and the stars of the sky fell to the earth like unripe figs dropping from a tree shaken by a great wind.
Parallel translations
- WEB The stars of the sky fell to the earth, like a fig tree dropping its unripe figs when it is shaken by a great wind.
- KJV And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
- NKJV And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind.
- NASB and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind.
- NLT Then the stars of the sky fell to the earth like green figs falling from a tree shaken by a strong wind.
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 stars of heaven fall to earth like figs shaken from a tree. The collapse of the heavens portrays creation undone before God's judgment.
Overview
The vivid image of unripe figs dropping in a gale conveys how easily the seemingly fixed heavens give way at God's command. Such cosmic disturbance is standard prophetic imagery for the day of the Lord. It heightens the sense that no created thing can stand secure when God comes to judge.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Isa 34:4All the stars of heaven will be dissolved. The skies will be rolled up like a scroll, and all their stars will fall like withered leaves from the vine, like foliage from the fig tree.
- Matt 24:29Immediately after the tribulation of those days: ‘The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.’
- Rev 9:1Then the fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from heaven to earth, and it was given the key to the pit of the Abyss.
- Rev 8:10–12Then 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.
- Dan 8:10It grew as high as the host of heaven, and it cast down some of the host and some of the stars to the earth, and trampled them.
- Ezek 32:7When I extinguish you, I will cover the heavens and darken their stars. I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon will not give its light.
- Isa 7:2When it was reported to the house of David that Aram was in league with Ephraim, the hearts of Ahaz and his people trembled like trees in the forest shaken by the wind.
- Luke 21:25There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among the nations, bewildered by the roaring of the sea and the surging of the waves.
- Dan 4:14He called out in a loud voice: ‘Cut down the tree and chop off its branches; strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts flee from under it, and the birds from its branches.
- Isa 33:9The land mourns and languishes; Lebanon is ashamed and decayed. Sharon is like a desert; Bashan and Carmel shake off their leaves.
- Nah 3:12All your fortresses are fig trees with the first ripe figs; when shaken, they fall into the mouth of the eater!
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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 6:13 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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