Revelation 16:12
in Revelation 16And the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings of the East.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the sixth poured out his bowl upon the great river, the river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way might be made ready for the kings that come from the sunrising.
KJV
And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.
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This verse in Revelation 16
Commentary
10 notes on this verseUpon the great river Euphrates - Probably meaning the people in the vicinity of this river; though some think that the Tiber is intended. The water thereof was dried up - The people discomfited, and all impediments removed. The kings of the east - There seems to be an allusion here to the ruin of Babylon by Cyrus, predicted by the Prophet Jeremiah, Jeremiah 50:1-51:64. But what city or people is pointed out by this Babylon it is in vain to conjecture.
This site's exposition
the kings of the East
on Revelation 16:12-14
The sixth bowl dries up the Euphrates to prepare the way for the kings of the East. The dragon, the beast, and the false prophet are named together here for the first time. Frogs were unclean under Leviticus 11:10 and were Egypt's second plague at Exodus 8:1-15.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
A commentator
Primasius of HadrumetumCOMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 16:12 · Written before 560.
proposed
[The waters dried up to prepare the way for the coming king from the east], that is, for Christ, concerning whom we read, "Behold a man, whose name is East," for him who is coming a way is prepared so that he might judge. Moreover, …
The sixth angel made the Euphrates River passable, perhaps drying up some of its springs so that passage by it would be easy for the kings. By a diabolic agency and by the permission of God, many kings were gathered together for their mutual war; …
The Medieval Church2 voices
Perhaps by divine providence the Euphrates River will diminish in size and provide passage to the kings of the nations for their wars of destruction against each other and the rest of humankind. According to what is adduced in subsequent portions of the Revelation, we …
And the sixth angel poured out his bowl on that great river Euphrates, etc. With the people perishing, the abundance of Babylon, in which nothing living, nothing green, that is not fit for fire, will remain. This is what was said above: The harvest of …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Was dried up - The far greater part of the Turkish empire lies on this side the Euphrates. The Romish and Mahometan affairs ran nearly parallel to each other for several ages. In the seventh century was Mahomet himself; and, a little before him, Boniface III., with his universal bishopric.
3 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And the sixth angel poured his vial on the great river Euphrates,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Israel's promotion to the priest-kingdom after Pharaoh's downfall, and at the Lord's descent at Sinai to establish the theocracy, typifies the restored kingdom of Israel at the Lord's more glorious descent, when Antichrist shall be destroyed utterly.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates - On the situation of that river, and the symbolical meaning of this language, see the notes on Rev 9:14-21. The reference there was supposed to be to the Turkish power, and the analogy of interpretation would seem to require that it should be so understood here. There is every reason, therefore, to suppose that this passage has reference to something in the future history of the Turkish dominions, and to some bearing of the events which are to occur in that history on the ultimate downfall of the anti-Christian power referred to by the “beast.” And the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared - That is, as the effect of pouring out the vial. There is an allusion here, undoubtedly, to the dividing of the waters of the Red Sea, so that the children of Israel might pass. See Exo 14:21-22. Compare the notes on Isa 11:15. In this description the Euphrates is represented as a barrier to prevent the passage of “the kings of the East,” on their way to the West for some purpose not yet specified; that is, applying the symbol of the Euphrates as being the seat of the Turkish power, the meaning is, that “that power” is such a hindrance, and that, in some way that hindrance is to be removed as if the waters of an unbridged and unfordable river were dried up so as to afford a safe and easy passage through. Still there are several inquiries as to the application of this, which is not easy, and, as it refers to what is still future, it may be impossible to answer. The language requires us to put upon it the following interpretation: (a) The persons here referred to as “kings of the East,” were ready to make a movement toward the West, over the Euphrates, and would do this if this obstruction were not in their way. […]
The words behind it
