Revelation 8:11 BSB

Revelation 8:11

The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters turned bitter like wormwood oil, and many people died from the bitter waters.

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

and the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.

KJV

And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.

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Commentary

3 voices

Albert Barnes

1798–1870

Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)

And the name of the star is called Wormwood - Is appropriately so called. The writer does not say that it would be actually so called, but that this name would be properly descriptive of its qualities. Such expressions are common in allegorical writings. The Greek word - ἄψινθος apsinthos - denotes “wormwood,” a well-known bitter herb. That word becomes the proper emblem of bitterness. Compare Jer 9:15; Jer 23:15; Lam 3:15, Lam 3:19. And the third part of the waters became wormwood - Became bitter as wormwood.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (1755)

And the name of the star is called Wormwood - The unparalleled bitterness both of Arius himself and of his followers show the exact propriety of his title. And the third part of the waters became wormwood - A very considerable part of Afric was infected with the same bitter doctrine and Spirit.

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

The symbolizers interpret the star fallen from heaven as a chief minister (ARIUS, according to BULLINGER, BENGEL, and others; or some future false teacher, if, as is more likely, the event be still future) falling from his high place in the Church, and instead of shining with heavenly light as a star, becoming a torch lit with earthly fire and smouldering with smoke.

Voices on this verse

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Original language & word study

26 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
καὶ	kai	And	G2532 →
τὸ	to	the	G3588 →
ὄνομα	onoma	name	G3686 →
τοῦ	tou	of the	G3588 →
ἀστέρος	asteros	star	G792 →
λέγεται	legetai	is named	G3004 →
ὁ	ho	<the>	G3588 →
Ἄψινθος·	Apsinthos	Wormwood;	G894 →
καὶ	kai	And	G2532 →
ἐγένετο	egeneto	became	G1096 →
τὸ	to	<the>	G3588 →
τρίτον	triton	a third	G5154 →
τῶν	tōn	of the	G3588 →
ὑδάτων	hudatōn	waters	G5204 →
εἰς	eis	into	G1519 →
ἄψινθον,	apsinthon	wormwood,	G894 →
καὶ	kai	and	G2532 →
πολλοὶ	polloi	many	G4183 →
τῶν	tōn	of the	G3588 →
ἀνθρώπων	anthrōpōn	men	G444 →
ἀπέθανον	apethanon	died	G599 →
ἐκ	ek	from	G1537 →
τῶν	tōn	the	G3588 →
ὑδάτων	hudatōn	waters	G5204 →
ὅτι	hoti	because	G3754 →
ἐπικράνθησαν.¶	epikranthēsan	they were made bitter.	G4087 →

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
Jeremiah 23:15
Therefore this is what the LORD of Hosts says concerning the prophets: “I will feed them wormwood and give them poisoned water to drink, for from the prophets of Jerusalem ungodliness has spread throughout…
leads to
- Jeremiah 8:14
  Why are we just sitting here? Gather together, let us flee to the fortified cities and perish there, for the LORD our God has doomed us. He has given us poisoned water to drink,…
  Reached by 2 independent paths from here.
Through
Deuteronomy 29:18
Make sure there is no man or woman, clan or tribe among you today whose heart turns away from the LORD our God to go and worship the gods of those nations. Make sure…
leads to
- Jeremiah 9:15
  Therefore this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “Behold, I will feed this people wormwood and give them poisoned water to drink.
  Reached by 2 independent paths from here.
- Hebrews 12:15
  See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God, and that no root of bitterness springs up to cause trouble and defile many.
- Deuteronomy 11:16–17
  But be careful that you are not enticed to turn aside to worship and bow down to other gods,
- Deuteronomy 13:1–15
  If a prophet or dreamer of dreams arises among you and proclaims a sign or wonder to you,
Through
Jeremiah 9:15
Therefore this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “Behold, I will feed this people wormwood and give them poisoned water to drink.
leads to
- Lamentations 3:15
  He has filled me with bitterness; He has intoxicated me with wormwood.
  Reached by 2 independent paths from here.
Through
Proverbs 5:4
in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a double-edged sword.
leads to
- Ecclesiastes 7:26
  And I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a net, and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is…
Through
Amos 6:12
“Do horses gallop on the cliffs? Does one plow the sea with oxen? But you have turned justice into poison and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood—
leads to
- Amos 5:7
  There are those who turn justice into wormwood and cast righteousness to the ground.

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01Commentary

The record, by era

Voices on this verse

02Original language & word study

03The walk

Where the connections lead

04Related verses

05Featured studies on this passage

06About Revelation

The record, by era

Where the connections lead

Commentary

Original language & word study

The walk

Related verses

Featured studies on this passage

About Revelation