Then the stars of the sky fell to the earth like green figs falling from a tree shaken by a strong 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.
- BSB and the stars of the sky fell to the earth like unripe figs dropping from a tree shaken by a great 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.
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 of the army of the sky will be dissolved. The sky will be rolled up like a scroll, and all its armies will fade away, as a leaf fades from off a vine or a fig tree.
- Matt 24:29But immediately after the oppression of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken;
- Rev 9:1The fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from the sky which had fallen to the earth. The key to the pit of the abyss was given to him.
- Rev 8:10–12The 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.
- Dan 8:10It grew great, even to the army of the sky; and some of the army and of the stars it cast down to the ground, and trampled on them.
- Ezek 32:7When I shall extinguish you, I will cover the heavens, and make its stars dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give its light.
- Isa 7:2David’s house was told, “Syria is allied with Ephraim.” His heart trembled, and the heart of his people, as the trees of the forest tremble with the wind.
- Luke 21:25There will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars; and on the earth anxiety of nations, in perplexity for the roaring of the sea and the waves;
- Dan 4:14He cried aloud, and said thus, Cut down the tree, and cut off its branches, shake off its leaves, and scatter its fruit: let the animals get away from under it, and the fowls from its branches.
- Isa 33:9The land mourns and languishes. Lebanon is confounded and withers away. Sharon is like a desert, and Bashan and Carmel are stripped bare.
- Nah 3:12All your fortresses will be like fig trees with the first-ripe figs: if they are 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
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.