Revelation 11:6

“These have the authority to shut the sky, so that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying; and they have authority over the waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they want.”
Revelation 11:6 · direct translation from the Greek

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Theseοὗτοιhaveἔχουσινthe authorityτὴν ἐξουσίανto shutκλεῖσαιthe sky,τὸν οὐρανόνso thatἵναnoμὴrainὑετὸςmay fallβρέχῃduring the daysτὰς ἡμέραςof their prophesying;τῆς προφητείας αὐτῶνandκαὶthey haveἔχουσινauthorityἐξουσίανoverἐπὶthe watersτῶν ὑδάτωνto turnστρέφεινthemαὐτὰintoεἰςblood,αἷμαandκαὶto strikeπατάξαιthe earthτὴν γῆνwithἐνeveryπάσῃplague,πληγῇas often asὁσάκις ἐὰνthey want.θελήσωσιν

Allusion · Exodus 7:17-21

Go to Exodus 7:17-21

Both texts speak of turning the waters into blood, as in the first plague of Egypt.

They share words that are rare in the original, without a quotation.

ὑδάτωνhydatōnG5204מַּיִםmayimH4325“water”
στρέφεινstrepheinG4762נֶהֶפְכוּnehefjuH2015“turn”
αἷμαhaimaG129דָםdamH1818“blood”

Theme · 1 Kings 17:1

Go to 1 Kings 17:1

Revelation 11:6 gives the two witnesses authority to shut the sky so that no rain falls; in 1 Kings 17:1 Elijah announces that there will be neither dew nor rain except by his word.

The same term appears in both passages.

ὑετὸςhyetosG5205מָטָרmatarH4306“rain”

Revelation 11:6, word by word

haveἔχουσινechousin

have

To count something or someone as one's own: goods, family, faith, power.

Where else “echousin” appears

the authorityἐξουσίανexousian

authority

The right to command or act.

Where else “exousian” appears

to shutκλεῖσαιkleisai

shut, lock

Shut, lock.

Where else “kleisai” appears

the skyοὐρανόνouranon

sky

The vault we see above the earth, where birds fly and the stars are.

Where else “ouranon” appears

rainὑετὸςhyetos

rain

Rain.

Where else “hyetos” appears

may fallβρέχῃbrechēi

rain

For rain to fall from the sky, or to send it down.

Where else “brechēi” appears

during the daysἡμέραςhēmeras

lifetime

The time or the years of someone's life.

Where else “hēmeras” appears

of their prophesyingπροφητείαςprophēteias

prophecy

Prophecy: a message from God spoken by a prophet; also prophesying.

Where else “prophēteias” appears

the watersὑδάτωνhydatōn

water

The liquid of rivers, wells and rain, for drinking and washing.

Where else “hydatōn” appears

to turnστρέφεινstrephein

change

To change direction or state: to turn toward something, to turn away, or to change one thing into another.

Where else “strephein” appears

bloodαἷμαhaima

blood

The red fluid that runs through the bodies of people and animals.

Where else “haima” appears

to strikeπατάξαιpataxai

strike

Strike, hit; strike down.

Where else “pataxai” appears

the earthγῆνgēn

earth

The whole earth under heaven, where human beings live.

Where else “gēn” appears

plagueπληγῇplēgēi

plague

A disaster that falls as punishment.

Where else “plēgēi” appears

as often asὁσάκιςhosakis

as often as

As often as, every time that.

Where else “hosakis” appears

they wantθελήσωσινthelēsōsin

want

To have the desire or the resolve for something.

Where else “thelēsōsin” appears

Translation note

It recalls Elijah (1 Kings 17:1) and Moses (Exodus 7:17-21).

The context

5And if anyone wants to harm them, fire comes out of their mouth and devours their enemies; and if anyone wants to harm them, in this way he must be killed.

6 · This verse (above)

7And when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war against them and conquer them and kill them.

Read all of Revelation 11

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