Revelation 16:5
in Revelation 16And I heard the angel of the waters say: “Righteous are You, O Holy One, who is and was, because You have brought these judgments.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And I heard the angel of the waters saying, Righteous art thou, who art and who wast, thou Holy One, because thou didst thus judge:
KJV
And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus.
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This verse in Revelation 16
Commentary
12 notes on this verseAnd I heard the angel of the waters say,.... So we read in Jewish writings (t) of an angel that was שרא דימא, "the prince of the sea", and of angels that were over the waters, and others over fire (u); though here is designed not one of the מלאכי מים "angels of the water", that presided ove the waters, as another over fire; See Gill on Rev 14:18, but the third angel that poured out his vial upon the waters; when he had so done, he said as follows.
This site's exposition
the rivers and springs of water
on Revelation 16:4-7
The third bowl turns the rivers and springs of water to blood. The angel of the waters gives the reason: they have spilled the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink. The penalty matches the crime, as in Isaiah 49:26.
This site's exposition
who is and was
The name first given at 1:4 is shortened here to who is and was, as at 11:17. The words and is to come are dropped because He has now come in judgment.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
A commentator
Primasius of HadrumetumCOMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 16:5-6 · Written before 560.
proposed
The angels of the waters are the messengers of the peoples who by an affection of the heart raise up together loud praises to God.… To be sure, both the Jews and the nations have in a bodily manner shed the blood of the saints, …
And I heard, he says, the angel of the waters speaking. Almighty is God and foreseeing of His creatures and sufficient for the benefit of all, so that there is no need for any collaborator for this; for where the mere willing is the sole …
The Medieval Church2 voices
Here also it is shown that angels are placed over the elements. One of these, who is over the waters, sings a hymn to God for the just condemnation that has come upon the transgressors. For since they soiled their hands in the blood of …
And I heard the angel of the waters saying, You are just, etc. By the angel of the waters, he means all the angels of the peoples, harmonizing with divine praises from their inner affection, because in avenging the blood of His servants, He has …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
The Gracious one - So he is styled when his judgments are abroad, and that with a peculiar propriety. In the beginning of the book he is termed "The Almighty." In the time of his patience, he is praised for his power, which otherwise might then be less regarded. In the time of his taking vengeance, for his mercy.
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
The instrument that God makes use of in this work is here called the angel of the waters, who extols the righteousness of God in this retaliation: They have shed the blood of thy saints, and thou hast given them blood to drink, for they are worthy, to which another angel answered by full consent,
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
angel of the waters--that is, presiding over the waters. O Lord--omitted by A, B, C, Vulgate, Syriac, Coptic, and ANDREAS. and shalt be--A, B, C, Vulgate, and ANDREAS for this clause read, "(which art and wast) holy." The Lord is now no longer He that shall come, for He is come in vengeance and therefore the third of the three clauses found in Re 1:4, 8;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
The angel of the waters - The rabbins attribute angels, not only to the four elements so called, but to almost every thing besides. We have already seen the angel of the bottomless pit, Rev 9:11, and the angel of the fire, Rev 14:18. The angel of the earth is spoken of in Yalcut Rubeni, fol. 13, 2, and is called Admael. They have also an angel that presides over the grass; another that presides over the cattle which feed upon the grass. They say that God employed the angel of the sea to swallow up the waters at the creation, that the dry land might appear. He disobeyed, and God slew him; the name of the angel of the sea is Rahab. See Baba bathra, fol. 74, 2. It is plain from several places that the writer of the Apocalypse keeps these notions distinctly in view.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
And I heard the angel of the waters say - The angel who presides over the element of water; in allusion to the common opinion among the Hebrews that the angels presided over elements, and that each element was committed to the jurisdiction of a particular angel. Compare the notes on Rev 7:1. Thou art righteous, O Lord - In view of the judgments that reddened these streams and fountains with the blood of people, the angel ascribes righteousness to God.
The words behind it
19 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 |
| ἤκουσα | ekousa | I heard | G191 → | 425 times |
| τοῦ | tou | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀγγέλου | angelou | angel | G32 → | 175 times |
| τῶν | ton | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ὑδάτων | hudaton | waters | G5204 → | 76 times |
| λέγοντος· | legontos | saying: | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| δίκαιος | dikaios | Righteous | G1342 → | 79 times |
| εἶ, | ei | are, | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| ὁ | ho | you who [are] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ὢν | on | being | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ὁ | ho | who | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἦν | en | was being | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| ὁ | ho | O | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ὅσιος, | hosios | holy One, | G3741 → | |
| ὅτι | hoti | because | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| ταῦτα | tauta | these things | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| ἔκρινας, | ekrinas | You have judged, | G2919 → | 114 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἤκουσαI heard
ekousaG191 →425 times
τοῦthe
touG3588 →19766 times
ἀγγέλουangel
angelouG32 →175 times
τῶνof the
tonG3588 →19766 times
ὑδάτωνwaters
hudatonG5204 →76 times
λέγοντος·saying:
legontosG3004 →1325 times
δίκαιοςRighteous
dikaiosG1342 →79 times
εἶ,are,
eiG1510 →2333 times
ὁyou who [are]
hoG3588 →19766 times
ὢνbeing
onG1510 →2333 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ὁwho
hoG3588 →19766 times
ἦνwas being
enG1510 →2333 times
ὁO
hoG3588 →19766 times
ὅσιος,holy One,
hosiosG3741 →
ὅτιbecause
hotiG3754 →1292 times
ταῦταthese things
tautaG3778 →1381 times
ἔκρινας,You have judged,
ekrinasG2919 →114 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 1:8“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and was and is to come—the Almighty.
it leads to
- Isaiah 44:6
Thus says the LORD, the King and Redeemer of Israel, the LORD of Hosts: “I am the first and I am the last, and there is no God but Me.
- Revelation 22:13
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”
- Isaiah 48:12
Listen to Me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I have called: I am He; I am the first, and I am the last.
- Isaiah 43:10
“You are My witnesses,” declares the LORD, “and My servant whom I have chosen, so that you may consider and believe Me and understand that I am He. Before Me no god was formed,…
- Revelation 21:6
And He told me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give freely from the spring of the water of life.
- Isaiah 44:6
Through
Revelation 1:4John, To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from Him who is and was and is to come, and from the seven Spirits before His throne,
it leads to
- Isaiah 11:2
The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him—the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and strength, the Spirit of knowledge and fear of the LORD.
- John 1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
- Hebrews 13:8
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
- Isaiah 11:2
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Revelation
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Andreas of Caesarea, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 16:4-6; 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 and Primasius of Hadrumetum, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 16:5-6.