Revelation 12:5

“And she gave birth to a son, a male, who is going to shepherd all the nations with an iron rod; and her child was snatched up to God and to his throne.”

Revelation 12:5 · direct translation from the Greek
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5

Allusion · Psalms 2:8-9

Go to Psalms 2:8-9

Both texts speak of ruling the nations “with a rod of iron.” Where the Hebrew says “you will break them,” the Greek says “he will shepherd them”; in Hebrew the two words are written with the same consonants (תרעם).

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

  • ῥάβδῳrhabdōiG4464שֵׁבֶטshevetH7626“staff, rod”
  • σιδηρᾷsidēraiG4603בַּרְזֶלbarzelH1270“of iron”

Allusion · Isaiah 66:7

Go to Isaiah 66:7

Both texts say that a woman gave birth to a son, a male.

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

  • ἔτεκενetekenG5088יָלָדָהyaladaH3205“give birth, bring forth”
  • ἄρσενarsenG730זָכָרzajarH2145“male”

Revelation 12:5, word by word

she gave birth toἔτεκενeteken

give birth

To have a baby, or be born.

Where else “eteken” appears
a sonυἱόνhuion

son

A son.

Where else “huion” appears
a maleἄρσενarsen

male

Male.

Where else “arsen” appears
is goingμέλλειmellei

be about to

Something on the point of happening.

Where else “mellei” appears
to shepherdποιμαίνεινpoimainein

shepherd

To lead and care for people as one tends sheep.

Where else “poimainein” appears
the nationsἔθνηethnē

Gentile

The peoples who are not Israel.

Where else “ethnē” appears
an ironσιδηρᾷsidērai

iron

Made of iron.

Where else “sidērai” appears
rodῥάβδῳrhabdōi

scepter

The rod a king holds as a sign of his power to rule.

Where else “rhabdōi” appears
childτέκνονteknon

child

Someone born of parents, or of a family or people.

Where else “teknon” appears
was snatched upἡρπάσθηhērpasthē

snatch

Snatch, carry off by force.

Where else “hērpasthē” appears
Godθεὸνtheon

God

The Creator and Lord of all, the one God of Israel.

Where else “theon” appears
throneθρόνονthronon

throne

Throne: the seat of a king or a judge; hence royal power.

Where else “thronon” appears

Translation note

It recalls Isaiah 66:7 and Psalm 2:9.

The context

4And his tail sweeps away a third of the stars of heaven, and it threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child.

5 · This verse (above)

6And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has there a place prepared by God, so that there they may nourish her for one thousand two hundred sixty days.

Read all of Revelation 12

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