Revelation 16:21
in Revelation 16And great hailstones weighing almost a hundred pounds each rained down on them from above. And men cursed God for the plague of hail, because it was so horrendous.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And great hail, every stone about the weight of a talent, cometh down out of heaven upon men: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof is exceeding great.
KJV
And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.
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This verse in Revelation 16
Commentary
12 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven - Perhaps this is an allusion to one of the plagues of Egypt, Exo 9:22-26. Compare the notes on Rev 11:19. For a graphic description (by Com. Porter) of the effects of a hailstorm, see the notes on Isa 30:30. Compare the notes on Job 38:22. Every stone about the weight of a talent - The Attic talent was equal to about 55 lbs. or 56 lbs. Troy weight; the Jewish talent to about 113 lbs. Troy.
This site's exposition
God remembered Babylon the great
on Revelation 16:19-21
God remembered Babylon the great and gave her the cup of the wine of the fury, returning the cup she gave the nations at 14:8. The hail recalls Egypt's seventh plague at Exodus 9:22-25, and men cursed God for the plague of hail.
This site's exposition
great hailstones weighing almost a hundred pounds
The weight of a talent varied, and Albert Barnes gives about 55 pounds troy for the Attic talent and about 113 for the Jewish. John Wesley pictures men fleeing the earthquake into open fields and meeting the hail there. Their answer is cursing, the third time in the chapter.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
A commentator
Primasius of HadrumetumCOMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 16:21 · Written before 560.
proposed
The hail represents the wrath of [God's] revenge, of which we read, "The wrath of the Lord descends as hail." The Lord desires to protect his followers from this, for he says through the apostle, "[Jesus] delivers us from the wrath to come." Nor is …
Because of these events and the great hail, it was necessary that the people then turn to pleas and prayers. For thereby the calamities upon them would cease, whereas they instead blasphemed God, by whose favor the evils also increased against them.
The Medieval Church3 voices
And great hail like a talent descended from heaven upon men. The hail of God's wrath is likened to a talent, which is both heavy in weight and just in judgment, inflicted on each according to the diversity of their faults. And all the plagues …
And men blasphemed God, etc. Because some sins are the cause of sin, some the punishment of sin, and some both. As Isaiah says: Behold, you were angry, and we sinned (Isa. 64). Here, to blaspheme God because of the hail, both the sin and …
We think that the hail that comes down from heaven is the wrath from God, which also comes from above. That this hail weighs a hundredweight indicates the completeness [of its fearful torment] on account of the extremity and seriousness of the sins, which the …
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And a great hail falleth out of heaven - From which there was no defense. From the earthquake men would fly into the fields; but here also they are met by the hail: nor were they secure if they returned into the houses, when each hail-stone weighed sixty pounds.
And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
fell--Greek, "descends." upon men--Greek, "the men." and men blasphemed God--not those struck who died, but the rest. Unlike the result in the case of Jerusalem (Re 11:13), where "the remnant . . . affrighted . . . gave glory to the God of heaven." was--Greek, "is."
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A great hail - about the weight of a talent - Has this any reference to cannon balls and bombs? It is very doubtful; we are all in the dark in these matters. The words ὡς ταλαντιαια, as a talent, are used to express something great, excessively oppressive; as νοσηματων ταλαντιαιων, terrible diseases, not diseases of the weight of a talent. See Rosenmuller.
