And the third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and springs of water, and they turned to blood.
Parallel translations
- WEB The third poured out his bowl into the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood.
- KJV And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.
- NKJV Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood.
- NASB Then the third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of waters; and they became blood.
- NLT Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs, and they became blood.
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 third bowl turns rivers and springs to blood. Fresh waters, sources of life, become signs of judgment.
Overview
As the freshwater sources turn to blood, the plague intensifies the Exodus echo and removes what sustains life. This sets up the angelic declaration that follows, vindicating the justice of such judgment. The drying up of life-giving water dramatizes the consequences of rejecting the living God.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Rev 8:10–11Then the third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star burning like a torch fell from heaven and landed on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water.
- Exod 7:17–20This is what the LORD says: By this you will know that I am the LORD. Behold, with the staff in my hand I will strike the water of the Nile, and it will turn to blood.
- Hos 13:15Although he flourishes among his brothers, an east wind will come—a wind from the LORD rising up from the desert. His fountain will fail, and his spring will run dry. The wind will plunder his treasury of every precious article.
- Rev 14:7And he said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come. Worship the One who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and the springs of waters.”
- Rev 16:5And I heard the angel of the waters say: “Righteous are You, O Holy One, who is and was, because You have brought these judgments.
- Isa 50:2Why was no one there when I arrived? Why did no one answer when I called? Is My hand too short to redeem you? Or do I lack the strength to deliver you? Behold, My rebuke dries up the sea; I turn the rivers into a desert; the fish rot for lack of water and die of thirst.
- Exod 8:5And the LORD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Stretch out your hand with your staff over the rivers and canals and ponds, and cause the frogs to come up onto the land of Egypt.’”
- Ezek 35:8I will fill its mountains with the slain; those killed by the sword will fall on your hills, in your valleys, and in all your ravines.
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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 16:4 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.