And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.
Parallel translations
- WEB The serpent spewed water out of his mouth after the woman like a river, that he might cause her to be carried away by the stream.
- BSB Then from the mouth of the serpent spewed water like a river to overtake the woman and sweep her away in the torrent.
- NKJV So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood.
- NASB And the serpent hurled water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, so that he might cause her to be swept away with the flood.
- NLT Then the dragon tried to drown the woman with a flood of water that flowed from his mouth.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The serpent spews a river after the woman to sweep her away. Satan unleashes a flood of opposition to destroy God's people.
Overview
The river from the serpent's mouth pictures an overwhelming onslaught—perhaps persecution, deception, or floods of lies meant to engulf the church (compare Psalm 18:4; 124:4-5). It is a fierce attempt to wash away God's people. The water imagery conveys the magnitude of the assault. Yet, as the next verse shows, this flood will not succeed against those God protects.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Isa 8:7Now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, even the king of Assyria, and all his glory: and he shall come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks:
- Ps 18:4The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.
- Isa 59:19So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.
- Ps 65:7Which stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people.
- Ps 93:3–4The floods have lifted up, O LORD, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their waves.
- Isa 28:2Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one, which as a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the hand.
- Rev 17:15And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Commentaries & study tools
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Christ at the center
Revelation ends the story with the slain-yet-standing Lamb who is worthy, the Lion of Judah, the Alpha and Omega, the returning King who makes all things new and dwells with his people forever.
How Revelation 12:15 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.