The words behind it
30 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 |
| χάλαζα | chalaza | a hail | G5464 → | 4 times |
| μεγάλη | megale | great | G3173 → | 243 times |
| ὡς | hos | about | G5613 → | 500 times |
| ταλαντιαία | talantiaia | a talent weight | G5006 → | |
| καταβαίνει | katabainei | comes down | G2597 → | 81 times |
| ἐκ | ek | out of | G1537 → | 911 times |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| οὐρανοῦ | ouranou | heaven | G3772 → | 272 times |
| ἐπὶ | epi | upon | G1909 → | 883 times |
| τοὺς | tous | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀνθρώπους. | anthropous | men. | G444 → | 549 times |
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἐβλασφήμησαν | eblasphemesan | blasphemed | G987 → | 34 times |
| οἱ | hoi | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἄνθρωποι | anthropoi | men | G444 → | 549 times |
| τὸν | ton | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεὸν | theon | God | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| ἐκ | ek | on account of | G1537 → | 911 times |
| τῆς | tes | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πληγῆς | pleges | plague | G4127 → | 22 times |
| τῆς | tes | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| χαλάζης, | chalazes | hail, | G5464 → | 4 times |
| ὅτι | hoti | for | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| μεγάλη | megale | severe | G3173 → | 243 times |
| ἐστὶν | estin | is | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| ἡ | he | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πληγὴ | plege | plague | G4127 → | 22 times |
| αὐτῆς | autes | of it | G846 → | 5565 times |
| σφόδρα.¶ | sphodra | exceedingly. | G4970 → |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
χάλαζαa hail
chalazaG5464 →4 times
μεγάληgreat
megaleG3173 →243 times
ὡςabout
hosG5613 →500 times
ταλαντιαίαa talent weight
talantiaiaG5006 →
καταβαίνειcomes down
katabaineiG2597 →81 times
ἐκout of
ekG1537 →911 times
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
οὐρανοῦheaven
ouranouG3772 →272 times
ἐπὶupon
epiG1909 →883 times
τοὺςthe
tousG3588 →19766 times
ἀνθρώπους.men.
anthropousG444 →549 times
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐβλασφήμησανblasphemed
eblasphemesanG987 →34 times
οἱthe
hoiG3588 →19766 times
ἄνθρωποιmen
anthropoiG444 →549 times
τὸν<the>
tonG3588 →19766 times
θεὸνGod
theonG2316 →1312 times
ἐκon account of
ekG1537 →911 times
τῆςthe
tesG3588 →19766 times
πληγῆςplague
plegesG4127 →22 times
τῆςof the
tesG3588 →19766 times
χαλάζης,hail,
chalazesG5464 →4 times
ὅτιfor
hotiG3754 →1292 times
μεγάληsevere
megaleG3173 →243 times
ἐστὶνis
estinG1510 →2333 times
ἡthe
heG3588 →19766 times
πληγὴplague
plegeG4127 →22 times
αὐτῆςof it
autesG846 →5565 times
σφόδρα.¶exceedingly.
sphodraG4970 →
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 8:7Then the first angel sounded his trumpet, and hail and fire mixed with blood were hurled down upon the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, along with a third of the…
it leads to
- Ezekiel 38:22
I will execute judgment upon him with plague and bloodshed. I will pour out torrents of rain, hailstones, fire, and sulfur on him and on his troops and on the many nations with him.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Revelation 9:4
They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads.
- Ezekiel 38:22
Through
Revelation 16:9And the people were scorched by intense heat, and they cursed the name of God, who had authority over these plagues; yet they did not repent and give Him glory.
it leads to
- Revelation 2:21
Even though I have given her time to repent of her immorality, she is unwilling.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Revelation 11:13
And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand were killed in the quake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Revelation 2:21
Through
Joshua 10:11As they fled before Israel along the descent from Beth-horon to Azekah, the LORD cast down on them large hailstones from the sky, and more of them were killed by the hailstones than by…
it leads to
- Isaiah 28:2
Behold, the Lord has one who is strong and mighty. Like a hailstorm or destructive tempest, like a driving rain or flooding downpour, he will smash that crown to the ground.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Isaiah 28:2
Through
Revelation 11:19Then 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,…
it leads to
- Revelation 15:5–8
After this I looked, and the temple—the tabernacle of the Testimony—was opened in heaven.
- Revelation 4:5
From 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.
- Revelation 15:5–8
Through
Revelation 16:11and curse the God of heaven for their pains and sores; yet they did not repent of their deeds.
it leads to
- Revelation 16:9
And the people were scorched by intense heat, and they cursed the name of God, who had authority over these plagues; yet they did not repent and give Him glory.
- Revelation 16:9
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 16:21; 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 16:21.
