Revelation 9 5

Revelation 9:5 kjv

And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.

Revelation 9:5 nkjv

And they were not given authority to kill them, but to torment them for five months. Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man.

Revelation 9:5 niv

They were not allowed to kill them but only to torture them for five months. And the agony they suffered was like that of the sting of a scorpion when it strikes.

Revelation 9:5 esv

They were allowed to torment them for five months, but not to kill them, and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings someone.

Revelation 9:5 nlt

They were told not to kill them but to torture them for five months with pain like the pain of a scorpion sting.

Revelation 9 verses

Revelation 9 5 Meaning

Revelation 9:5 reveals a divine limitation on the destructive power of the demonic locusts released from the abyss during the fifth trumpet judgment. They are expressly forbidden from causing death to humanity. Instead, their appointed task is to inflict intense, prolonged agony upon those individuals who lack the protective "seal of God" on their foreheads. The nature of this torment is explicitly compared to the excruciating pain caused by the sting of a scorpion when it strikes a person. This specified torment is for a precise duration of five months, underscoring God's meticulous control over even the forces of judgment.

Revelation 9 5 Context

Revelation chapter 9 details the unfolding of the fifth and sixth trumpet judgments. Following the blowing of the fifth trumpet, a star (understood as an angelic being) falls from heaven, receiving the key to the shaft of the abyss. From this abyss, a vast army of locust-like creatures emerges, distinct from natural locusts and clearly demonic in nature. These creatures are not permitted to harm any vegetation (as per Rev 9:4), signifying a judgment directed solely against humanity. The specific focus of verse 5 then defines the precise parameters of their permitted actions: not killing but inflicting excruciating torment, and for a defined period of five months, upon those who remain without the spiritual mark of God's protection. This torment, likened to a scorpion's sting, is so severe that it will cause those affected to wish for death, yet death will elude them (Rev 9:6). The immediate context emphasizes the targeted and limited nature of this divine judgment, aimed at eliciting repentance from a rebellious world, even if such repentance is not ultimately forthcoming (Rev 9:20-21).

Revelation 9 5 Word analysis

• And to them it was given (καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτοῖς, kai edothē autois):

  • ἐδόθη (edothē) is the aorist passive form of the verb "to give." This construction, known as a divine passive, points to God as the ultimate unseen agent. It signifies that the demonic entities do not act autonomously but are operating strictly under divine permission and control.
  • This phrase emphasizes God's absolute sovereignty, even over forces of evil. Their power and destructive scope are explicitly "given" or allowed by God.

• that they should not kill them (ἵνα μὴ ἀποκτείνωσιν αὐτούς, hina mē apokteinōsin autous):

  • ἀποκτείνωσιν (apokteinōsin) means "to kill" or "to put to death."
  • The direct prohibition signifies a distinct difference from other judgments in Revelation that do involve widespread death. This judgment is meant to cause intense suffering, not termination of life. It points to a redemptive intent or a final warning within the judgment.

• but that they should be tormented (ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα βασανισθῶσιν, all' hina basanistōsin):

  • βασανισθῶσιν (basanistōsin) is the aorist passive of basanizō, meaning "to torture," "to torment," or "to vex." It conveys extreme, excruciating pain and distress.
  • Another divine passive, reinforcing that this specific, agonizing suffering is also divinely appointed and permitted.

• five months (μῆνας πέντε, mēnas pente):

  • A very specific and limited duration. The literal interpretation suggests a set period of 150 days, which might symbolically echo the duration of the Flood (Gen 7:24), a period of judgment and purification. It could also relate to the natural lifespan of a literal locust swarm, from hatching to full maturity and dying off, providing a realistic timescale for a natural plague that carries symbolic weight. This precision underscores God's control over the length of the tribulation.

• And their torment was as the torment of a scorpion (καὶ ὁ βασανισμὸς αὐτῶν ὡς βασανισμὸς σκορπίου, kai ho basanismos autōn hōs basanismos skorpíou):

  • βασανισμὸς (basanismos) here is a noun, "torment" or "torture," emphasizing the intense suffering itself.
  • σκορπίου (skorpíou): "of a scorpion." Scorpions were a common threat in the ancient Near East, and their sting is notoriously painful, causing burning, cramping, and systemic distress, but rarely immediate death for humans.
  • This vivid simile concretizes the nature of the torment. It is not quick death, but an intense, spreading, lingering agony.

