Revelation 9:3 And out of the smoke, locusts descended on the earth, and they were given power like that of the scorpions of the earth.

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◄ Revelation 9:3 ►

New International Version
And out of the smoke locusts came down on the earth and were given power like that of scorpions of the earth.

New Living Translation
Then locusts came from the smoke and descended on the earth, and they were given power to sting like scorpions.

English Standard Version
Then from the smoke came locusts on the earth, and they were given power like the power of scorpions of the earth.

Berean Standard Bible
And out of the smoke, locusts descended on the earth, and they were given power like that of the scorpions of the earth.

Berean Literal Bible
And out of the smoke, locusts came forth unto the earth, and power was given to them, like the scorpions of the earth have power.

King James Bible
And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.

New King James Version
Then out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth. And to them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.

New American Standard Bible
Then out of the smoke came locusts upon the earth, and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power.

NASB 1995
Then out of the smoke came locusts upon the earth, and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power.

NASB 1977
And out of the smoke came forth locusts upon the earth; and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then out of the smoke came locusts upon the earth, and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power.

Amplified Bible
Then out of the smoke came locusts upon the earth, and power [to hurt] was given to them, like the power which the earth’s scorpions have.

Christian Standard Bible
Then locusts came out of the smoke on to the earth, and power was given to them like the power that scorpions have on the earth.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then locusts came out of the smoke on to the earth, and power was given to them like the power that scorpions have on the earth.

American Standard Version
And out of the smoke came forth locusts upon the earth; and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power.

Contemporary English Version
Locusts came out of the smoke and covered the earth. They were given the same power that scorpions have.

English Revised Version
And out of the smoke came forth locusts upon the earth; and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Locusts came out of the smoke onto the earth, and they were given power like the power of earthly scorpions.

Good News Translation
Locusts came down out of the smoke upon the earth, and they were given the same kind of power that scorpions have.

International Standard Version
Locusts came out of the smoke onto the earth, and they were given power like that of earthly scorpions.

Majority Standard Bible
And out of the smoke, locusts descended on the earth, and they were given power like that of the scorpions of the earth.

NET Bible
Then out of the smoke came locusts onto the earth, and they were given power like that of the scorpions of the earth.

New Heart English Bible
Then out of the smoke came forth locusts on the earth, and power was given to them, as the scorpions of the earth have power.

Webster's Bible Translation
And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and to them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.

Weymouth New Testament
And from the midst of the smoke there came locusts on to the earth, and power was given to them resembling the power which earthly scorpions possess.

World English Bible
Then out of the smoke came locusts on the earth, and power was given to them, as the scorpions of the earth have power.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
And out of the smoke came forth locusts to the earth, and there was given to them authority, as scorpions of the earth have authority,

Berean Literal Bible
And out of the smoke, locusts came forth unto the earth, and power was given to them, like the scorpions of the earth have power.

Young's Literal Translation
And out of the smoke came forth locusts to the earth, and there was given to them authority, as scorpions of the earth have authority,

Smith's Literal Translation
And out of the smoke came forth locusts into the earth: and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
And from the smoke of the pit there came out locusts upon the earth. And power was given to them, as the scorpions of the earth have power:

Catholic Public Domain Version
And locusts went forth from the smoke of the well into the earth. And power was given to them, like the power that the scorpions of the earth have.

New American Bible
Locusts came out of the smoke onto the land, and they were given the same power as scorpions of the earth.

New Revised Standard Version
Then from the smoke came locusts on the earth, and they were given authority like the authority of scorpions of the earth.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and to them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And from the smoke, locusts went out over The Earth, and power was given to them which the scorpions of The Earth have.

NT Translations

Anderson New Testament
And out of the smoke there came locusts upon the earth; and power was given to them, as the scorpions of the earth have power.

Godbey New Testament
And locusts came out of the smoke into the earth: and power was given unto them, as the scorpions of the earth have power.

Haweis New Testament
And out of the smoke came forth locusts upon the earth; and power was given to them, such power as the scorpions of the earth possess.

Mace New Testament
and there came out of the smoke locusts upon the land; and to them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.

Weymouth New Testament
And from the midst of the smoke there came locusts on to the earth, and power was given to them resembling the power which earthly scorpions possess.

Worrell New Testament
And out of the smoke came forth locusts upon the earth; and authority was given to them, as the scorpions of the earth have authority.

Worsley New Testament
And out of the smoke there came forth locusts upon the earth; and power was given them, even as the scorpions of the earth have power.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

The Fifth Trumpet
…2The star opened the pit of the Abyss, and smoke rose out of it like the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke from the pit. 3And out of the smoke, locusts descended on the earth, and they were given power like that of the scorpions of the earth. 4They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Exodus 10:4-15
But if you refuse to let My people go, I will bring locusts into your territory tomorrow. / They will cover the face of the land so that no one can see it. They will devour whatever is left after the hail and eat every tree that grows in your fields. / They will fill your houses and the houses of all your officials and every Egyptian—something neither your fathers nor your grandfathers have seen since the day they came into this land.’” Then Moses turned and left Pharaoh’s presence. ...

