Revelation 9:8 kjv
And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions.
Revelation 9:8 nkjv
They had hair like women's hair, and their teeth were like lions' teeth.
Revelation 9:8 niv
Their hair was like women's hair, and their teeth were like lions' teeth.
Revelation 9:8 esv
their hair like women's hair, and their teeth like lions' teeth;
Revelation 9:8 nlt
They had hair like women's hair and teeth like the teeth of a lion.
Revelation 9 8 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Joel 1:6-7 | "For a nation has come up... Its teeth are the teeth of a lion, And it has the fangs of a lioness." | Locusts as a destructive army, with lion-like teeth. |
| Joel 2:4-5 | "Their appearance is like the appearance of horses... they leap on the tops of the mountains..." | Imagery of locusts as a powerful army, non-literal. |
| Joel 2:7-9 | "They run like mighty men... They march every one on his way, And they do not break ranks." | Military imagery for the locust plague, describing relentless advance. |
| Exod 10:14-15 | "the locusts came up over all the land of Egypt and settled on all the territory... there remained no green thing..." | Locusts as a severe plague and divine judgment. |
| Dan 7:4 | "The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings..." | Hybrid symbolic beasts representing destructive power. |
| Dan 7:7 | "a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth..." | Symbolic beast with destructive teeth. |
| Rev 9:5 | "And they were not permitted to kill them, but to torment them for five months." | Establishes their function is torment, not death. |
| Rev 9:10 | "They had tails like scorpions, and stings; and in their tails was their power to hurt men for five months." | Another feature for inflicting pain and torment. |
| Ps 22:13 | "They open their mouths wide against Me, like a ravening and roaring lion." | Image of predatory, threatening mouths like lions. |
| Ps 57:4 | "My soul is among lions; I lie among those who are aflame... Their teeth are spears and arrows..." | Enemies depicted with the fierceness and weaponry of lions. |
| Jer 4:7 | "The lion has come up from his thicket, And the destroyer of nations is on his way." | Lion as a symbol of destruction and conquest. |
| Zeph 3:3 | "Her princes in her midst are roaring lions; Her judges are evening wolves..." | Corrupt leaders described as ravenous, like lions. |
| Prov 30:14 | "A generation whose teeth are like swords, And whose fangs are like knives..." | Describes the wicked and their destructive words or actions. |
| 1 Pet 5:8 | "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." | Satan/demonic influence as a predatory, devouring lion. |
| Lam 3:10 | "He has been to me a bear lying in wait, A lion in ambush." | God's judgment symbolized by a fierce beast. |
| 2 Cor 11:14 | "And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light." | Emphasizes deceptive appearance concealing evil. |
| Matt 24:24 | "For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect." | Deceptive figures with powerful, misleading influence. |
| Gen 3:1 | "Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made." | The subtle, deceptive nature of evil and temptation. |
| 1 Cor 11:15 | "but if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given to her for a covering." | Traditional understanding of women's hair as a mark of glory/covering. In Rev 9, possibly an unsettling inversion. |
| Num 6:5 | "All the days of the vow of his separation no razor shall come upon his head; until the days are fulfilled... he shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow." | Long hair as a symbol of vow and devotion, contrasted in Revelation. |
| Lk 8:29 | "For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For it had often seized him... he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness." | Demons possessing great strength and ability to inflict torment and madness. |
| Matt 8:29 | "And suddenly they cried out, saying, 'What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?'" | Demons acknowledge torment, and a specific time for their full judgment. |
Revelation 9 verses
Revelation 9 8 Meaning
Revelation 9:8 describes two aspects of the appearance of the demonic locusts released during the fifth trumpet judgment. Their hair is depicted "like the hair of women," signifying a deceptive, perhaps alluring or seductive appearance, yet unsettling due to its combination with their ferocious nature. Concurrently, their "teeth were like the teeth of lions," indicating a terrifying and destructive capacity, poised to tear and inflict severe torment. This combination underscores the grotesque and insidious nature of the evil they represent, blending a potentially disarming outer facade with immense predatory power.
Revelation 9 8 Context
Revelation chapter 9 details the sounding of the fifth and sixth trumpets, which unleash terrible judgments upon the earth. Revelation 9:1-12 describes the first woe, initiated by the fifth trumpet. A star falls from heaven, given the key to the bottomless pit. From this abyss, smoke billows forth, and out of the smoke come locusts, unique in their form and destructive capacity. These are not ordinary locusts; their detailed, hybrid description throughout verses 7-10 marks them as supernatural or demonic entities, unleashed by God’s decree to execute specific judgments. Their primary purpose is not to kill but to torment those who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads, inflicting pain for five months. Verse 8, specifically, continues this elaborate description of these tormenting beings, further emphasizing their unsettling blend of human-like features, bestial ferocity, and supernatural nature. Historically, this vision reflects the deep anxiety and perceived threats facing early Christians from both oppressive imperial power and seductive pagan beliefs, often presented through symbolically distorted figures of authority or false deities.
