Revelation 11:9 kjv
And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.
Revelation 11:9 nkjv
Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies three-and-a-half days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves.
Revelation 11:9 niv
For three and a half days some from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial.
Revelation 11:9 esv
For three and a half days some from the peoples and tribes and languages and nations will gaze at their dead bodies and refuse to let them be placed in a tomb,
Revelation 11:9 nlt
And for three and a half days, all peoples, tribes, languages, and nations will stare at their bodies. No one will be allowed to bury them.
Revelation 11 9 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Rev 11:11 | But after the three and a half days the breath of life from God entered them… | Immediate resurrection and vindication. |
| Dan 7:25 | He will speak against the Most High and oppress his holy people...for a time, times and half a time. | Prophetic period mirroring the witnesses' suffering. |
| Dan 12:7 | It will be for a time, times and half a time. | Parallel to the length of tribulation/prophecy. |
| Rev 12:14 | The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly...for a time, times and half a time... | Same prophetic period, protecting God's people. |
| Rev 13:5 | The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words...and to exercise its authority for forty-two months. | Period of the Beast's authority (3.5 years). |
| Rev 5:9 | ...with your blood you purchased persons for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. | God's universal redemption and calling. |
| Rev 7:9 | ...a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language... | God's universal worshipping multitude. |
| Rev 10:11 | Then I was told, "You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings." | Universal scope of prophecy and judgment. |
| Rev 13:7 | It was given power to wage war against God's holy people and to conquer them. And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. | Beast's universal dominion and persecution. |
| Rev 14:6 | ...the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language and people. | Universal scope of the Gospel message. |
| Rev 17:15 | The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages. | Global influence of the wicked system. |
| Gen 6:4 | There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that... | The "unnatural" display of bodies and public sin. |
| Psa 79:2-3 | They have given the bodies of your servants as food...Their blood they have poured out like water...and there is no one to bury them. | Lament over the unburied dead of God's people. |
| 1 Ki 14:11 | Dogs will eat those belonging to Jeroboam who die in the city...birds will eat those who die in the country... | Divine curse, warning against proper burial. |
| Jer 8:2 | They will be exposed to the sun and the moon and all the stars...They will not be gathered up or buried... | Judgment resulting in dishonor of the dead. |
| Jer 22:19 | He will have the burial of a donkey—dragged away and thrown outside the gates of Jerusalem. | Dishonorable burial, a sign of severe judgment. |
| Ezek 37:11-12 | Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up...’ So prophesy to them...‘I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them...’ | Contrast: unburied bodies to divinely re-gathered. |
| Mat 24:30 | Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven...and they will see the Son of Man coming... | Universal witnessing of a divine event. |
| Zec 14:12 | This is the plague with which the Lord will strike all the nations that have fought against Jerusalem...Their flesh will rot...Their eyes will rot in their sockets... | Gruesome vision of the wicked's rotting bodies. |
| Judg 9:43 | Abimelek divided his men into three companies and set an ambush in the fields. When he saw the people coming out of the city, he rose up against them and slaughtered them. | Mob-like rejoicing over fallen enemies, a common theme in ancient warfare. |
| Luke 13:34 | Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you... | History of rejecting and murdering God's messengers. |
Revelation 11 verses
Revelation 11 9 Meaning
Revelation 11:9 describes the universal reaction to the death of God's two witnesses. For a symbolic period of three and a half days, people from every segment of the global population—represented as "people, tribe, language, and nation"—will observe with morbid interest their lifeless bodies. This global audience will then actively prevent the witnesses from receiving a proper burial, an act signifying profound disrespect, triumph, and complete rejection of their message and God Himself. This scene depicts the world's jubilant defiance against divine truth and God's servants.
Revelation 11 9 Context
Revelation 11:9 is set during the climax of the two witnesses' ministry, just after their prophesying concludes and they are slain by the beast rising from the Abyss (Rev 11:7). Their bodies lie unburied in the "great city" which symbolically represents a corrupt, globally influential center hostile to God. This verse portrays the world's collective response: widespread revelry and the deliberate humiliation of the prophets, signifying not just personal rejection, but a universal repudiation of God's message and His messengers. The subsequent verse (Rev 11:10) details the global celebration, exchanging gifts as at a festival. This precedes God's immediate and dramatic resurrection of the witnesses and a significant earthquake (Rev 11:11-13), showcasing divine vindication amidst human defiance. The chapter continues to highlight the ongoing conflict between God's purposes and the rebellious world system leading to the seventh trumpet judgment.