• when it striketh a man (ὅταν παίσῃ ἄνθρωπον, hotan paisē anthrōpon):

  • παίσῃ (paisē): from paiō, "to strike," "to hit," or "to sting." It depicts the decisive act of the scorpion.
  • ἄνθρωπον (anthrōpon): "a man," referring generally to a human being.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "not allowed to kill them, but only to torture them": This phrase highlights God's strategic limitation. It is not an act of ultimate destruction, but a painful, grievous judgment. This divine restraint suggests that the torment is given with a purpose beyond simple retribution, possibly as a final call to repentance. It underscores that even these fearsome entities cannot exceed the bounds set by God.
  • "torture them for five months": The combination of intense pain ("torture") with a fixed time period emphasizes that the suffering is not indefinite or random. God controls both the intensity and the duration, implying that this specific tribulation is a measured and purposeful part of His larger plan. It suggests that there is a beginning and an end to this particular anguish.
  • "agony... like that of the sting of a scorpion": This striking simile conveys the qualitative nature of the pain. It describes an internal, agonizing, widespread suffering rather than an external blow or quick fatal injury. The scorpion's sting causes severe, burning, and numbing pain that can feel incapacitating, fitting the picture of a torment designed to make one "seek death" (Rev 9:6) without actually dying. It's a debilitating pain, rendering victims desperate.

Revelation 9 5 Bonus section

• Interpretation of "Five Months": While "five months" could be literal (150 days), linking it to the duration of the Noahic flood (Gen 7:24; 8:3) as a precedent for a set period of judgment is a common scholarly interpretation. Another view notes that the life cycle of a physical locust from nymph to death often spans approximately five months, giving the supernatural description a grounding in observable biological patterns and thus a concrete sense of finite duration. This is not interpreted in a day-for-a-year prophetic sense, as that would make the period of "torment" exceedingly long.
• The Nature of the "Torment": The pain is not merely physical. The spiritual implications suggest mental and emotional anguish that makes existence unbearable, compelling people to desire release through death (Rev 9:6). It reflects a deeper spiritual dis-ease resulting from persistent rebellion against God.
• Divine Control Over Evil: A key theological takeaway from "it was given" is God's absolute governance over all creation, including demonic powers. Evil entities can only operate within the boundaries and for the purposes ordained by the Most High God. They are His instruments, however dreadful, in His unfolding plan. This offers great comfort to believers that even in tribulation, God is always in control and His will prevails.
• Contrast with Sealed Ones: This specific judgment bypasses "those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads" (Rev 9:4). This highlights the divine protection afforded to God's faithful servants even amidst severe global tribulation, further emphasizing the specific targets of this judgment.

Revelation 9 5 Commentary

Revelation 9:5 is a profound declaration of God's sovereignty over the forces of judgment, even when these forces are demonic. The verse meticulously details the limitations imposed upon the terrifying locusts: they are agents of divine wrath, not autonomous destroyers. The command not to kill but to torment reveals a nuanced purpose in this judgment. It's not about immediate annihilation, but about inflicting such intense and prolonged suffering—graphically compared to a scorpion's excruciating sting—that it should drive the unrepentant world to re-evaluate its spiritual state. The precise duration of "five months" underscores that even this profound agony is strictly time-bound, a limited period orchestrated by God, further highlighting His meticulous control. Tragically, Revelation 9:20-21 shows that this severe suffering often does not lead to repentance, illustrating humanity's profound stubbornness. The purpose, then, is likely multi-faceted: a righteous consequence for rejection of God, a final agonizing plea for repentance, and a demonstration of God's power even in permitting malevolent forces for His ultimate redemptive and righteous ends. This judgment is designed to bring immense personal anguish, intended to break defiance, even if people prefer wishing for death over turning to the Almighty.