Discovery BoxRevelation 19:14-21
Context19:14 The 1 armies that are in heaven, dressed in white, clean, fine linen, 2 were following him on white horses. 19:15 From his mouth extends a sharp sword, so that with it he can strike the nations. 3 He 4 will rule 5 them with an iron rod, 6 and he stomps the winepress 7 of the furious 8 wrath of God, the All-Powerful. 9 19:16 He has a name written on his clothing and on his thigh: “King of kings and Lord of lords.”
19:17 Then 10 I saw one angel standing in 11 the sun, and he shouted in a loud voice to all the birds flying high in the sky: 12
“Come, gather around for the great banquet 13 of God,
19:18 to eat 14 your fill 15 of the flesh of kings,
the flesh of generals, 16
the flesh of powerful people,
the flesh of horses and those who ride them,
and the flesh of all people, both free and slave, 17
and small and great!”
19:19 Then 18 I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to do battle with the one who rode the horse and with his army. 19:20 Now 19 the beast was seized, and along with him the false prophet who had performed the signs on his behalf 20 – signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. Both of them were thrown alive into the lake of fire burning with sulfur. 21 19:21 The 22 others were killed by the sword that extended from the mouth of the one who rode the horse, and all the birds gorged 23 themselves with their flesh.
Isaiah 34:5-7
Context34:5 He says, 24 “Indeed, my sword has slaughtered heavenly powers. 25
Look, it now descends on Edom, 26
on the people I will annihilate in judgment.”
34:6 The Lord’s sword is dripping with blood,
it is covered 27 with fat;
it drips 28 with the blood of young rams and goats
and is covered 29 with the fat of rams’ kidneys.
For the Lord is holding a sacrifice 30 in Bozrah, 31
a bloody 32 slaughter in the land of Edom.
34:7 Wild oxen will be slaughtered 33 along with them,
as well as strong bulls. 34
Their land is drenched with blood,
their soil is covered with fat.
Isaiah 66:24
Context66:24 “They will go out and observe the corpses of those who rebelled against me, for the maggots that eat them will not die, 35 and the fire that consumes them will not die out. 36 All people will find the sight abhorrent.” 37
Ezekiel 39:17-21
Context39:17 “As for you, son of man, this is what the sovereign Lord says: Tell every kind of bird and every wild beast: ‘Assemble and come! Gather from all around to my slaughter 38 which I am going to make for you, a great slaughter on the mountains of Israel! You will eat flesh and drink blood. 39:18 You will eat the flesh of warriors 39 and drink the blood of the princes of the earth – the rams, lambs, goats, and bulls, all of them fattened animals of Bashan. 39:19 You will eat fat until you are full, and drink blood until you are drunk, 40 at my slaughter 41 which I have made for you. 39:20 You will fill up at my table with horses and charioteers, 42 with warriors and all the soldiers,’ declares the sovereign Lord.
39:21 “I will display my majesty 43 among the nations. All the nations will witness the judgment I have executed, and the power I have exhibited 44 among them.
[19:14] 1 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[19:14] 2 tn On the term translated “fine linen,” BDAG 185 s.v. βύσσινος states, “made of fine linen, subst. τὸ β. fine linen, linen garment…Rv 18:12, 16; 19:8, 14.”
[19:15] 3 tn Or “the Gentiles” (the same Greek word may be translated “Gentiles” or “nations”).
[19:15] 4 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[19:15] 5 tn Grk “will shepherd.”
[19:15] 6 tn Or “scepter.” The Greek term ῥάβδος (rJabdo") can mean either “rod” or “scepter.”
[19:15] 7 sn He stomps the winepress. See Isa 63:3, where Messiah does this alone (usually several individuals would join in the process), and Rev 14:20.
[19:15] 8 tn The genitive θυμοῦ (qumou) has been translated as an attributed genitive. Following BDAG 461 s.v. θυμός 2, the combination of the genitives of θυμός (qumos) and ὀργή (orgh) in Rev 16:19 and 19:15 are taken to be a strengthening of the thought as in the OT and Qumran literature (Exod 32:12; Jer 32:37; Lam 2:3; CD 10:9).
