Revelation 6:13 kjv

And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.

Revelation 6:13 nkjv

And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind.

Revelation 6:13 niv

and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind.

Revelation 6:13 esv

and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale.

Revelation 6:13 nlt

Then the stars of the sky fell to the earth like green figs falling from a tree shaken by a strong wind.

Revelation 6 verses

Revelation 6 13 Meaning

Revelation 6:13 vividly depicts a cosmic catastrophe that signals the climax of the Sixth Seal judgment. It describes the stars of heaven falling to the earth, likened to a fig tree violently shedding its unripe or late figs in a great wind. This imagery signifies widespread, catastrophic disruption of the established order of the cosmos and the world, announcing an era of divine wrath and judgment. It is a foretaste of the great day of God's wrath that the ungodly cannot withstand, demonstrating God's ultimate sovereignty over creation.

Revelation 6 13 Context

Revelation chapter 6 describes the opening of the first six seals of the seven-sealed scroll, revealing successive stages of judgment leading up to the "Day of the Lord." Each seal unleashes a new judgment upon the earth, often characterized by increasing intensity and scope. Verse 13 is part of the Sixth Seal, which is marked by widespread, catastrophic, and cosmic disturbances: a great earthquake, the sun becoming black, the moon turning blood-red, and the heavens departing like a scroll. This specific verse (Rev 6:13) immediately precedes the collective reaction of terror and a plea for hiding from the "wrath of the Lamb," highlighting that these events are directly attributed to divine judgment and serve as unmistakable signs of God's coming indignation upon an ungodly world. The historical context for the original audience, facing Roman persecution, would have underscored God's sovereignty even over mighty empires, using cosmic language to depict their eventual, inevitable overthrow and God's ultimate justice.

Revelation 6 13 Word analysis

• and the stars: The Greek word is ἀστέρες (asteres), meaning "stars," literal celestial bodies. In apocalyptic literature, "stars" can also be symbolic, referring to angels, mighty leaders, or powerful earthly rulers (e.g., Dan 8:10; Isa 14:12 depicting Lucifer as the "morning star"). Given the context of a shaken cosmos, it encompasses both actual cosmic disruption and the symbolic fall of established powers and authorities.
• of heaven: Denotes their celestial origin and implies that the entire cosmic order is being undone.
• fell: The Greek verb ἔπεσον (epeson) is a strong aorist form, indicating a sudden, decisive, and completed action. It emphasizes the swiftness and completeness of their descent.
• to the earth: Indicates the impact and global consequence of these celestial bodies falling, affecting humanity directly.
• as a fig tree: The analogy draws on familiar agricultural imagery for immediate understanding. The fig tree (συκῆ - sykē) was common in Judea, and its seasonal dropping of figs was a natural process.
• drops: The verb βάλλει (ballei), meaning "casts down," implies an active, forceful expulsion rather than a gentle, natural falling away due to ripeness.
• its late figs: The Greek term is τοὺς ὀλύνθους (tous olynthous), which specifically refers to unripe figs that develop late in the season, or winter figs. These are typically not edible and drop prematurely, usually by natural processes or strong winds, and are generally regarded as waste or immature. The emphasis here is on premature and forced detachment, signifying a destructive and wasteful loss, not a natural harvest. It implies the utter ruin and violent dismantling of elements that are not yet "ripe" for such a dramatic end but are forcefully dislodged by divine power.
• when shaken: The Greek word is σειομένη (seiomenē), a participle from σείω (seio), meaning "to shake violently," "to agitate," "to cause to tremble" (related to "seismos" for earthquake). It conveys intense and forceful agitation.
• by a great wind: ὑπὸ ἀνέμου μεγάλου (hypo anemou megalou) signifies an overwhelming and irresistible force. It points to divine agency or a force of immense destructive power, not just a gentle breeze, causing widespread desolation.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "and the stars of heaven fell to the earth": This phrase immediately sets a tone of cosmic upheaval and terror. It’s an unprecedented global phenomenon, a dismantling of the familiar celestial order, demonstrating God’s dominion over creation and impending judgment. It speaks to the terror and unchangeable nature of these divine acts.
• "as a fig tree drops its late figs": This analogy makes the cosmic event relatable and impactful. The "late figs" (unripe) are crucial, as their violent shedding is not a natural process of maturity but an unnatural, destructive force. It conveys an image of premature, widespread, and chaotic loss, as opposed to an orderly, ripe harvest.
• "when shaken by a great wind": This highlights the cause of the drastic event – an overwhelming, irresistible, external force. This "great wind" is symbolic of divine power, an irresistible force of judgment causing universal disruption. It underlines the scale and violence of God's intervention.

Revelation 6 13 Bonus section

• The falling of the "stars of heaven" combined with the earth's great shaking mentioned in Revelation 6:12 and 14 implies a complete restructuring or unmaking of the known physical world, as preparation for a new heavens and new earth.
• The reference to "unripe/late figs" (olynthous) reinforces the idea of God's judgment sweeping away even that which has not yet come to full maturity or use, signifying the completeness and urgency of the destruction. It's not a harvest, but a premature shedding by force.
• This cosmic shaking evokes primal fear, suggesting humanity's ultimate vulnerability before an all-powerful Creator. It stands in stark contrast to the pagan deities or astrological beliefs of the ancient world that held stars as symbols of stability or fate. God, the true sovereign, can utterly dismantle them.
• This verse contributes to the "birth pains" imagery often used to describe the end times (Matt 24), where the suffering and destruction grow progressively worse before the glorious arrival of the Lord.

Revelation 6 13 Commentary

Revelation 6:13 portrays a graphic image of profound cosmic disorder, not just as a meteorological phenomenon, but as a direct manifestation of God's escalating judgment during the opening of the Sixth Seal. The falling "stars of heaven" – whether understood as literal meteor showers, symbolic representations of falling spiritual entities (angels), or earthly powers/leaders – communicate an utterly shattered cosmos, leading to global devastation. The precise simile of the "fig tree dropping its late figs (unripe figs) when shaken by a great wind" is highly significant. It implies a violent, premature, and indiscriminate expulsion rather than a natural, orderly process. The "great wind" underscores the overwhelming divine power causing this chaos. This is not an act of nature, but of God's wrath, leaving humanity in no doubt about the source of their terror (Rev 6:16). The verse therefore functions as a terrifying precursor to the "great day of His wrath" (Rev 6:17), an ultimate and unmistakable sign of the end of the age and God's final, absolute sovereignty over all creation, ushering in the time of irreversible judgment.