Revelation 9:4 kjv
And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.
Revelation 9:4 nkjv
They were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.
Revelation 9:4 niv
They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads.
Revelation 9:4 esv
They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any green plant or any tree, but only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.
Revelation 9:4 nlt
They were told not to harm the grass or plants or trees, but only the people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads.
Revelation 9 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Rev 7:2-3 | ...four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea... | Angels withholding harm until God's servants sealed. |
| Rev 14:1 | ...a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him 144,000, having His Father's name written on their foreheads. | Believers sealed with God's name, contrasting Rev 13. |
| Ezek 9:4 | And the Lord said to him, "Go through the midst of the city... set a mark on the foreheads of the men..." | Mark on foreheads of righteous for protection during judgment. |
| Eph 1:13-14 | ...you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth... you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise... | The Holy Spirit seals believers as a guarantee of inheritance. |
| 2 Cor 1:21-22 | Now He who establishes us with you in Christ... has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. | God's sealing and Holy Spirit as a deposit. |
| 2 Tim 2:19 | Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: "The Lord knows those who are His." | Divine knowledge and ownership as a form of spiritual seal. |
| John 6:27 | ...for on him God the Father has put his seal. | Jesus himself bears God's seal of authority and approval. |
| Job 1:12 | And the Lord said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person." | God sets limits on the destructive power of evil. |
| Job 2:6 | So the Lord said to Satan, "Behold, he is in your hand, but spare his life." | Divine sovereignty even over severe suffering; limits are established. |
| Exod 8:22-23 | And in that day I will set apart the land of Goshen... so that no swarms of flies shall be there... | Distinct protection of God's people during the Egyptian plagues. |
| Exod 9:4 | ...the hand of the Lord will be on your livestock in the field... but the livestock of the children of Israel, not one shall die. | Explicit protection of Israel's possessions from plagues. |
| Rev 6:6 | And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, "A quart of wheat for a denarius... do not harm the oil and the wine." | Specific and limited damage in another trumpet judgment. |
| Ps 1:3 | He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season... | Righteousness compared to a thriving tree; spiritual vitality. |
| Isa 61:3 | ...that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord... | God's people identified as enduring, planted trees. |
| Jer 17:8 | For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river... | Trust in God likened to a flourishing tree, contrasting Rev 9. |
| Lk 23:31 | For if they do these things in the green wood, what will be done in the dry? | Metaphor of green wood (living, vibrant) vs. dry wood (dead, judgment-ready). |
| Rev 13:16-17 | He causes all, both small and great... to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads... | Mark of the Beast, opposing God's seal and targeting the unsaved. |
| Rev 14:9 | Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead..." | Condemnation for those accepting the anti-seal. |
| Rev 20:4 | ...who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. | Those martyred for refusing the Beast's mark, implicitly having God's seal. |
| Joel 2:3 | The land is like the Garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness... | Devastation caused by literal locusts; Revelation's plague reverses this by sparing nature. |
| Rev 9:5 | And they were not given authority to kill them, but to torment them for five months. | The duration and type of harm are precisely regulated. |
| Matt 24:22 | And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened. | God limits tribulation for the sake of His chosen. |
| Ps 91:7-8 | A thousand may fall at your side... But it shall not come near you. | Assurance of divine protection for the faithful amid calamity. |
Revelation 9 verses
Revelation 9 4 Meaning
Revelation 9:4 describes the specific and divinely limited scope of the Fifth Trumpet judgment executed by demonic locusts emerging from the bottomless pit. It clearly states that these destructive entities were strictly commanded not to harm any vegetation—the grass of the earth, green things, or trees. Instead, their torment was exclusively directed toward people who did not possess the seal of God on their foreheads, signifying divine protection and ownership. This particularity emphasizes God's sovereign control over even destructive forces, safeguarding His own.
Revelation 9 4 Context
Revelation chapter 9 details two of the seven trumpet judgments, specifically the fifth and sixth trumpets, following the preceding seals and earlier trumpets. Verse 4 occurs in the midst of the Fifth Trumpet. A star falls from heaven, opens the bottomless pit, releasing smoke and demonic locusts (Rev 9:1-3). These are not natural locusts; their description in Revelation 9:7-10 vividly portrays them as fearsome, composite creatures—having faces like men, hair like women, teeth like lions, breastplates of iron, and tails like scorpions with stinging power. Their purpose is unique: not to destroy the earth's vegetation as typical locusts do, but specifically to inflict torment on those who do not possess "the seal of God in their foreheads" for a period of five months (Rev 9:5). This particular context highlights a supernatural, targeted judgment that differentiates between humanity based on their allegiance to God, emphasizing that even in severe judgment, God preserves His faithful. The contrast with natural disasters or previous plagues that did affect land/crops is stark, indicating a direct, spiritual dimension to this affliction.
