Revelation 16:20
in Revelation 16Then every island fled, and no mountain could be found.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.
KJV
And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.
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This verse in Revelation 16
Commentary
10 notes on this verseThe holy Scriptures have taught us that "islands" refer to the churches and "mountains" refer to those who are leaders in them. That they flee at the time of the arrival of the aforementioned occurrences, we have heard from the Lord, who said, "Then they …
This site's exposition
great Babylon came in remembrance before God
on Revelation 16:19-21
The great city is divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, a worldwide collapse rather than one city's ruin alone, and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath, the same cup she made the nations drink at 14:8 now returned to her own lips, measure for measure. Every island fled away, and the mountains were not found, the earth's very geography undone, and a great hail falls, every stone about the weight of a talent, roughly seventy-five pounds by the common reckoning, an intensifying of Exodus 9:22-25's seventh plague on Egypt past any bound nature has shown since. Men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, the chapter's refrain sounding one final time, unrepentant to the very last stroke of the wrath that the whole series has poured out.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
A commentator
Primasius of HadrumetumCOMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 16:20 · Written before 560.
proposed
It is my view that by the terms islands and also mountains the church is signified on account of the greatness of its stability. Isaiah spoke about these: "In [your] teachings give glory to the Lord; in the islands of the sea [give glory] to …
And he says that every island fled and no mountains were found. Islands are said to be the churches from the nations, as the prophet says: "The Lord has reigned; let the earth rejoice; let many islands be glad." (Ps. 97:1) Islands are also said, …
The Medieval Church1 voice
And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. The Church, which, because of its eminence of stability, is compared to islands and mountains, cautiously hides itself from the waves of persecutors.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Every island and mountain was "moved out of its place," chap. vi, 14; but here they all flee away. What a change must this make in the face of the terraqueous globe! And yet the end of the world is not come.
And every island fled away,....
3 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Plainly parallel to Re 6:14-17, and by anticipation descriptive of the last judgment. the mountains--rather as Greek, "there were found no mountains."
Every island fled away - Probably meaning the capture of seaport towns, and fortified places.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
And every island fled away - Expressive of great and terrible judgments, as if the very earth were convulsed, and everything were moved out of its place. See the notes on Rev 6:14. And the mountains were not found - The same image occurs in Rev 6:14. See the notes on that place.
The words behind it
8 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 |
| πᾶσα | pasa | every | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| νῆσος | nesos | island | G3520 → | 9 times |
| ἔφυγεν, | ephugen | fled, | G5343 → | 29 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ὄρη | ore | mountains | G3735 → | 62 times |
| οὐχ | ouch | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| εὑρέθησαν. | heurethesan | were to be found. | G2147 → | 175 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
πᾶσαevery
pasaG3956 →1235 times
νῆσοςisland
nesosG3520 →9 times
ἔφυγεν,fled,
ephugenG5343 →29 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ὄρηmountains
oreG3735 →62 times
οὐχnot
ouchG3756 →1664 times
εὑρέθησαν.were to be found.
heurethesanG2147 →175 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
Revelation 6:14The sky receded like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved from its place.
it leads to
- Isaiah 34:4
All the stars of heaven will be dissolved. The skies will be rolled up like a scroll, and all their stars will fall like withered leaves from the vine, like foliage from the fig…
- 2 Peter 3:10
But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar, the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and its works will be laid…
- Hebrews 1:11–13
They will perish, but You remain; they will all wear out like a garment.
- Isaiah 34:4
Through
Revelation 20:11Then I saw a great white throne and the One seated on it. Earth and heaven fled from His presence, and no place was found for them.
it leads to
- Revelation 21:1
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.
- 2 Peter 3:7
And by that same word, the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
- Daniel 2:35
Then the iron, clay, bronze, silver, and gold were shattered and became like chaff on the threshing floor in summer. The wind carried them away, and not a trace of them could be found.…
- Matthew 25:31
When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His glorious throne.
- 2 Peter 3:10–12
But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar, the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and its works will be laid…
- Revelation 21:1
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Revelation

This page draws on 10 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 16:20; 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; Oecumenius, Commentary on Revelation and Primasius of Hadrumetum, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 16:20.