Revelation 9 8 Word analysis
And they had: (Greek: Kai echon - "and having"). This phrase simply attributes the following characteristics to the previously introduced "locusts" (Rev 9:7), which are not literal insects but symbolic, demonic beings.
hair: (Greek: thrix, θριξ). Refers to the hair of their heads. The presence of hair on these composite creatures adds to their disturbing human-like yet monstrous appearance.
like: (Greek: hōs, ὡς). This is a comparative particle, indicating similarity rather than identity. The hair is like that of women, not actually women's hair. This simile creates an unsettling effect, as these monstrous beings possess a feature associated with human femininity.
the hair of women: (Greek: gunaikos, γυναικος, genitive of gyne, γυνη, "woman"). This imagery evokes various connotations. In some contexts, long hair for women could be a symbol of beauty, allure, or even seductive power. For monstrous creatures designed to torment, this suggests a deceptive, insidious quality; something that might seem appealing or harmless on the surface but masks horrific destructive intent. It might also represent a perversion or feminization of power, turning something traditionally seen as gentle or alluring into a source of fear.
and their teeth: (Greek: kai odontes autōn, και οδοντες αυτων). Refers directly to their biting apparatus, signifying an ability to tear and inflict wounds.
were like: (Greek: hōsper, ωσπερ). Similar to hōs, but sometimes carries a stronger nuance, implying a very close resemblance or identity in function. It reinforces the direct, predatory nature of the comparison.
the teeth of lions: (Greek: leontōn, λεοντων, genitive of leōn, λεων, "lion"). This is a powerful and universally recognized symbol of predatory ferocity, crushing strength, and tearing destruction. Lions tear their prey. This detail explicitly reveals the capacity of these demonic locusts to inflict violent, painful injury and damage.
Words-group analysis:
- "hair like the hair of women, and their teeth were like the teeth of lions": This pairing creates a vivid, disturbing contrast. The "hair of women" suggests a strange, even unsettling attractiveness or a feminine vulnerability (though inverted to something menacing here), perhaps pointing to spiritual seduction or deception that lures victims. Immediately juxtaposed with this is the raw, violent power of "lion's teeth," signifying an intent to utterly tear apart and destroy. The combination suggests creatures that are both subtly deceptive (appearing partially human, perhaps alluring or familiar) and overtly brutal, implying that their torment is not just physical but potentially insidious or psychologically damaging as well. This hybrid appearance serves to highlight their unnatural and terrifying nature as agents of divine judgment.
Revelation 9 8 Bonus section
The grotesque composite nature of the locusts, detailed through Revelation 9:7-10, can be understood as a mocking distortion of divine creation or human form, illustrating the corrupting power of evil. While they possess human-like intelligence (faces of men), authority (crowns of gold), and feminine characteristics (hair of women), their core nature remains predatory (teeth of lions) and stinging (tails like scorpions). This grotesque appearance serves to emphasize the horror of the divine judgment and the malevolent nature of the beings executing it. They are specifically tasked with inflicting suffering, and their appearance visually confirms their suitability for such a horrifying mission, embodying a twisted perversion of strength and allure for the purpose of divine wrath.
Revelation 9 8 Commentary
Revelation 9:8 continues the graphic description of the tormenting "locusts," which are distinctly demonic agents operating under God’s direct authority. The imagery of "hair like the hair of women" alongside "teeth like the teeth of lions" is purposefully jarring. It creates a grotesque fusion of disparate qualities, reflecting the unnatural and perverted nature of the evil they embody. The feminine hair can be interpreted as a symbol of allure, deception, or even an effeminate quality of evil that masquerades as something less threatening than it truly is, similar to Satan disguising himself as an angel of light (2 Cor 11:14). It may hint at a spiritual seduction or a demoralizing, unsettling influence. Counterpointing this, the "teeth of lions" speaks of unbridled ferocity and destructive power, an aggressive, tearing capability to inflict immense physical or spiritual torment. This dual description emphasizes that the torment caused by these entities is both deceptive and devastatingly effective, targeting the internal peace and external well-being of those who refuse God. The vivid language warns of the multifaceted nature of spiritual opposition—it can be both subtle and savagely destructive, and its source is clearly supernatural and malevolent.