Revelation 9:10 kjv
And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.
Revelation 9:10 nkjv
They had tails like scorpions, and there were stings in their tails. Their power was to hurt men five months.
Revelation 9:10 niv
They had tails with stingers, like scorpions, and in their tails they had power to torment people for five months.
Revelation 9:10 esv
They have tails and stings like scorpions, and their power to hurt people for five months is in their tails.
Revelation 9:10 nlt
They had tails that stung like scorpions, and for five months they had the power to torment people.
Revelation 9 10 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 8:15 | "...who led you through the great and terrifying wilderness, with fiery serpents and scorpions..." | Scorpions as sources of danger/pain |
| 1 Kgs 12:11 | "...my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions." | Severe, painful punishment/discipline |
| Ezek 2:6 | "...do not be afraid of them or their words, though briers and thorns are with you and you live among scorpions." | Resistance despite hostile/painful opposition |
| Luke 10:19 | "Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions..." | Authority over evil/demonic forces |
| Acts 26:14 | "...It is hard for you to kick against the goads." | Resisting divine truth brings pain |
| 1 Cor 15:55-56 | "O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?"... "The sting of death is sin..." | Sin connected to the 'sting' of death/suffering |
| Heb 12:11 | "For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant..." | Painful discipline as a means of instruction |
| Job 1:12 | "The Lord said to Satan, 'Behold, all that he has is in your power, only against him do not stretch out your hand.'" | God limits Satan's destructive power |
| Job 2:6 | "And the Lord said to Satan, 'Behold, he is in your hand; only spare his life.'" | God sets limits on torment and death |
| Ps 76:10 | "Surely the wrath of man shall praise you; the remainder of wrath you will restrain." | God limits and restrains evil and wrath |
| Isa 10:5-7 | "Ah, Assyria, the rod of my anger; the staff in their hands is my fury!... to carry off plunder and to seize spoil..." | Nations used as instruments of God's wrath |
| Mark 5:7 | "...He cried out with a loud voice and said, 'What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?'" | Demonic submission to Christ's authority |
| Luke 8:31 | "And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss." | Demons dread the abyss (origin of locusts) |
| John 19:11 | "Jesus answered him, 'You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above.'" | All human authority is divinely permitted |
| Rom 8:38-39 | "For I am sure that neither death nor life... nor any other creation will be able to separate us from the love of God..." | God's ultimate protection for believers |
| 2 Pet 2:9 | "then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment..." | God governs trials and judgment |
| Jude 1:6 | "And the angels who did not stay within their own position... he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness for the judgment of the great day..." | Rebellious spiritual beings are constrained |
| Rev 2:10 | "...the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days." | Specific, limited period of tribulation |
| Rev 20:2-3 | "...and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit... so that he might not deceive the nations any longer..." | Satan's power is limited and temporal |
| Ezek 9:4 | "...put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations..." | God's mark for protection from judgment |
| Rev 7:2-3 | "...saying, 'Do not harm the earth... until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.'" | Direct protection for God's sealed people |
| Rev 14:1 | "...on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads." | Identity of the sealed/redeemed |
| Jer 5:29 | "Shall I not punish them for these things? declares the Lord; And shall I not avenge myself on a nation such as this?" | God's just judgment and punishment |
| Amos 9:2-4 | "Though they dig into Sheol, from there shall my hand take them; though they climb up to heaven, from there I will bring them down." | No escape from God's reach and judgment |
| Luke 16:23-24 | "and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes..." | Illustrates torment without death |
| Rev 9:5-6 | "They were allowed to torment them for five months... And in those days people will seek death and will not find it..." | Direct explanation of the torment's effect |
Revelation 9 verses
Revelation 9 10 Meaning
Revelation 9:10 describes the nature and limitations of the torment inflicted by the demonic "locusts" released during the fifth trumpet judgment. Their scorpion-like tails contain stings, symbolizing their capacity for excruciating, non-fatal pain. This power to torment is specifically limited to hurting humanity for a fixed period of five months, and exclusively affects those who do not possess the seal of God. It highlights God's sovereign control even over demonic agencies, allowing them to inflict suffering as a form of judgment, yet strictly confining their reach and duration.
