Revelation 8:10
in Revelation 8Then the third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star burning like a torch fell from heaven and landed on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the third angel sounded, and there fell from heaven a great star, burning as a torch, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of the waters;
KJV
And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters;
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This verse in Revelation 8
Commentary
12 notes on this verseAnd a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, etc. Heretics, whom Jude the apostle calls stars of seduction, falling from the height of the Church, try to infect the springs of divine Scriptures with the flame of their wickedness. They are not …
This site's exposition
a great star burning
on Revelation 8:10-11
The third trumpet drops a great star burning like a torch on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. Its name is Wormwood, the bitter herb of Jeremiah 9:15 and 23:15, and many people died from the bitter waters.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
The "great star" is the devil, of whom the Lord spoke in the Gospel, "I saw Satan fall from heaven as fire or lightning." It is possible that this passage also refers to ecclesiastical people, who living the spiritual life in the church, have become …
A commentator
Primasius of HadrumetumCOMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 8.2.10-11 · Written before 560.
proposed
It speaks of men who have fallen from heaven as though from the church, that is, of those who have the public reputation of shining brightly with good merits. For that reason they are compared to stars and torches, as did the apostle Jude, who …
I believe this refers to the falling of the star, which, having angered God, made the waters bitter. Waters are metaphorically called humans, as stated by the prophet regarding "the sounds of many waters; the wonders of the sea's waves are marvelous," (Ps. 92:4) and …
The Medieval Church2 voices
Some say that the bitterness revealed through the wormwood is symbolic of the torment that comes to those sinners being punished in Gehenna, who, on account of their number, are reasonably called "waters." But we think that these depictions signify the sufferings at the time, …
And the third angel sounded the trumpet, and a great star fell from heaven, as it were a burning torch. The Devil is called a star, whether because of the rank he first had or because he transformeth himself into an angel of light; [2 …
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
And thus Arianism was the inlet to all heresies and calamities, and at length to Mahometanism itself. This great star was not an angel, (angels are not the agents in the two preceding or the following trumpet,) but a teacher of the church, one of the stars in the right hand of Christ.
(5.) Corruptions of doctrine and worship in the church are themselves great judgments, and the usual causes and tokens of other judgments coming on a people. Before the other three trumpets are sounded here is solemn warning given to the world how terrible the calamities would be that should follow them, and how miserable those times and places would be on which they fell,
And the third angel sounded,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
There fell a great star from heaven - This has given rise to various conjectures. Some say the star means Attila and his Huns, others, Genseric with his Vandals falling on the city of Rome; others, Eleazer, the son of Annus, spurning the emperor’s victims, and exciting the fury of the Zealots; others, Arius; infecting the pure Christian doctrine with his heresy, etc., etc. It certainly cannot mean all these; and probably none of them. Let the reader judge.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
And the third angel sounded - Indicating, according to the interpretation above proposed, some important event in the downfall of the Roman empire. And there fell a great star from heaven - A star is a natural emblem of a prince, of a ruler, of one distinguished by rank or by talent. Compare the notes on Rev 2:28. See Num 24:17, and the notes on Isa 14:12. A star falling from heaven would be a natural symbol of one who had left a higher station, or of one whose character and course would be like a meteor shooting through the sky. Burning as it were a lamp - Or, as a torch. The language here is such as would describe a meteor blazing through the air; and the reference in the symbol is to something that would have a resemblance to such a meteor. It is not a lurid meteor (livid, pale, ghastly) that is here referred to, but a bright, intense, blazing star - emblem of fiery energy; of rapidity of movement and execution; of splendor of appearance - such as a chieftain of high endowments, of impetuousness of character, and of richness of apparel, would be. In all languages, probably, a star has been an emblem of a prince whose virtues have shone brightly, and who has exerted a beneficial influence on mankind. In all languages also, probably, a meteor flaming through the sky has been an emblem of some splendid genius causing or threatening desolation and ruin; of a warrior who has moved along in a brilliant but destructive path over the world; and who has been regarded as sent to execute the vengeance of heaven. This usage occurs because a meteor is so bright; because it appears so suddenly; because its course cannot be determined by any known laws; and because, in the apprehensions of people, it is either sent as a proof of the divine displeasure, or is adapted to excite consternation and alarm. […]
