Revelation 16:7
in Revelation 16And I heard the altar reply: “Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are Your judgments.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And I heard the altar saying, Yea, O Lord God, the Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.
KJV
And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.
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This verse in Revelation 16
Commentary
10 notes on this verseSometimes "the altar" signifies Christ, for in him and through him are brought to the Father our spiritual offerings and living sacrifices, which the apostle has instructed us to render. At other times "the altar" signifies the angelic powers who, we read, "are sent forth …
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
And I heard the altar reply
The altar speaks, the place where the souls of the martyrs cried how long at 6:10. Their question receives its answer here. Andreas of Caesarea records two readings of the altar, as Christ through whom offerings reach the Father, or as the angelic powers sent to serve.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
To which an angel likewise sends up thanksgiving and those who circle the heavenly altar. For I heard the altar say this, indicating those who minister at the altar. May it be that we all, delivered from all the hardships spoken of, send up a …
The Medieval Church1 voice
And I heard another from the altar saying: Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are Your judgments. What the angels are, the altar, giving thanks to God, also signifies, that is, the inner affection of the saints, whether angels or humans, who preside over …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. 9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
Yea - Answering the angel of the waters, and affirming of God's judgments in general, what he had said of one particular judgment.
And I heard another out of the altar say,....
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
another out of--omitted in A, C, Syriac, and Coptic. Translate then, "I heard the altar [personified] saying." On it the prayers of saints are presented before God: beneath it are the souls of the martyrs crying for vengeance on the foes of God.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
And I heard another - Evidently another angel, though this is not specified. Out of the altar - Either the angel of the altar - that is, who presided over the altar (Prof. Stuart), or an angel whose voice seemed to come from the altar. The sense is essentially the same. The writer seemed to hear a voice coming from the altar responding to what had just been said in regard to the judgment of God, or to his righteousness in bringing the judgment upon people, Rev 16:
The words behind it
17 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 |
| θυσιαστηρίου | thusiasteriou | altar | G2379 → | 23 times |
| λέγοντος· | legontos | saying: | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| ναὶ | nai | Yes | G3483 → | 33 times |
| κύριε | kurie | Lord | G2962 → | 711 times |
| ὁ | ho | O | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεὸς | theos | God | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| παντοκράτωρ, | pantokrator | Almighty, | G3841 → | 10 times |
| ἀληθιναὶ | alethinai | true | G228 → | 28 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| δίκαιαι | dikaiai | righteous [are] | G1342 → | 79 times |
| αἱ | hai | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κρίσεις | kriseis | judgments | G2920 → | 47 times |
| σου.¶ | sou | of You. | G4771 → | 2973 times |
ΚαὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἤκουσαI heard
ekousaG191 →425 times
τοῦthe
touG3588 →19766 times
θυσιαστηρίουaltar
thusiasteriouG2379 →23 times
λέγοντος·saying:
legontosG3004 →1325 times
ναὶYes
naiG3483 →33 times
κύριεLord
kurieG2962 →711 times
ὁO
hoG3588 →19766 times
θεὸςGod
theosG2316 →1312 times
ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
παντοκράτωρ,Almighty,
pantokratorG3841 →10 times
ἀληθιναὶtrue
alethinaiG228 →28 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
δίκαιαιrighteous [are]
dikaiaiG1342 →79 times
αἱthe
haiG3588 →19766 times
κρίσειςjudgments
kriseisG2920 →47 times
σου.¶of You.
souG4771 →2973 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 6:9And when the Lamb opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony they had upheld.
it leads to
- Revelation 20:4
Then I saw the thrones, and those seated on them had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony of Jesus and for…
- John 16:2
They will put you out of the synagogues. In fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God.
- Revelation 1:9
I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance that are in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and my testimony about Jesus.
- Revelation 12:11–17
They have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony. And they did not love their lives so as to shy away from death.
- Revelation 20:4
Through
Revelation 19:2For His judgments are true and just. He has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality. He has avenged the blood of His servants that was poured out by her…
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 32:43
Rejoice, O heavens, with Him, and let all God’s angels worship Him. Rejoice, O nations, with His people; for He will avenge the blood of His children. He will take vengeance on His adversaries…
- Revelation 6:10
And they cried out in a loud voice, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You avenge our blood and judge those who dwell upon the earth?”
- Revelation 18:20
Rejoice over her, O heaven, O saints and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced for you His judgment against her.
- Deuteronomy 32:43
Through
Isaiah 6:6Then one of the seraphim flew to me, and in his hand was a glowing coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar.
it leads to
- Revelation 8:3–5
Then another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, along with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before…
- Revelation 8:3–5
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Revelation

This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on 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 16:7; 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 and Oecumenius, Commentary on Revelation.