Revelation 9 10 Context
Revelation 9:10 is embedded within the detailed unfolding of the fifth trumpet judgment (Rev 9:1-12). Following the initial four trumpets that impacted the natural world, the fifth trumpet introduces a distinctively supernatural and demonic affliction. This verse elaborates on the nature of the "locusts" that emerge from the bottomless pit, revealing them not as natural insects but as terrifying, composite creatures (Rev 9:7-9). Their power, derived from the abyss and under the leadership of Apollyon/Abaddon (Rev 9:11), is solely to torment those who lack the divine seal (Rev 9:4). The five-month duration specifies the precise period of this widespread and agonizing suffering, underscoring God's ultimate sovereignty even over these instruments of judgment. Historically, ancient societies were familiar with the destructive power of both literal locust swarms and painful scorpion stings, providing a terrifying backdrop for John's symbolic description of this supernatural judgment.
Revelation 9 10 Word analysis
- And they had tails: The "they" refers to the demonic locusts described previously in Rev 9:7-9. These tails are not mere appendages but specific instruments of affliction, distinct from typical locust anatomy.
- like unto scorpions: The Greek "homoias skorpiois" (ὁμοίας σκορπίοις) emphasizes similarity, specifically in the capacity for inflicting painful harm. Scorpions were feared for their agonizing sting, a symbol of acute, non-lethal suffering in the ancient world.
- and there were stings: The Greek "kentra" (κέντρα) explicitly names the instrument. It refers to a sharp point, a goad, or, most fittingly here, the piercing venomous organ of a scorpion or similar insect. This confirms the method of torment.
- in their tails: The placement signifies the source of their direct power and mechanism of infliction, reinforcing the scorpion analogy.
- and their power: The Greek "exousia" (ἐξουσία) denotes delegated authority or granted permission, rather than mere physical strength. This signifies that their ability to inflict harm is not inherent but divinely allowed and strictly controlled.
- was to hurt men: The Greek "adikesai anthropous" (ἀδικῆσαι ἀνθρώπους) means "to wrong, injure, or harm humans." It specifies the intent and effect: pain and torment, explicitly excluding killing (as clarified in Rev 9:5). This suffering targets specifically "men"—that portion of humanity not sealed by God (Rev 9:4).
- five months: This specific temporal limit (μῆνας πέντε - mēnas pente) is crucial. It underscores God's complete sovereignty and the temporary nature of this judgment. Often interpreted as symbolic of a fixed, determined period, perhaps analogous to the lifecycle of natural locusts, it removes any doubt about the unboundedness of the affliction.
- Words-group analysis:
- "tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails": This phrase complexifies the nature of the "locusts." It's not just a general resemblance; their very structure is equipped for specific, intense torment, echoing their function. This double emphasis solidifies the painful, penetrating nature of their power.
- "their power was to hurt men five months": This phrase outlines the critical parameters of the judgment: the recipient (men without the seal), the nature (torment/hurting), and the strict limitation of time (five months). This limitation highlights God's justice and patience, as this intense suffering is intended to prompt repentance, yet it only targets the unsealed.
Revelation 9 10 Bonus section
The specific duration of "five months" is significant because natural locust swarms often appear during a five-month season (e.g., May to September). This imagery links the supernatural judgment to a natural destructive phenomenon familiar to John's audience, amplifying its horror while maintaining that it is God, not mere nature, behind this plague. The "scorpion's sting" carries the dual nuance of excruciating physical pain and, spiritually, a piercing of the conscience, the relentless torment of guilt, fear, and exposure to truth they reject. Some theological perspectives suggest this could represent a period of intense spiritual darkness, societal breakdown, or pervasive false doctrines that sting and corrupt humanity. The power granted (exousia) indicates that these entities, despite being malevolent, remain entirely subordinate to God's sovereign plan and permissive will, incapable of exceeding their prescribed bounds.
Revelation 9 10 Commentary
Revelation 9:10 precisely delineates the instruments, targets, and limitations of the torment associated with the fifth trumpet. The "tails like scorpions" and their embedded "stings" symbolize an incredibly painful, venomous affliction. This is not about death, but prolonged, agonizing suffering designed to torment, not terminate. This spiritual plague targets only those who lack the divine seal of protection, clearly separating God's faithful from those facing His judgment. The precise "five months" underscores that even instruments of divine wrath operate under God's strict timeline and authority. This fixed period highlights both the severity of the judgment for the unrepentant and the ultimate control God maintains over evil. This serves as a divine wake-up call, albeit a painful one, to those rejecting His grace, demonstrating that divine wrath is measured, purposeful, and under strict boundaries.