Revelation 9 4 Word analysis
- And it was commanded them (ἐρρέθη αὐτοῖς, errethen autois): This passive verb, meaning "it was said to them" or "it was commanded to them," highlights divine agency and authority. It is not an arbitrary attack but a strictly ordered one, demonstrating God's ultimate sovereignty even over the forces of evil. The locusts are under divine direction.
- that they should not hurt (μὴ ἀδικήσωσιν, mē adikēsōsin): "Hurt" (adikēsōsin) means to wrong, harm, or injure. The prohibition emphasizes the deliberate limitation placed upon their destructive power.
- the grass of the earth (τὸν χόρτον τῆς γῆς, ton chorton tēs gēs): "Chorton" refers to pasture, fodder, or common grass.
- neither any green thing (οὐδὲ πᾶν χλωρὸν, oude pan chlōron): "Chlōron" denotes anything green, fresh, and thriving, implying healthy plant life. This broadens the scope beyond just grass to all forms of flourishing vegetation.
- neither any tree (οὐδὲ πᾶν δένδρον, oude pan dendron): This covers all forms of trees.
- Words-group analysis: "grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree" collectively emphasize the absolute exemption of natural vegetation from the locusts' torment. This distinguishes these supernatural locusts from natural plagues, which historically ravaged crops and trees (e.g., Exod 10; Joel 1-2). This judgment is uniquely directed, bypassing the created order to strike at rebellious humanity directly.
- but only those men (εἰ μὴ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους, ei mē tous anthrōpous): This crucial phrase identifies the sole target of the torment: humans. The "only" stresses the precise selectivity of the judgment.
- which have not the seal of God (οὐκ ἔχοντας τὴν σφραγῖδα τοῦ Θεοῦ, ouk echontas tēn sphragida tou Theou): The "seal" (sphragis) implies ownership, protection, and authentication. In ancient times, a seal was used to secure property, validate documents, and mark ownership. Here, it denotes God's divine mark on His people, signifying they belong to Him, are protected by Him, and are preserved from this specific judgment. Its absence marks those who are spiritually outside of God's covenant relationship.
- in their foreheads (ἐπὶ τῶν μετώπων αὐτῶν, epi tōn metōpōn autōn): The forehead location signifies a visible, identifiable mark, public declaration, or perhaps mental allegiance. It contrasts sharply with the "mark of the Beast" that appears on the forehead in later chapters (Rev 13), highlighting a spiritual conflict for allegiance.
Revelation 9 4 Bonus section
The highly unnatural target of the Fifth Trumpet judgment (sparing nature, targeting people without the seal) sets it apart from earlier Old Testament judgments involving plagues, like the literal locust plague in Exodus or Joel. These earlier plagues primarily affected agricultural prosperity and natural resources. In Revelation 9, the spiritual dimension of judgment intensifies, moving beyond material loss to direct, oppressive torment of human consciousness, emotions, and spirits. This emphasizes that God's concern in these latter-day judgments is ultimately for the soul and allegiance of humanity, providing a clear distinction between the saved and the unsaved, and demonstrating His sovereignty over life, death, and torment. This unique targeting serves as a sign that the nature of these end-time judgments is less about restoring ecological balance or food supplies, and more about spiritual consequences for rejecting divine authority and grace.
Revelation 9 4 Commentary
Revelation 9:4 is a pivotal verse, revealing the intricate and morally ordered nature of God's judgments. Far from being random destruction, this plague of demonic locusts is under strict divine constraint. The specific command to not harm vegetation, which is the primary destructive instinct of natural locusts, signals that this is not a conventional plague but a supernatural visitation tailored to achieve a precise spiritual objective. God bypasses the natural order to bring direct spiritual and psychological torment upon those who have persistently rebelled against Him.
The decisive distinction is the "seal of God." This seal, often interpreted as the indwelling Holy Spirit, genuine faith, or simply God's divine knowledge and ownership, acts as a protective shield for His faithful. Just as God separated His people from the plagues in Egypt, here too He distinguishes those who bear His mark. The torment suffered by the unsaved is physical but deeply impacts their inner being, designed not for annihilation but perhaps to incite repentance, though Rev 9:20-21 shows its general failure. The foreheads, the place of intellect and identity, highlight that allegiance (or lack thereof) is fundamental. This selective judgment underscores God's justice, mercy (to His own), and His absolute control over all forces, even those seemingly destructive and demonic.