Lexical Summary Harmagedón: Armageddon Original Word: Ἁρμαγεδών Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Armageddon. Of Hebrew origin (har and Mgiddown); Armageddon (or Har-Meggiddon), a symbolic name -- Armageddon. see HEBREW har see HEBREW Mgiddown NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof Hebrew origin har and Megiddon Definition Har-Magedon, a mountain of unc. location NASB Translation Har-Magedon (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 717: ἉρμαγεδώνἉρμαγεδών (Griesbach Ἁρμαγεδών; WH ἁρ Μαγεδων, see their Introductory § 408; Tdf. Proleg., p. 106) or (so Rec.) Ἁρμαγεδδών, Har-Magedon or Armageddon, indeclinable proper name of an imaginary place: Revelation 16:16. Many, following Beza and Glassius, suppose that the name is compounded of הַר mountain, and מְגִדּו or מְגִדּון, the Sept. Μαγεδω, Μαγεδδω. Megiddo was a city of the Manassites, situated in the great plain of the tribe of Issachar, and famous for a double slaughter, first of the Canaanites (Judges 5:19), and again of the Israelites (2 Kings 23:29; 2 Chronicles 35:22, cf. Zechariah 12:11); so that in the Apocalypse it would signify the place where the kings opposing Christ were to be destroyed with a slaughter like that which the Canaanites or the Israelites had experienced of old. But since those two overthrows are said to have taken place ἐπί ὕδατι Μαγεδων (Judges, the passage cited) and ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ Μαγεδων (2 Chronicles, the passage cited), it is not easy to perceive what can be the meaning of the mountain of Megiddo, which could be none other than Carmel. Hence, for one, I think the conjecture of L. Capellus (i. e. Louis Cappel (akin to that of Drusius, see the commentaries)) to be far more easy and probable, viz. that Ἁρμαγεδών is for ἁρμαμεγεδων, compounded of חרמא destruction, and מגדון. (Wieseler (Zur Gesch. d. N. T. Schrift, p. 188), Hitzig (in Hilgenf. Einl., p. 440 n.), others, revive the derivation (cf. Hiller, Simonis, others) from מְגִדּו עָר city of Megiddo.) STRONGS NT 717: Μαγεδων [Μαγεδων (Revelation 16:16 WH), see Ἀρμαγεδον.] Topical Lexicon Etymology and Geographic Setting The word Harmagedon combines the Semitic har (“mountain” or “hill country”) with Megiddo, the fortified city that oversaw the broad Jezreel Valley in northern Israel. Though Megiddo itself sits on a low rise rather than a true mountain, its commanding view of one of the great military corridors of the ancient Near East made the site a natural symbol for climactic conflict. The adjacent valley stretches from the Carmel range to the Jordan Rift, providing a broad plain on which armies historically maneuvered. Biblical Context Revelation 16:16 records that demonic spirits “gathered the kings to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon”. The verse functions as the culmination of the sixth bowl of wrath, linking the gathering of earthly powers with the imminent return of Jesus Christ and the final destruction of evil (Revelation 16:12-21; compare Revelation 19:11-21). While the term appears only here, the event draws on earlier prophetic imagery: Historical Background The plain of Megiddo witnessed decisive battles throughout Israel’s history: These events ingrained the region in Israel’s collective memory as a stage where the fate of nations is settled, making it an apt symbol for the final confrontation between God and rebellious humanity. Prophetic Significance 1. Gathering Point, Not the Whole Battle: Revelation portrays Armageddon as the place where forces assemble; the decisive victory is effected by Christ Himself, whose word “strikes down the nations” (Revelation 19:15). Theological Themes • The Clash of Kingdoms: Human self-exaltation confronts the rightful reign of Christ, echoing Psalm 2’s depiction of nations raging against the LORD’s Anointed. Interpretive Considerations • Literal versus Symbolic Locale: Some view Armageddon as a literal military staging ground; others see the term as a prophetic symbol for worldwide conflict focused on God’s covenant people. Either way, the text emphasizes divine intervention over geographic detail. Ministry and Pastoral Application 1. Ground for Confidence: Armageddon assures believers that evil’s apparent ascendancy is temporary; God has appointed a day when justice will be manifest. Summary Harmagedon stands as Scripture’s emblem of the final showdown between the kingdoms of this world and the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. Rooted in the history of Israel’s battlefield plain, the name foretells a future gathering in which human and demonic opposition reaches its zenith—only to be shattered by the sovereign power of the returning King. For believers, Armageddon is less a cause for fear than a summons to faithfulness, expectancy, and unwavering hope in the ultimate victory of the Lamb. Forms and Transliterations Αρ Ἃρ Ἁρμαγεδών Μαγεδων Μαγεδών Ar armagedon armagedōn Har Hàr Magedon Magedōn MagedṓnLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Revelation 16:16 N-NNSGRK: καλούμενον Ἐβραϊστί Ἃρ Μαγεδών NAS: which in Hebrew is called Har-Magedon. KJV: in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. INT: is called in Hebrew Har Magedon Revelation 16:16 N-NNS |
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