Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became 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.
- BSB And the third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and springs of water, and they turned to 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 8:10–11The third angel sounded, and a great star fell from the sky, burning like a torch, and it fell on one third of the rivers, and on the springs of the waters.
- Exod 7:17–20Yahweh says, “In this you shall know that I am Yahweh. Behold, I will strike with the rod that is in my hand on the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood.
- Hos 13:15Though he is fruitful among his brothers, an east wind will come, the breath of Yahweh coming up from the wilderness; and his spring will become dry, and his fountain will be dried up. He will plunder the storehouse of treasure.
- Rev 14:7He said with a loud voice, “Fear the Lord, and give him glory; for the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and the springs of waters!”
- Rev 16:5I heard the angel of the waters saying, “You are righteous, who are and who were, you Holy One, because you have judged these things.
- Isa 50:2Why, when I came, was there no one? when I called, why was there no one to answer? Is my hand shortened at all, that it can’t redeem? or have I no power to deliver? Behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea. I make the rivers a wilderness: their fish stink, because there is no water, and die for thirst.
- Exod 8:5Yahweh said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Stretch out your hand with your rod over the rivers, over the streams, and over the pools, and cause frogs to come up on the land of Egypt.’”
- Ezek 35:8I will fill its mountains with its slain: in your hills and in your valleys and in all your watercourses shall they fall who are slain with the sword.
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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
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