When the Lamb broke the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come!”
Parallel translations
- WEB When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the fourth living creature saying, “Come and see!”
- KJV And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
- BSB And when the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!”
- NKJV When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come and see.”
- NLT When the Lamb broke the fourth seal, I heard the fourth living being say, “Come!”
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 Lamb opens the fourth seal and the fourth creature summons the next rider. The climactic horseman of the four is about to appear.
Overview
Again the Lamb opens the seal and a living creature issues the call, maintaining the ordered pattern. This brief verse prepares for the most sweeping of the four judgments. It keeps the focus on Christ's authority over all that unfolds.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 4
- Rev 4:7The first creature was like a lion, and the second creature like a calf, and the third creature had a face like a man, and the fourth was like a flying eagle.
- Rev 6:3When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come!”
- Rev 6:1I saw that the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying, as with a voice of thunder, “Come and see!”
- Rev 6:5When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, “Come and see!” And behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a balance in his hand.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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 6:7 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.