Revelation 20:9
in Revelation 20And they marched across the broad expanse of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. But fire came down from heaven and consumed them.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And they went up over the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down out of heaven, and devoured them.
KJV
And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
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This verse in Revelation 20
Commentary
16 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
And they went up on the breadth of the earth - They spread over the earth in extended columns. The image is that of an invading army that seems, in its march, to spread all over a land. The reference here is to the hosts assembled from the regions of Gog and Magog; that is, to the formidable enemies of the gospel that would be roused up at the close of the period properly called the “millennial” period - the period of the thousand years.
This site's exposition
Satan will be released
on Revelation 20:7-9
Released, Satan gathers Gog and Magog, the names of Ezekiel 38-39, in a number like the sand of the seashore. They surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. The war ends at once: fire came down from heaven and consumed them.
This site's exposition
the camp of the saints
Albert Barnes pictures the army spreading over the land in long columns, the enemies roused at the close of the thousand years. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown tie this last judgment to the renewal of nature that chapter 21 describes. Then the new heaven and earth appear.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
[That they encompassed the beloved city] obviously does not mean that they gathered or will gather in some one place where, we must suppose, the camp of the saints and the beloved city is to be. For, of course, this city is Christ's church, which is spread over the whole world. Wherever his church will be (and it will be among all nations, "over the breadth of the earth"), there is to be the camp of the saints and the beloved city of God. There will she be, surrounded by all her enemies, intermingled with her as they are and will be in every people, girded with the appalling magnitude of that besetting, hemmed in, straitened and encompassed by the pressures of that mighty affliction; but never will [the church] give up her fighting spirit, her "camp," as John says. [The fire from heaven] must not be taken to indicate that supreme punishment of the ungodly, which is to begin only with the words "Depart from me, accursed ones, into the everlasting fire." For it is then that the wicked are to be cast into fire rather than to have fire fall on them. John's words, "fire from heaven," can well be interpreted as symbolizing the staunchness of the saints, their refusal to give in and do the bidding of their raging enemies. For the heavens are called a "firmament," and by its firmness the ungodly will be tormented by blazing zeal, because [they are] powerless to win over Christ's holy ones to the camp of antichrist. This is the devouring fire, and it is said to come from God because it is by God's grace that the saints are to be unconquerable, to the great torment of their foes.
"And they ascended upon the height of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints." Lifted up by their arrogance, the impious ascended into the heights, but their earthly arrogance holds them back. They are wise in nothing heavenly, nor do they fear the …
A commentator
Caesarius of ArlesEXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 20:9, HOMILY 18 · Written before 542.
proposed
"And the devil and his people went up into the height of the earth," that is, in the presumption of their arrogance, and "they surrounded the camp of the saints and the city of the beloved," that is, the church. This refers to what was …
A commentator
Victorinus of PettauCommentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John · Written before 304.
proposed
"And they went up upon the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city; and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil who seduced them was cast into the take of fire and brimstone, where both the beast and the false prophet shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever."]This belongs to the last judgment.
And they went up over the extent of the earth, and they will surround the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. And they will surround the beloved city, that is, the …
8 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church5 voices
the beast. That is, those living in a bestial fashion.
Just as fierce animals come out of their caves, so, it says, those led by the devil and the demons with him will come from their various locations and spread themselves out over the earth to ravage the camp of the saints, clearly meaning the …
fire coming down from heaven, either a visible fire as happened to the two commanders of fifty men in the présence of Elijah (2Kgs 1) or the coming of Christ in glory will destroy them by the breath of his mouth.
And they ascended over the breadth of the earth, etc. It is not meant that they came or will come to one place, as if the beloved city, that is, the Church, would be confined to one place. Rather, by the term breadth of the …
And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. This should not be considered the final punishment, but rather the fire of envy by which they will be tormented, the adversity stemming from the firmness of the saints. For heaven is the …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And they went up on the breadth of the earth,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Hence it is possible that an apostasy should take place at its close. In the judgment on this apostasy the world of nature is destroyed and renewed, as the world of history was before the millennial kingdom; it is only then that the new heaven and new earth are realized in final perfection.
