Revelation 9 16

Revelation 9:16 kjv

And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.

Revelation 9:16 nkjv

Now the number of the army of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them.

Revelation 9:16 niv

The number of the mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand. I heard their number.

Revelation 9:16 esv

The number of mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand; I heard their number.

Revelation 9:16 nlt

I heard the size of their army, which was 200 million mounted troops.

Revelation 9 verses

Revelation 9 16 Meaning

Revelation 9:16 describes an astonishingly vast military force, identified as an "army of horsemen," whose specific numerical strength is given as two hundred million. This immense number is presented as directly revealed to John, emphasizing its factual precision within the apocalyptic vision. It represents an unprecedented, overwhelming force deployed as part of the sixth trumpet judgment, highlighting the devastating scale of God's unfolding righteous judgment upon unrepentant humanity.

Revelation 9 16 Context

Revelation 9:16 appears within the larger prophetic vision of the trumpet judgments, specifically after the blowing of the sixth trumpet (Rev 9:13). This sixth trumpet heralds the release of four angels previously bound at the great river Euphrates, who are specifically prepared "to kill a third of mankind" (Rev 9:14-15). The immense army described in verse 16 is understood as the instrument through which this terrible judgment is executed. It represents a further escalation of divine judgment on a humanity that continues in its impenitence despite earlier calamities. The historical context for John's audience would involve familiar concepts of vast military empires like Rome or Parthia, but the scale presented here (200 million) would have been unfathomably larger than any earthly army known to them, pointing to either supernatural entities or divinely empowered, human forces on a global scale.

Revelation 9 16 Word analysis

• The number (ὁ ἀριθμός, ho arithmos):

  • arithmos means a specific, distinct numerical quantity or total.
  • Significance: John is not estimating or describing something that "looks like" a vast number; he explicitly "heard their number," implying precision and divine revelation, distinguishing it from general descriptions of countless multitudes.
  • Historical/Cultural: In apocalyptic literature, numbers can be symbolic or literal. The clarity here suggests a specific, though overwhelming, revelation.

• of the army (τοῦ στρατεύματος, tou stratēmatos):

  • stratēma refers to a military body, an armed force, or an army.
  • Significance: This clearly identifies the group as a fighting force, not just a random gathering. It's organized for combat.

• of horsemen (τοῦ ἱππικοῦ, tou hippikou):

  • hippikon means relating to cavalry or horse-soldiers.
  • Significance: This specifies the nature of the army, echoing the earlier description in Rev 9:7-9 of the locusts, which were "like horses prepared for battle," having features like horses' faces and horses' tails. This emphasizes mobility and direct confrontation in warfare, potentially linking the nature of the torment to the means of judgment.
  • Cultural context: Cavalry was a powerful and often decisive branch of ancient warfare, known for its speed and destructive charge.

• was two hundred million (δισμυριάδες μυριάδων, dis myriades myriadōn):

  • Transliteration/Meaning: Literally, "two myriad-of-myriads." A "myriad" (myrias) is 10,000. So, 2 x 10,000 x 10,000 = 200,000,000.
  • Significance: This staggering number is critical. For John's first-century audience, such a figure was literally inconceivable for any single earthly army, reinforcing the supernatural or global scale of this event. It surpasses any human army imaginable and underscores the horrific power unleashed.
  • Interpretation: Scholars widely debate whether this number is literal or symbolic. Given its context in an apocalyptic vision and its unprecedented scale, many interpret it as symbolically conveying an immeasurable, overwhelmingly vast host, either demonic in origin, supernaturally enabled human armies from the East (connecting to Rev 16:12), or both, that completely overshadows all human military power. It might serve to demonstrate the futility of resistance against God's judgment.

• I heard their number (ἤκουσα τὸν ἀριθμόν, ēkousa ton arithmon):

  • ēkousa (from akouō) means "I heard."
  • Significance: John explicitly states that he heard the number, implying divine communication and certainty, not a personal estimation or visual perception. This reinforces the accuracy and authoritativeness of the number revealed, distinguishing it as a divinely given detail in the vision. It authenticates the magnitude of the force for the reader.

Revelation 9 16 Bonus section

The specific description of the army as "horsemen" and the magnitude of the 200 million are sometimes linked by scholars to nomadic or tribal forces known for their vast cavalry, particularly those historically originating from regions east of the Euphrates (like the Parthians, or later Mongol hordes), given the context of the four angels being loosed from the Euphrates in Rev 9:14. However, the number far exceeds any known historical earthly army, leading many to conclude that it is either hyper-symbolic for an infinite, unstoppable force or represents a supernatural (demonic) host that manifests in a military-like manner. The precision "I heard their number" also distinguishes this quantity from more generalized biblical descriptions of "countless as the sand" (e.g., Gen 22:17), lending it an emphasis of a definite, divinely ordained quantity, however vast and unfathomable.

Revelation 9 16 Commentary

Revelation 9:16 delivers a chilling depiction of the scale of divine judgment during the sixth trumpet. The specificity of the number, 200 million horsemen, conveys an utterly incomprehensible and overwhelming force to John's audience. This army is the instrument of God's righteous wrath, bringing widespread devastation, leading to the death of "a third of mankind" (Rev 9:15). While the source of this army (literal armies from the East, demonic hordes, or a combination) is debated, its sheer size, precisely revealed to John, underscores its unprecedented and catastrophic nature. The reference to "horsemen" connects to the earlier imagery of the locusts, suggesting swift and destructive action. This verse serves as a stark reminder of God's power and sovereignty in executing judgment, warning humanity of the dire consequences of unrepentance in the face of escalating divine visitations.