters you saw, where the prostitute was seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues.
it leads to
- Revelation 17:1
Then one of the seven angels with the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits on many waters.
- Isaiah 8:7–8
the Lord will surely bring against them the mighty floodwaters of the Euphrates—the king of Assyria and all his pomp. It will overflow its channels and overrun its banks.
- Jeremiah 51:55
For the LORD will destroy Babylon; He will silence her mighty voice. The waves will roar like great waters; the tumult of their voices will resound.
- Revelation 17:1
Where this verse is studied
About Revelation

This page draws on 12 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; Andreas of Caesarea, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE, 11:9-10; Bede, Commentary on Revelation; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Revelation; Primasius of Hadrumetum, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 11:9 and Ticonius, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 11:9-10.