The beloved city - Primarily, Jerusalem, typically, the Christian Church.
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 |
| ἀνέβησαν | anebesan | they marched up | G305 → | 82 times |
| ἐπὶ | epi | over | G1909 → | 883 times |
| τὸ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πλάτος | platos | breadth | G4114 → | 4 times |
| τῆς | tes | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| γῆς | ges | earth | G1093 → | 248 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἐκύκλευσαν | ekukleusan | encircled | ||
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| παρεμβολὴν | parembolen | camp | G3925 → | |
| τῶν | ton | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἁγίων | hagion | saints | G40 → | 220 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πόλιν | polin | city | G4172 → | 163 times |
| τὴν | ten | which | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἠγαπημένην. | egapemenen | beloved. | G25 → | 143 times |
| καὶ | kai | But | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| κατέβη | katebe | came down | G2597 → | 81 times |
| πῦρ | pur | fire | G4442 → | 70 times |
| ἐκ | ek | out of | G1537 → | 911 times |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| οὐρανοῦ | ouranou | heaven | G3772 → | 272 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| κατέφαγεν | katephagen | devoured | G2719 → | 14 times |
| αὐτούς. | autous | them. | G846 → | 5565 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἀνέβησανthey marched up
anebesanG305 →82 times
ἐπὶover
epiG1909 →883 times
τὸthe
toG3588 →19766 times
πλάτοςbreadth
platosG4114 →4 times
τῆςof the
tesG3588 →19766 times
γῆςearth
gesG1093 →248 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐκύκλευσανencircled
ekukleusan
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
παρεμβολὴνcamp
parembolenG3925 →
τῶνof the
tonG3588 →19766 times
ἁγίωνsaints
hagionG40 →220 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
πόλινcity
polinG4172 →163 times
τὴνwhich
tenG3588 →19766 times
ἠγαπημένην.beloved.
egapemenenG25 →143 times
καὶBut
kaiG2532 →9120 times
κατέβηcame down
katebeG2597 →81 times
πῦρfire
purG4442 →70 times
ἐκout of
ekG1537 →911 times
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
οὐρανοῦheaven
ouranouG3772 →272 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
κατέφαγενdevoured
katephagenG2719 →14 times
αὐτούς.them.
autousG846 →5565 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
2 Thessalonians 1:8in blazing fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
it leads to
- 1 Peter 4:17
For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who disobey the gospel of God?
- Hebrews 10:27
but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume all adversaries.
- 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.
- 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…
- Psalms 79:6
Pour out Your wrath on the nations that do not acknowledge You, on the kingdoms that refuse to call on Your name,
- 1 Peter 4:17
Through
Ezekiel 38:9You and all your troops, and many peoples with you will go up, advancing like a thunderstorm; you will be like a cloud covering the land.
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.
- Isaiah 28:2
Through
Ezekiel 38:22I 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.
it leads to
- Isaiah 66:16
For by fire and by His sword, the LORD will execute judgment on all flesh, and many will be slain by the LORD.
- Isaiah 66:16
Through
Ezekiel 39:6I will send fire on Magog and on those who dwell securely in the coastlands, and they will know that I am the LORD.
it leads to
- Ezekiel 30:8
Then they will know that I am the LORD when I set fire to Egypt and all her helpers are shattered.
- Ezekiel 30:8
Where this verse is studied
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About Revelation

This page draws on 14 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 20:9-10; Andreas of Caesarea, Commentary (church-history corpus); Apringius of Beja, TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 20:8; Augustine of Hippo, City of God 20.11-12; Bede, Commentary on Revelation; Caesarius of Arles, EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 20:9, HOMILY 18; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Nicholas of Lyra, Commentary (church-history corpus); Oecumenius, Commentary on Revelation and Victorinus of Pettau, Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John.
