Revelation 9:1
in Revelation 9Then the fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from heaven to earth, and it was given the key to the pit of the Abyss.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from heaven fallen unto the earth: and there was given to him the key of the pit of the abyss.
KJV
And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
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This verse in Revelation 9
Commentary
12 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
And the fifth angel sounded - See the notes on Rev 8:6-7. And I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth - This denotes, as was shown in the notes on Rev 8:10, a leader, a military chieftain, a warrior. In the fulfillment of this, as in the former case, we look for the appearance of some mighty prince and warrior, to whom is given power, as it were, to open the bottomless pit, and to summon forth its legions.
This site's exposition
the key of the bottomless pit
on Revelation 9:1-2
A star fallen from heaven to earth is given the key of the bottomless pit, the abyss, abussos, the same holding place named at Luke 8:31 and later Revelation 20:1-3 for the dragon himself, and the falling star is read by the main line as a real angelic being, most take it as an evil one given permission rather than power of his own, exercising a delegated authority rather than acting outside God's sovereign allowance. When the pit opens, smoke rises like the smoke of a great furnace, thick enough to darken the sun and the air, and the scene deliberately echoes Genesis 19's smoke over Sodom and Joel 2's darkened sun as the day of the Lord approaches.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
Until now, the vision has been describing to us the manner and the kinds of plagues by which the completion is brought about, alternating both those on the earth and in the sky, and with them, the people. But now, as if the completion has …
The abyss and the pit are people who are hiding places for error, that is, they hide iniquity in their hearts even though they are in the church.… I think that they receive this key to the pit, and through it they open the poisons …
In this star he speaks of the body of those many persons who have fallen from heaven through agreement [with the devil].… We ought to understand the key to the pit to be false teachings that confine those within it in such a way that …
The Medieval Church2 voices
The "star" is a divine angel. With God's permission he leads up [from the pit] the evil demons who have been condemned to the pit, namely, those whom Christ bound at his incarnation. [He leads them up] so that they might do their work before …
And the fifth angel sounded the trumpet, and I saw a star fall from heaven upon the earth, and there was given to him the key of the pit of the abyss. And he opened the pit of the abyss: and the smoke of the …
5 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
And I saw a star fallen from heaven to earth, etc. The flame of heretics, which he had mentioned briefly, he explains with what kindling it has grown: indeed, the ancient enemy, whom the Lord saw falling like lightning from heaven (Luke X), opened the …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
This star belongs to the invisible world. The third woe is occasioned by the dragon cast out of heaven; the second takes place at the loosing of the four angels who were bound in the Euphrates. The first is here brought by the angel of the abyss, which is opened by this star, or holy angel.
And the fifth angel sounded,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
The last three trumpets of the seven are called, from Re 8:13, the woe-trumpets. fall--rather as Greek, "fallen." When John saw it, it was not in the act of falling, but had fallen already. This is a connecting link of this fifth trumpet with Re 12:8, 9, 12, "Woe to the inhabiters of the earth, for the devil is come down," &c.
A star fall from heaven - An angel encompassed with light suddenly descended, and seemed like a star falling from heaven. The key of the bottomless pit - Power to inundate the earth with a flood of temporal calamities and moral evils.
The words behind it
24 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 |
| πέμπτος | pemptos | fifth | G3991 → | 4 times |
| ἄγγελος | angelos | angel | G32 → | 175 times |
| ἐσάλπισεν, | esalpisen | sounded [his] trumpet, | G4537 → | 12 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| εἶδον | eidon | I saw | G1492 → | 374 times |
| ἀστέρα | astera | a star | G792 → | 24 times |
| ἐκ | ek | out of | G1537 → | 911 times |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| οὐρανοῦ | ouranou | heaven | G3772 → | 272 times |
| πεπτωκότα | peptokota | having fallen | G4098 → | 90 times |
| εἰς | eis | to | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| γῆν, | gen | earth, | G1093 → | 248 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἐδόθη | edothe | was given | G1325 → | 412 times |
| αὐτῷ | auto | to it | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἡ | he | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κλεὶς | kleis | key | G2807 → | 6 times |
| τοῦ | tou | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| φρέατος | phreatos | pit | G5421 → | 7 times |
| τῆς | tes | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀβύσσου, | abussou | abyss, | G12 → | 9 times |
ΚαὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ὁthe
hoG3588 →19766 times
πέμπτοςfifth
pemptosG3991 →4 times
ἄγγελοςangel
angelosG32 →175 times
ἐσάλπισεν,sounded [his] trumpet,
esalpisenG4537 →12 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
εἶδονI saw
eidonG1492 →374 times
ἀστέραa star
asteraG792 →24 times
ἐκout of
ekG1537 →911 times
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
οὐρανοῦheaven
ouranouG3772 →272 times
πεπτωκόταhaving fallen
peptokotaG4098 →90 times
εἰςto
eisG1519 →1755 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
γῆν,earth,
genG1093 →248 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐδόθηwas given
edotheG1325 →412 times
αὐτῷto it
autoG846 →5565 times
ἡthe
heG3588 →19766 times
κλεὶςkey
kleisG2807 →6 times
τοῦof the
touG3588 →19766 times
φρέατοςpit
phreatosG5421 →7 times
τῆςof the
tesG3588 →19766 times
ἀβύσσου,abyss,
abussouG12 →9 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
Revelation 1:18the Living One. I was dead, and behold, now I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of Death and of Hades.
it leads to
- Romans 6:9
For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, He cannot die again; death no longer has dominion over Him.
- Hebrews 7:25
Therefore He is able to save completely those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them.
- Romans 14:8–9
If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
- Psalms 68:20
Our God is a God of deliverance; the Lord GOD is our rescuer from death.
- Revelation 3:7
To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of the One who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What He opens no one can shut,…
- Romans 6:9
Through
Revelation 9:2The star opened the pit of the Abyss, and smoke rose out of it like the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke from the…
it leads to
- Joel 2:10
Before them the earth quakes; the heavens tremble. The sun and moon grow dark, and the stars lose their brightness.
- Joel 2:10
Through
Revelation 8:10Then 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.
it leads to
- Revelation 16:4
And the third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and springs of water, and they turned to blood.
- Isaiah 14:12
How you have fallen from heaven, O day star, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the ground, O destroyer of nations.
- Revelation 16:4
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies5
On this verse
On this chapter
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 9:1-5; 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; Primasius of Hadrumetum, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 9:1 and Ticonius, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 9:1.