Revelation 4:9
in Revelation 4And whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the One seated on the throne who lives forever and ever,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And when the living creatures shall give glory and honor and thanks to him that sitteth on the throne, to him that liveth for ever and ever,
KJV
And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever,
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This verse in Revelation 4
Commentary
8 notes on this verseA commentator
Victorinus of PettauCommentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John · Written before 304.
And when these things were doing, he says that all the elders fell down and adored the Lord; while the living creatures-that is, of course, the actions recorded in the Gospels and the teaching of the Lord-gave Him glory and honour.31 In that they had fulfilled the word that had been previously foretold by them, they worthily and with reason exult, feeling that they have ministered the mysteries and the word of the Lord.
This site's exposition
give glory, honor, and thanks
on Revelation 4:9-11
Whenever the creatures give glory, the twenty-four elders fall down, laying their crowns before the throne. Their hymn praises God as Creator, for You created all things, while chapter 5 answers it with a hymn to the Lamb as Redeemer.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
Along with the holy living creatures, the elders give glory to God; the act of casting their crowns before God signifies that the crown is a symbol of victory and kingship. Casting them before the throne of God, the true and genuine kingdom and the …
A commentator
Victorinus of PettauCommentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John · Written before 304.
proposed
"And the four and twenty elders, failing down before the throne, adored God." The four and twenty elders arethe twenty-four books of the prophets and of the law, which give testimonies of the judgment. Moreover, also, they are the twenty-four fathers-twelve apostles and twelve patriarchs.
The Medieval Church1 voice
And when those living creatures gave glory, and honour, and benediction to him that sitteth on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever; the four and twenty ancients fell down, and adored him that liveth for ever and ever. Here the living creatures no …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And when these beasts give glory,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
And when those beasts give glory ... - As often as those living beings ascribe glory to God. They did this continually Rev 4:8; and, if the above explanation be correct, then the idea is that the ways and acts of God in his providential government are continually of such a nature as to honor him.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
A simultaneous giving of glory on the part of the beasts, and on the part of the elders. give--"shall give" in one oldest manuscript. for ever and ever--Greek, "unto the ages of the ages."
The words behind it
22 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 |
| ὅταν | hotan | whenever | G3752 → | 123 times |
| δώσουσιν | dosousin | will give | G1325 → | 412 times |
| τὰ | ta | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ζῷα | zoa | living creatures | G2226 → | 23 times |
| δόξαν | doxan | glory | G1391 → | 165 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| τιμὴν | timen | honor | G5092 → | 41 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| εὐχαριστίαν | eucharistian | thanksgiving | G2169 → | |
| τῷ | to | to the [One] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| καθημένῳ | kathemeno | sitting | G2521 → | 91 times |
| ἐπὶ | epi | upon | G1909 → | 883 times |
| τῷ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θρόνῳ, | throno | throne, | G2362 → | 62 times |
| τῷ | to | who | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ζῶντι | zonti | is living | G2198 → | 139 times |
| εἰς | eis | to | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| τοὺς | tous | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| αἰῶνας | aionas | ages | G165 → | 121 times |
| τῶν | ton | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| αἰώνων, | aionon | ages, | G165 → | 121 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ὅτανwhenever
hotanG3752 →123 times
δώσουσινwill give
dosousinG1325 →412 times
τὰthe
taG3588 →19766 times
ζῷαliving creatures
zoaG2226 →23 times
δόξανglory
doxanG1391 →165 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τιμὴνhonor
timenG5092 →41 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
εὐχαριστίανthanksgiving
eucharistianG2169 →
τῷto the [One]
toG3588 →19766 times
καθημένῳsitting
kathemenoG2521 →91 times
ἐπὶupon
epiG1909 →883 times
τῷthe
toG3588 →19766 times
θρόνῳ,throne,
thronoG2362 →62 times
τῷwho
toG3588 →19766 times
ζῶντιis living
zontiG2198 →139 times
εἰςto
eisG1519 →1755 times
τοὺςthe
tousG3588 →19766 times
αἰῶναςages
aionasG165 →121 times
τῶνof the
tonG3588 →19766 times
αἰώνων,ages,
aiononG165 →121 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
Psalms 47:8God reigns over the nations; God is seated on His holy throne.
it leads to
- 1 Chronicles 16:31
Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice. Let them say among the nations, ‘The LORD reigns!’
- Revelation 19:6
And I heard a sound like the roar of a great multitude, like the rushing of many waters, and like a mighty rumbling of thunder, crying out: “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the…
- Psalms 93:1
The LORD reigns! He is robed in majesty; the LORD has clothed and armed Himself with strength. The world indeed is firmly established; it cannot be moved.
- Psalms 45:6–7
Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever, and justice is the scepter of Your kingdom.
- 1 Chronicles 16:31
Through
Revelation 10:6And he swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and everything in it, the earth and everything in it, and the sea and everything in it: “There will be no…
it leads to
- 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.”
- Revelation 4:11
Through
Revelation 15:7Then one of the four living creatures gave the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever.
it leads to
- Revelation 16:2
So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and loathsome, malignant sores broke out on those who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.
- Revelation 10:6
And he swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and everything in it, the earth and everything in it, and the sea and everything in it: “There will be no…
- Revelation 5:8
When He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which…
- Revelation 16:2
Where this verse is studied
On this page
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On this verse
About Revelation
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; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Oecumenius, Commentary on Revelation and Victorinus of Pettau, Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John.