The name of the star is called “Wormwood.” One third of the waters became wormwood. Many people died from the waters, because they were made bitter.
Parallel translations
- KJV And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.
- BSB The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters turned bitter like wormwood oil, and many people died from the bitter waters.
- NKJV The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the water, because it was made bitter.
- NASB The star is named Wormwood; and a third of the waters became wormwood, and many people died from the waters because they were made bitter.
- NLT The name of the star was Bitterness. It made one-third of the water bitter, and many people died from drinking the bitter water.
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 trumpet brings a star called Wormwood that poisons a third of fresh water, killing many. It pictures God turning a vital source of life bitter as a judgment on a rebellious world.
Overview
Following the first two trumpets, the third strikes the rivers and springs, the supply of fresh water. "Wormwood" names a bitter plant associated in the Old Testament with sorrow and judgment (Jeremiah 9:15; Lamentations 3:19). Echoing the plagues on Egypt where water was made undrinkable, the vision warns that those who reject God find even life's blessings turned to death. It points ahead to the gospel offer of living water (John 4; Revelation 22:17) freely given to the thirsty in Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Jer 23:15Therefore Yahweh of Armies says concerning the prophets: “Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall; for from the prophets of Jerusalem ungodliness has gone out into all the land.”
- Jer 9:15therefore Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, says, “Behold, I will feed them, even this people, with wormwood, and give them water of gall to drink.
- Deut 29:18lest there should be among you man, woman, family, or tribe whose heart turns away today from Yahweh our God, to go to serve the gods of those nations; lest there should be among you a root that produces bitter poison;
- Prov 5:4but in the end she is as bitter as wormwood, and as sharp as a two-edged sword.
- Amos 6:12Do horses run on the rocky crags? Does one plow there with oxen? But you have turned justice into poison, and the fruit of righteousness into bitterness;
- Amos 5:7You who turn justice to wormwood, and cast down righteousness to the earth:
- Lam 3:19Remember my affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.
- Ruth 1:20She said to them, “Don’t call me Naomi. Call me Mara; for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.
- Heb 12:15looking carefully lest there be any man who falls short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and many be defiled by it;
- Lam 3:5He has built against me, and surrounded me with gall and travail.
- Exod 15:23When they came to Marah, they couldn’t drink from the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore its name was called Marah.
- Rev 8:7The first sounded, and there followed hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. One third of the earth was burned up, and one third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.
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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 8:11 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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