Revelation 11 9 Word analysis
- For three and a half days: (Greek: hēmerōn tris kai hēmisy)
- "three and a half": A literal interpretation of this specific time period is possible, denoting a brief, precisely limited span. However, within prophetic literature (especially Daniel and Revelation), this duration (also expressed as "a time, times, and half a time," or 42 months, or 1260 days) often symbolizes a constrained period of tribulation and apostasy, marking the peak of worldly rebellion against God. It signifies a short season of seemingly unhindered evil, divinely permitted before judgment.
- some from every people, tribe, language and nation: (Greek: ek tōn laōn kai phylōn kai glōssōn kai ethnōn)
- "some from every": Indicates representatives, but not necessarily every single individual. It emphasizes the global nature of this rejection.
- "people, tribe, language and nation": This is a consistent and deliberate quadruple formula used by John throughout Revelation (e.g., Rev 5:9, 7:9, 13:7, 14:6, 17:15) to signify the entirety of humanity, encompassing all cultural, linguistic, and national divisions. Its recurrence highlights the universal scope of both God's redemptive work and, in this context, the world's united opposition and widespread apostasy. It signifies the global consensus of malice against God's servants.
- will gaze on: (Greek: blepousin)
- "gaze on": More than simply "see." The verb implies a sustained, fixed, or intentional looking. It suggests an attitude of satisfaction, gloating, curiosity, or even mocking contempt, not accidental observation. The public nature underscores their joy and perceived victory.
- their dead bodies: (Greek: ptōmata autōn)
- "dead bodies": The term ptōma specifically refers to a corpse or carcass. The emphasis is on the inert, powerless state of the witnesses, serving as a spectacle for their global enemies. It highlights the ultimate physical humiliation and the seeming finality of their defeat.
- and refuse them burial: (Greek: kai ouk aphiemi autous theinai eis mnēma)
- "refuse them burial": This act signifies the ultimate desecration and indignity in ancient cultures. Denial of burial was considered a profound curse and public humiliation, preventing a peaceful rest and violating common human decency and religious custom (e.g., Jer 8:2, 22:19). It underscores the profound contempt and hatred the world has for God's messengers. It's a deliberate act of public scorn and a further manifestation of their rebellion against God, defying His divine command for respectful treatment of the deceased.
Revelation 11 9 Bonus section
- The denial of burial for God's witnesses stands in stark contrast to God's consistent concern for the dignified handling of the dead in scripture, including commands regarding burial and warnings against their absence (e.g., Deut 21:23). This act showcases the complete antithesis of God's ways by the unredeemed world.
- The scene highlights the power of global media and communication, even if primitive or symbolic in ancient terms, to broadcast events globally and unite diverse populations in a shared act of rejection, hinting at the potential for instant, widespread news propagation in the end times.
- This specific time period of "three and a half days" mirrors the exact time Jesus spent in the tomb (referring to part of Friday, all of Saturday, and part of Sunday) before His resurrection, offering a thematic parallel of death, short-lived triumph of evil, and swift divine vindication.
Revelation 11 9 Commentary
Revelation 11:9 portrays a chilling snapshot of widespread rebellion against God, evidenced in the global scorn directed at His fallen witnesses. The three-and-a-half-day exposure signifies a divinely allowed but brief period of evil triumph, where the world, united in its hostility (from "every people, tribe, language, and nation"), gloats over the apparent victory. Their deliberate refusal of burial rites is not mere oversight but an active, symbolic act of ultimate dishonor and desecration, showcasing the depth of their anti-God sentiment. This scene is a profound antithesis to God's ultimate plan, setting the stage for His swift and dramatic intervention of resurrection and judgment, demonstrating that worldly celebration over God's apparent defeat is always short-lived and misguided.