Revelation 4:7 BSB — MannaFest

Revelation 4:7

The first living creature was like a lion, the second like a calf, the third had a face like a man, and the fourth was like an eagle in flight.

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

And the first creature was like a lion, and the second creature like a calf, and the third creature had a face as of a man, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle.

KJV

And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.

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Commentary

4 voices

Victorinus of Pettau

Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John (304)

"The first living creature was like to a lion, and the second was like to a calf, and the third had a face like to a man, and the fourth was like to a flying eagle." And in that the living creatures are different in appearance, this is the reason: the living creature like to a lion designates Mark, in whom is heard the voice of the lion roaring in the desert. And in the figure of a man, Matthew strives to declareto us the genealogy of Mary, from whom Christ took flesh.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers1 voice

Irenaeus

Against Heresies Book 3 (202)

It is not possible that the Gospels can be either more or fewer in number than they are. For, since there are four zones of the world in which we live, and four principal winds, while the Church is scattered throughout all the world, and the "pillar and ground" of the Church is the Gospel and the spirit of life; it is fitting that she should have four pillars, breathing out immortality on every side, and vivifying men afresh.

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (1755)

And the first - Just such were the four cherubim in Ezekiel, who supported the moving throne of God; whereas each of those that overshadowed the mercy-seat in the holy of holies had all these four faces: whence a late great man supposes them to have been emblematic of the Trinity, and the incarnation of the second Person. A flying eagle - That is, with wings expanded.

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

Albert Barnes

1798–1870

Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)

And the first beast was like a lion - A general description has been given, applicable to all, denoting that in whatever form the divine government is administered, these things will be found; a particular description now follows, contemplating that government under particular aspects, as symbolized by the living beings on which the throne rests. The first is that of a lion. The lion is the monarch of the woods, the king of beasts, and he becomes thus the emblem of dominion, of authority, of government in general. Compare Gen 49:9; Amo 3:8; Joe 3:16; Dan 7:

Voices on this verse

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Original language & word study

29 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
καὶ	kai	And	G2532 →
τὸ	to	the	G3588 →
ζῷον	zōon	living creature	G2226 →
τὸ	to	<the>	G3588 →
πρῶτον	prōton	first	G4413 →
ὅμοιον	homoion	[was] like	G3664 →
λέοντι,	leonti	as a lion,	G3023 →
καὶ	kai	and	G2532 →
τὸ	to	the	G3588 →
δεύτερον	deuteron	second	G1208 →
ζῷον	zōon	living creature	G2226 →
ὅμοιον	homoion	like	G3664 →
μόσχῳ,	moschō	as a calf,	G3448 →
καὶ	kai	and	G2532 →
τὸ	to	the	G3588 →
τρίτον	triton	third	G5154 →
ζῷον	zōon	living creature	G2226 →
ἔχων	echōn	he is having	G2192 →
τὸ	to	the	G3588 →
πρόσωπον	prosōpon	face	G4383 →
ὡς	hōs	as	G5613 →
ἀνθρώπου,	anthrōpou	of a man,	G444 →
καὶ	kai	and	G2532 →
τὸ	to	the	G3588 →
τέταρτον	tetarton	fourth	G5067 →
ζῷον	zōon	living creature	G2226 →
ὅμοιον	homoion	like	G3664 →
ἀετῷ	aetō	as an eagle	G105 →
πετομένῳ.	petomenō	flying.	G4072 →

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
Ezekiel 1:10
The form of their faces was that of a man, and each of the four had the face of a lion on the right side, the face of an ox on the left side,…
leads to
- Ezekiel 10:14
  Each of the cherubim had four faces: the first face was that of a cherub, the second that of a man, the third that of a lion, and the fourth that of an eagle.
  Reached by 2 independent paths from here.
Through
Revelation 4:6
And before the throne was something like a sea of glass, as clear as crystal. In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, covered with eyes in front and back.
leads to
- Revelation 15:2
  And I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, beside which stood those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name. They were holding harps…
- Revelation 5:6
  Then I saw a Lamb who appeared to have been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven…
- Revelation 14:3
  And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. And no one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the…
- Revelation 4:8–9
  And each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around and within. Day and night they never stop saying: “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty,…
- Revelation 19:4
  And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne, saying: “Amen, Hallelujah!”
Through
Daniel 7:4
The first beast was like a lion, and it had the wings of an eagle. I watched until its wings were torn off and it was lifted up from the ground and made to…
leads to
- Jeremiah 4:7
  A lion has gone up from his thicket, and a destroyer of nations has set out. He has left his lair to lay waste your land. Your cities will be reduced to ruins and…
- Isaiah 14:13–17
  You said in your heart: “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God. I will sit on the mount of assembly, in the far reaches of…