The words behind it
28 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 |
| ὁ | ho | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| τρίτος | tritos | third | G5154 → | 56 times |
| ἄγγελος | angelos | angel | G32 → | 175 times |
| ἐσάλπισεν, | esalpisen | sounded [his] trumpet, | G4537 → | 12 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἔπεσεν | epesen | fell | G4098 → | 90 times |
| ἐκ | ek | out of | G1537 → | 911 times |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| οὐρανοῦ | ouranou | heaven | G3772 → | 272 times |
| ἀστὴρ | aster | a star | G792 → | 24 times |
| μέγας | megas | great | G3173 → | 243 times |
| καιόμενος | kaiomenos | burning | G2545 → | 11 times |
| ὡς | hos | like | G5613 → | 500 times |
| λαμπὰς | lampas | a torch | G2985 → | |
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἔπεσεν | epesen | it fell | G4098 → | 90 times |
| ἐπὶ | epi | upon | G1909 → | 883 times |
| τὸ | to | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| τρίτον | triton | a third | G5154 → | 56 times |
| τῶν | ton | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ποταμῶν | potamon | rivers | G4215 → | 17 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἐπὶ | epi | upon | G1909 → | 883 times |
| τὰς | tas | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πηγὰς | pegas | springs | G4077 → | 11 times |
| τῶν | ton | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ὑδάτων. | hudaton | of waters. | G5204 → | 76 times |
ΚαὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ὁthe
hoG3588 →19766 times
τρίτοςthird
tritosG5154 →56 times
ἄγγελοςangel
angelosG32 →175 times
ἐσάλπισεν,sounded [his] trumpet,
esalpisenG4537 →12 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἔπεσενfell
epesenG4098 →90 times
ἐκout of
ekG1537 →911 times
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
οὐρανοῦheaven
ouranouG3772 →272 times
ἀστὴρa star
asterG792 →24 times
μέγαςgreat
megasG3173 →243 times
καιόμενοςburning
kaiomenosG2545 →11 times
ὡςlike
hosG5613 →500 times
λαμπὰςa torch
lampasG2985 →
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἔπεσενit fell
epesenG4098 →90 times
ἐπὶupon
epiG1909 →883 times
τὸ<the>
toG3588 →19766 times
τρίτονa third
tritonG5154 →56 times
τῶνof the
tonG3588 →19766 times
ποταμῶνrivers
potamonG4215 →17 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐπὶupon
epiG1909 →883 times
τὰςthe
tasG3588 →19766 times
πηγὰςsprings
pegasG4077 →11 times
τῶν<the>
tonG3588 →19766 times
ὑδάτων.of waters.
hudatonG5204 →76 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
Isaiah 14:12How you have fallen from heaven, O day star, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the ground, O destroyer of nations.
it leads to
- Ezekiel 28:13–17
You were in Eden, the garden of God. Every kind of precious stone adorned you: ruby, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, turquoise, and emerald. Your mountings and settings were crafted in…
- Luke 10:18
So He told them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
- Revelation 12:7–10
Then a war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back.
- Ezekiel 28:13–17
Through
Revelation 6:13and the stars of the sky fell to the earth like unripe figs dropping from a tree shaken by a great wind.
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…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Isaiah 34:4
Through
Revelation 14:7And he said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come. Worship the One who made the heavens and the earth and the sea…
it leads to
- Exodus 20:11
For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that is in them, but on the seventh day He rested. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath…
- Revelation 15:4
Who will not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before You, for Your righteous acts have been revealed.”
- Nehemiah 9:6
You alone are the LORD. You created the heavens, the highest heavens with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give…
- Revelation 4:11
“Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things; by Your will they exist and came to be.”
- Exodus 20:11
Where this verse is studied
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 8:10-11; Bede, Commentary on Revelation; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; 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; Primasius of Hadrumetum, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 8.2.10-11 and Ticonius, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 8:10.