29 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 |
| ὁ | ho | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἕκτος | hektos | sixth | G1623 → | 14 times |
| ἐξέχεεν | execheen | poured out | G1632 → | 27 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| φιάλην | phialen | bowl | G5357 → | 12 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | of him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἐπὶ | epi | upon | G1909 → | 883 times |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ποταμὸν | potamon | river | G4215 → | 17 times |
| τὸν | ton | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| μέγαν | megan | great | G3173 → | 243 times |
| τὸν | ton | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Εὐφράτην, | euphraten | Euphrates, | G2166 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἐξηράνθη | exeranthe | was dried up | G3583 → | |
| τὸ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ὕδωρ | hudor | water | G5204 → | 76 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | of it | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἵνα | ina | so that | G2443 → | 668 times |
| ἑτοιμασθῇ | hetoimasthea | may be prepared | G2090 → | 40 times |
| ἡ | he | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ὁδὸς | hodos | way | G3598 → | |
| τῶν | ton | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| βασιλέων | basileon | kings | G935 → | 114 times |
| τῶν | ton | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀπὸ | apo | from the | G575 → | 640 times |
| ἀνατολῆς | anatoles | rising | G395 → | 10 times |
| ἡλίου.¶ | heliou | of the sun. | G2246 → | 32 times |
ΚαὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ὁthe
hoG3588 →19766 times
ἕκτοςsixth
hektosG1623 →14 times
ἐξέχεενpoured out
execheenG1632 →27 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
φιάληνbowl
phialenG5357 →12 times
αὐτοῦof him
autouG846 →5565 times
ἐπὶupon
epiG1909 →883 times
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
ποταμὸνriver
potamonG4215 →17 times
τὸν<the>
tonG3588 →19766 times
μέγανgreat
meganG3173 →243 times
τὸν<the>
tonG3588 →19766 times
Εὐφράτην,Euphrates,
euphratenG2166 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐξηράνθηwas dried up
exerantheG3583 →
τὸthe
toG3588 →19766 times
ὕδωρwater
hudorG5204 →76 times
αὐτοῦof it
autouG846 →5565 times
ἵναso that
inaG2443 →668 times
ἑτοιμασθῇmay be prepared
hetoimastheaG2090 →40 times
ἡthe
heG3588 →19766 times
ὁδὸςway
hodosG3598 →
τῶνof the
tonG3588 →19766 times
βασιλέωνkings
basileonG935 →114 times
τῶν<the>
tonG3588 →19766 times
ἀπὸfrom the
apoG575 →640 times
ἀνατολῆςrising
anatolesG395 →10 times
ἡλίου.¶of the sun.
heliouG2246 →32 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
Jeremiah 51:36Therefore this is what the LORD says: “Behold, I will plead your case and take vengeance on your behalf; I will dry up her sea and make her springs run dry.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 50:38
A drought is upon her waters, and they will be dried up. For it is a land of graven images, and the people go mad over idols.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Jeremiah 50:38
Through
Revelation 9:14saying to the sixth angel with the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.”
it leads to
- 2 Samuel 8:3
David also defeated Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, who had marched out to restore his dominion along the Euphrates River.
- Genesis 2:14
The name of the third river is Hiddekel; it runs along the east side of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.
- Revelation 9:15
So the four angels who had been prepared for this hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind.
- Jeremiah 51:63
When you finish reading this scroll, tie a stone to it and cast it into the Euphrates.
- Revelation 7:1
After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back its four winds so that no wind would blow on land or sea or on any tree.
- 2 Samuel 8:3
Through
Isaiah 42:15I will lay waste the mountains and hills and dry up all their vegetation. I will turn the rivers into dry land and drain the marshes.
it leads to
- Isaiah 44:27
who says to the depths of the sea, ‘Be dry, and I will dry up your currents,’
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Isaiah 44:27
Through
Isaiah 41:25I have raised up one from the north, and he has come—one from the east who calls on My name. He will march over rulers as if they were mortar, like a potter who…
it leads to
- Isaiah 41:2
Who has aroused one from the east and called him to his feet in righteousness? He hands nations over to him and subdues kings before him. He turns them to dust with his sword,…
- Isaiah 41:2
Where this verse is studied
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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); Andreas of Caesarea, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 16:12; 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); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Revelation and Primasius of Hadrumetum, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 16:12.