[19:15] 9 tn On this word BDAG 755 s.v. παντοκράτωρ states, “the Almighty, All-Powerful, Omnipotent (One) only of God…(ὁ) κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ π. …Rv 1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7; 21:22.”
[19:17] 10 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
[19:17] 11 tn The precise significance of ἐν (en) here is difficult to determine.
[19:17] 12 tn On μεσουρανήματι (mesouranhmati) here see L&N 1.10: “high in the sky, midpoint in the sky, directly overhead, straight above in the sky.” The birds mentioned here are carrion birds like vultures, circling high overhead, and now being summoned to feast on the corpses.
[19:17] 13 tn This is the same Greek word (δεῖπνον, deipnon) used in 19:9.
[19:18] 14 tn The ἵνα (Jina) clause, insofar as it is related to the first imperative, has the force of an imperative.
[19:18] 15 tn The idea of eating “your fill” is evident in the context with the use of χορτάζω (cortazw) in v. 21.
[19:18] 16 tn Grk “chiliarchs”; normally a chiliarch was a military officer commanding a thousand soldiers, but here probably used of higher-ranking commanders like generals (see L&N 55.15; cf. Rev 6:15).
[19:18] 17 tn See the note on the word “servants” in 1:1.
[19:19] 18 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
[19:20] 19 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the introduction of an unexpected development in the account: The opposing armies do not come together in battle; rather the leader of one side is captured.
[19:20] 20 tn For this meaning see BDAG 342 s.v. ἐνώπιον 4.b, “by the authority of, on behalf of Rv 13:12, 14; 19:20.”
[19:20] 21 tn Traditionally, “brimstone.”
[19:21] 22 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[19:21] 23 tn On the translation of ἐχορτάσθησαν (ecortasqhsan) BDAG 1087 s.v. χορτάζω 1.a states, “of animals, pass. in act. sense πάντα τὰ ὄρνεα ἐχορτάσθησαν ἐκ τῶν σαρκῶν αὐτῶν all the birds gorged themselves with their flesh Rv 19:21 (cp. TestJud. 21:8).”
[34:5] 24 tn The words “he says” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The Lord speaks at this point.
[34:5] 25 tn Heb “indeed [or “for”] my sword is drenched in the heavens.” The Qumran scroll 1QIsaa has תראה (“[my sword] appeared [in the heavens]”), but this is apparently an attempt to make sense out of a difficult metaphor. Cf. NIV “My sword has drunk its fill in the heavens.”
[34:5] 26 sn Edom is mentioned here as epitomizing the hostile nations that oppose God.
[34:6] 27 tn The verb is a rare Hotpaal passive form. See GKC 150 §54.h.
[34:6] 28 tn The words “it drips” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[34:6] 29 tn The words “and is covered” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[34:6] 30 tn Heb “for there is a sacrifice to the Lord.”
[34:6] 31 sn The Lord’s judgment of Edom is compared to a bloody sacrificial scene.
[34:6] 32 tn Heb “great” (so KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
[34:7] 33 tn Heb “will go down”; NAB “shall be struck down.”
[34:7] 34 tn Heb “and bulls along with strong ones.” Perhaps this refers to the leaders.
[66:24] 35 tn Heb “for their worm will not die.”
[66:24] 36 tn Heb “and their fire will not be extinguished.”
[66:24] 37 tn Heb “and they will be an abhorrence to all flesh.”
[39:17] 38 tn Or “sacrifice” (so also in the rest of this verse).
[39:18] 39 sn See Rev 19:17-18.
[39:19] 40 sn Eating the fat and drinking blood were God’s exclusive rights in Israelite sacrifices (Lev 3:17).
[39:19] 41 tn Or “sacrifice” (so also in the rest of this verse).
