saying to the sixth angel with the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.”
Parallel translations
- WEB saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Free the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates!”
- KJV Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.
- NKJV saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.”
- NASB saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.”
- NLT And the voice said to the sixth angel who held the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great Euphrates River.”
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 voice orders the release of four angels bound at the Euphrates. Restrained agents of judgment are now loosed at God's command.
Overview
The Euphrates marked the eastern boundary of the Promised Land and the direction from which Israel's great enemies came; it evokes invasion and threat. These four angels—likely fallen or destroying angels—have been "bound," again showing that judgment is held back until God's appointed time. Their release at command demonstrates God's total control over the timing of judgment. Nothing breaks loose in history except by His sovereign word.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Rev 16:12And the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings of the East.
- 2 Sam 8:3David also defeated Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, who had marched out to restore his dominion along the Euphrates River.
- Rev 9:15So the four angels who had been prepared for this hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind.
- Gen 2:14The name of the third river is Hiddekel; it runs along the east side of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.
- Jer 51:63When you finish reading this scroll, tie a stone to it and cast it into the Euphrates.
- Rev 8:6And the seven angels with the seven trumpets prepared to sound them.
- Rev 7:1After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back its four winds so that no wind would blow on land or sea or on any tree.
- Rev 8:2And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and they were given seven trumpets.
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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 9:14 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.