Joel 2:2-10
a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness. Like the dawn overspreading the mountains a great and strong army appears, such as never was of old, nor will ever be in ages to come. / Before them a fire devours, and behind them a flame scorches. The land before them is like the Garden of Eden, but behind them, it is like a desert wasteland—surely nothing will escape them. / Their appearance is like that of horses, and they gallop like swift steeds. ...

Luke 10:19
Behold, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will harm you.

1 Kings 8:37
When famine or plague comes upon the land, or blight or mildew or locusts or grasshoppers, or when their enemy besieges them in their cities, whatever plague or sickness may come,

Deuteronomy 28:38-42
You will sow much seed in the field but harvest little, because the locusts will consume it. / You will plant and cultivate vineyards, but will neither drink the wine nor gather the grapes, because worms will eat them. / You will have olive trees throughout your territory but will never anoint yourself with oil, because the olives will drop off. ...

Psalm 105:34-35
He spoke, and the locusts came—young locusts without number. / They devoured every plant in their land and consumed the produce of their soil.

Isaiah 33:4
Your spoil, O nations, is gathered as by locusts; like a swarm of locusts men sweep over it.

Jeremiah 51:14
The LORD of Hosts has sworn by Himself: “Surely I will fill you up with men as with locusts, and they will shout in triumph over you.”

Nahum 3:15-17
There the fire will devour you; the sword will cut you down and consume you like a young locust. Make yourself many like the young locust; make yourself many like the swarming locust! / You have multiplied your merchants more than the stars of the sky. The young locust strips the land and flies away. / Your guards are like the swarming locust, and your scribes like clouds of locusts that settle on the walls on a cold day. When the sun rises, they fly away, and no one knows where.

Amos 7:1
This is what the Lord GOD showed me: He was preparing swarms of locusts just after the king’s harvest, as the late spring crop was coming up.

Matthew 24:22
If those days had not been cut short, nobody would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, those days will be cut short.

Mark 13:20
If the Lord had not cut short those days, nobody would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom He has chosen, He has cut them short.

2 Thessalonians 2:9-11
The coming of the lawless one will be accompanied by the working of Satan, with every kind of power, sign, and false wonder, / and with every wicked deception directed against those who are perishing, because they refused the love of the truth that would have saved them. / For this reason God will send them a powerful delusion so that they believe the lie,

1 Corinthians 10:10
And do not complain, as some of them did, and were killed by the destroying angel.

Romans 9:17
For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”

Treasury of Scripture

And there came out of the smoke locusts on the earth: and to them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.

locusts.

Exodus 10:4-15
Else, if thou refuse to let my people go, behold, to morrow will I bring the locusts into thy coast: …

Judges 7:12
And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude.

Isaiah 33:4
And your spoil shall be gathered like the gathering of the caterpiller: as the running to and fro of locusts shall he run upon them.

as.

Revelation 9:5,10,11
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…

Deuteronomy 8:15
Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint;

1 Kings 12:11
And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father hath chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

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Revelation 9

1. At the sounding of the fifth angel, a star falls from heaven, to whom is given the key to the bottomless pit.
2. He opens the pit, and there come forth locusts like scorpions.
12. The first woe past.
13. The sixth trumpet sounds.
14. Four angels who were bound are let loose.

Berean Study Bible

And out of the smoke
The imagery of smoke in Revelation often symbolizes judgment and divine wrath. In the context of Revelation 9, the smoke emerges from the abyss, a place associated with demonic forces and chaos. The Greek word for smoke, "kapnos," can also imply obscurity and confusion, suggesting that what follows is a time of spiritual darkness and turmoil. This phrase sets the stage for the emergence of the locusts, indicating that their appearance is not natural but rather a result of divine judgment.

locusts descended on the earth
Locusts in the Bible are frequently associated with devastation and judgment, as seen in the plagues of Egypt (Exodus 10:12-15) and the prophetic warnings in Joel. The Greek term "akrides" refers to these destructive insects, which historically have been known to devastate crops and cause famine. In Revelation, these locusts are not ordinary; they symbolize a spiritual or demonic force unleashed upon the earth, emphasizing the severity of the judgment and the chaos that ensues.

and they were given power
The phrase "were given" indicates that the power of these locusts is not inherent but granted by a higher authority, implying divine permission. This aligns with the theme throughout Revelation that God remains sovereign, even over the forces of evil. The Greek word "exousia" for power suggests authority and capability, indicating that these locusts have a specific role to play in the unfolding divine plan.

