Revelation 8:1
in Revelation 8When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And when he opened the seventh seal, there followed a silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.
KJV
And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.
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This verse in Revelation 8
Commentary
12 notes on this verseA commentator
Victorinus of PettauCommentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John · Written before 304.
"And when He had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour." Whereby is signified the beginning of everlasting rest; but it is described as partial, because the silence being interrupted, he repeats it in order. For if the silence had continued, here would be an end of his narrative.
This site's exposition
silence in heaven about the space of half an hour
on Revelation 8:1-2
The seventh seal opens not on a scene but on silence, half an hour of it, heaven's whole chorus stopped at the very moment the last seal is broken. The main line reads the silence as awe before the judgments about to fall, the created order itself holding its breath, and some read it against the Hebrew liturgy's own moment of silent prayer before the priestly service began. The seven angels who stand before God then receive seven trumpets, the seal series ending by opening directly into the trumpet series rather than closing the book, the site's reading taking the sevens as broadly successive with intensification.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"In heaven" means in the church. The silence for half an hour shows the beginning of the eternal rest.
Perhaps someone who is very meticulous might analyze what has been said and say to me: Oh you, what are you doing? Have you perhaps forgotten what was said in the prologues of this Revelation? For it was also said that the first voice I …
The Medieval Church3 voices
Often the number of seven is taken by this saint to correspond to this age and the sabbath rest of the saints. Therefore, also here at the loosing of the seventh seal, the dissolution of the earthly city is signified, the seven angels administering the …
And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven, as it were for half an hour. Heaven, as we have often said, means the Church, which produces, as it were, silence for God when, through some of its members, it departs …
And when he had opened the seventh seal, etc. After the destruction of the Antichrist, a brief rest is believed to come in the Church, about which Daniel predicted thus: "Blessed is he who waits and comes to the thousand three hundred and thirty-five days" …
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven - Such a silence is mentioned but in this one place. It was uncommon, and highly observable: for praise is sounding in heaven day and night.
And when he had opened the seventh seal,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
was--Greek, "came to pass"; "began to be." silence in heaven about . . . half an hour--The last seal having been broken open, the book of God's eternal plan of redemption is opened for the Lamb to read to the blessed ones in heaven.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
The seventh seal - This is ushered in and opened only by the Lamb. Silence in heaven - This must be a mere metaphor, silence being put here for the deep and solemn expectation of the stupendous things about to take place, which the opening of this seal had produced. When any thing prodigious or surprising is expected, all is silence, and even the breath is scarcely heard to be drawn. Half an hour - As heaven may signify the place in which all these representations were made to St. John, the half hour may be considered as the time during which no representation was made to him, the time in which God was preparing the august exhibition which follows. There is here, and in the following verses, a strong allusion to different parts of the temple worship; a presumption that the temple was still standing, and the regular service of God carried on. The silence here refers to this fact - while the priest went in to burn incense in the holy place, all the people continued in silent mental prayer without till the priest returned. See Luk 1:10. The angel mentioned here appears to execute the office of priest, as we shall by and by see.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
And when he had opened the seventh seal - See the notes on Rev 5:1. There was silence in heaven - The whole scene of the vision is laid in heaven Rev 4:1-11, and John represents things as they seem to be passing there.
The words behind it
14 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 |
| ὅταν | hotan | when | G3752 → | 123 times |
| ἤνοιξεν | enoixen | He opened | G455 → | 77 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| σφραγῖδα | sphragida | seal | G4973 → | 16 times |
| τὴν | ten | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἑβδόμην, | hebdomen | seventh, | G1442 → | 9 times |
| ἐγένετο | egeneto | there was | G1096 → | 667 times |
| σιγὴ | sige | silence | G4602 → | |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| τῷ | to | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| οὐρανῷ | ourano | heaven | G3772 → | 272 times |
| ὡς | hos | for about | G5613 → | 500 times |
| ἡμιώριον. | hemiorion | half an hour. | G2256 → |
ΚαὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ὅτανwhen
hotanG3752 →123 times
ἤνοιξενHe opened
enoixenG455 →77 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
σφραγῖδαseal
sphragidaG4973 →16 times
τὴν<the>
tenG3588 →19766 times
ἑβδόμην,seventh,
hebdomenG1442 →9 times
ἐγένετοthere was
egenetoG1096 →667 times
σιγὴsilence
sigeG4602 →
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
τῷ<the>
toG3588 →19766 times
οὐρανῷheaven
ouranoG3772 →272 times
ὡςfor about
hosG5613 →500 times
ἡμιώριον.half an hour.
hemiorionG2256 →
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
Habakkuk 2:20But the LORD is in His holy temple; let all the earth be silent before Him.
it leads to
- Zephaniah 1:7
Be silent in the presence of the Lord GOD, for the Day of the LORD is near. Indeed, the LORD has prepared a sacrifice; He has consecrated His guests.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Zechariah 2:13
Be silent before the LORD, all people, for He has roused Himself from His holy dwelling.”
- Psalms 46:10
“Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted over the earth.”
- Psalms 11:4
The LORD is in His holy temple; the LORD is on His heavenly throne. His eyes are watching closely; they examine the sons of men.
- Zephaniah 1:7
Through
Psalms 62:1In God alone my soul finds rest; my salvation comes from Him.
it leads to
- Lamentations 3:25
The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him.
- Psalms 62:2
He alone is my rock and my salvation. He is my fortress; I will never be shaken.
- Psalms 37:7
Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when men prosper in their ways, when they carry out wicked schemes.
- Psalms 33:20
Our soul waits for the LORD; He is our help and our shield.
- Lamentations 3:25
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Revelation
This page draws on 12 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); Alcuin of York, COMMENTARY ON REVELATION; Andreas of Caesarea, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 8:1-2; Bede, Commentary on Revelation; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; 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; Ticonius, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 8:1 and Victorinus of Pettau, Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John.