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Revelation 16:20

in Revelation 16

Then every island fled, and no mountain could be found.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.

KJV

And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.

This verse in Revelation 16

Commentary

11 notes on this verse

A commentator

Andreas of Caesarea

COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 16:20 · Written before 614.

The holy Scriptures have taught us that "islands" refer to the churches and "mountains" refer to those who are leaders in them. That they flee at the time of the arrival of the aforementioned occurrences, we have heard from the Lord, who said, "Then they …

This site's exposition

God remembered Babylon the great

on Revelation 16:19-21

God remembered Babylon the great and gave her the cup of the wine of the fury, returning the cup she gave the nations at 14:8. The hail recalls Egypt's seventh plague at Exodus 9:22-25, and men cursed God for the plague of hail.

This site's exposition

every island fled

Here they vanish, where at 6:14 they were only moved. John Wesley marks the change to the face of the earth and adds that the end of the world has still not come. Andreas of Caesarea reads the islands as churches and the mountains as their leaders.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers2 voices

A commentator

Primasius of Hadrumetum

COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 16:20 · Written before 560.

proposed

It is my view that by the terms islands and also mountains the church is signified on account of the greatness of its stability. Isaiah spoke about these: "In [your] teachings give glory to the Lord; in the islands of the sea [give glory] to …

A commentator

Oecumenius

Commentary on Revelation · Written before 550.

proposed

And he says that every island fled and no mountains were found. Islands are said to be the churches from the nations, as the prophet says: "The Lord has reigned; let the earth rejoice; let many islands be glad." (Ps. 97:1) Islands are also said, …

The Medieval Church1 voice

A commentator

Bede

Commentary on Revelation · Written before 735.

proposed

And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. The Church, which, because of its eminence of stability, is compared to islands and mountains, cautiously hides itself from the waves of persecutors.

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

A commentator

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (1755)

Every island and mountain was "moved out of its place," chap. vi, 14; but here they all flee away. What a change must this make in the face of the terraqueous globe! And yet the end of the world is not come.
And every island fled away,....
3 more voices on this verse

The Nineteenth Century3 voices

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

Plainly parallel to Re 6:14-17, and by anticipation descriptive of the last judgment. the mountains--rather as Greek, "there were found no mountains."

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

Every island fled away - Probably meaning the capture of seaport towns, and fortified places.
And every island fled away - Expressive of great and terrible judgments, as if the very earth were convulsed, and everything were moved out of its place. See the notes on Rev 6:14. And the mountains were not found - The same image occurs in Rev 6:14. See the notes on that place.

The words behind it

8 Greek words

Every 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.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

The walk

8 stops

Each 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 6:14

    The sky receded like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved from its place.

    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…

    • 2 Peter 3:10

      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…

    • Hebrews 1:11–13

      They will perish, but You remain; they will all wear out like a garment.

  • Through

    Revelation 20:11

    Then I saw a great white throne and the One seated on it. Earth and heaven fled from His presence, and no place was found for them.

    it leads to

    • Revelation 21:1

      Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.

    • 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.

    • Daniel 2:35

      Then the iron, clay, bronze, silver, and gold were shattered and became like chaff on the threshing floor in summer. The wind carried them away, and not a trace of them could be found.…

    • Matthew 25:31

      When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His glorious throne.

    • 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…

Where this verse is studied

About Revelation

The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, Jan and Hubert van Eyck, about 1430 to 1432. Public domain.
The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, Jan and Hubert van Eyck, about 1430 to 1432. Public domain.
This page draws on 10 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 16:20; 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 and Primasius of Hadrumetum, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 16:20.