like that of the scorpions of the earth
Scorpions are known for their painful sting, and in the biblical context, they often symbolize danger and suffering. The comparison to scorpions highlights the tormenting nature of the locusts' power. The Greek word "skorpios" emphasizes the intensity and fear associated with their sting. This imagery serves to warn of the spiritual and physical suffering that will befall those who are not sealed by God, as described earlier in Revelation. The use of scorpions underscores the severity of the judgment and the need for repentance and faithfulness to God.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(3) And there came . . .--Better, And out of the smoke there came forth locusts upon the earth; and there was given to them power, as the scorpions of the earth (? land-scorpions) have power. The outcome of the gloom is the power of devastation and pain. We still have reference to the Egyptian plagues--this time to the locusts (Exodus 10:12-15): "They covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened." Similarly, Joel describes the darkening of the land through the plague of locusts (Joel 2:3-10): "The sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining." But the locusts of our vision are armed with the power of scorpions, to sting and to torture (Revelation 9:5): the scorpions are called scorpions of the earth. Some have thought that this expression is equivalent to land-scorpions, in contradistinction from so-called sea-scorpions. This hardly seems likely or necessary. Their power to torment men is the prominent idea. The locusts are not literal locusts: this scorpion- like power given to them is enough to convince us of this, even it the next verse did not clearly show it. The scorpion-like power seems to depict a malicious energy, as the locusts depict a devastating multitude.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 3. - And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth. The locust is constantly referred to in the Bible, and various illustrations are drawn from their characteristic features. In the East they appear in great numbers and men are helpless against their devastating power. Sometimes an attempt is made to check their progress by lighting fires, and this practice may have suggested the above description of the locusts proceeding from the smoke. The irresistible destruction which they cause is alluded to in Deuteronomy 28:38; Joel 2:25; 2 Chronicles 7:13; their number in Psalm 105:34; Nahum 3:15. The air is sometimes tainted with their dead bodies (Joel 2:20). The natural features of the locust are fully dwelt upon in vers. 7-10. As an illustration, we may quote Niebuhr, who gives an Arab's description of the locust: "In head like the horse, in breast like the lion, in feet like the camel, in body like the serpent, in tail like the scorpion, in antennae like a virgin's hair." Three out of these five points of resemblance are mentioned in vers. 7-10. The locusts here symbolize heretics and infidels. Some writers (e.g. Wordsworth) apply the symbol to the Mohammedans (see Wordsworth, in loc., where the parallel is very fully worked out). But though this may be, and probably is, a fulfilment of the vision, it would be wrong to thus restrict our interpretation. Scarcely any one cause has contributed more to the trouble and destruction of men than the violence which is the result of religious hatred. Whether it be the heathen idolater, the warlike Mohammedan, or the Christian bigot, who is the agent, the effect is the same. It may be said, too, that if the minds of Christians also had not been darkened by the prejudicial influence of Satan, who is the cause of their unhappy divisions, heresies, and apostasies, these troubles could scarcely have fallen upon mankind. The innumerable occasions of such violence may be well illustrated by the countless number of the locusts; and the effect lives after the death of the authors, tainting the moral atmosphere. It is true that the true Christian sometimes suffers also; but tidal is an aspect which is set forth in the visions of the seals. Here another view is set forth, namely, that the ungodly are themselves punished, and punished severely, by means of this evil influence of the devil. Many other interpretations have been suggested:

(1) evil spirits (Andrea,);

(2) Roman wars in Judaea (Grotius);

(3) the Gothic invasion (Vitringa); . . .

Parallel Commentaries ...

Greek

And
Καὶ (Kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

out of
ἐκ (ek)
Preposition
Strong's 1537: From out, out from among, from, suggesting from the interior outwards. A primary preposition denoting origin, from, out.

the
τοῦ (tou)
Article - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

smoke,
καπνοῦ (kapnou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2586: Smoke. Of uncertain affinity; smoke.

locusts
ἀκρίδες (akrides)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Plural
Strong's 200: A locust. Apparently from the same as akron; a locust.

descended on
ἐξῆλθον (exēlthon)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 1831: To go out, come out. From ek and erchomai; to issue.

the
τὴν (tēn)
Article - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

earth,
γῆν (gēn)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1093: Contracted from a primary word; soil; by extension a region, or the solid part or the whole of the terrene globe.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

they
αὐταῖς (autais)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Feminine 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

were given
ἐδόθη (edothē)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1325: To offer, give; I put, place. A prolonged form of a primary verb; to give.

power
ἐξουσία (exousia)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1849: From exesti; privilege, i.e. force, capacity, competency, freedom, or mastery, delegated influence.

like
ὡς (hōs)
Adverb
Strong's 5613: Probably adverb of comparative from hos; which how, i.e. In that manner.

[that of]
ἐξουσίαν (exousian)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1849: From exesti; privilege, i.e. force, capacity, competency, freedom, or mastery, delegated influence.

the
οἱ (hoi)
Article - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

scorpions
σκορπίοι (skorpioi)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 4651: A scorpion. Probably from an obsolete skerpo; a 'scorpion'.

of the
τῆς (tēs)
Article - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

earth.
γῆς (gēs)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 1093: Contracted from a primary word; soil; by extension a region, or the solid part or the whole of the terrene globe.

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NT Prophecy: Revelation 9:3 Then out of the smoke came forth (Rev. Re Apocalypse)