Revelation 4:5

“And from the throne come out lightnings and voices and thunders, and seven lamps of fire are burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God;”
Revelation 4:5 · direct translation from the Greek

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With the Greek beneath

Andκαὶfromἐκthe throneτοῦ θρόνουcome outἐκπορεύονταιlightningsἀστραπαὶandκαὶvoicesφωναὶandκαὶthunders,βρονταίandκαὶsevenἑπτὰlampsλαμπάδεςof fireπυρὸςareburningκαιόμεναιbeforeἐνώπιονthe throne,τοῦ θρόνουwhichἅareεἰσινthe sevenτὰ ἑπτὰspiritsπνεύματαof God;τοῦ θεοῦ

Allusion · Exodus 19:16

Go to Exodus 19:16

Both texts join lightning and thunder (in Hebrew and in Greek, “voices”): in Exodus 19:16, on Sinai; in Revelation 4:5, from the throne.

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

ἀστραπαὶastrapaiG796בְרָקִיםverakimH1300“lightning”
φωναὶphōnaiG5456קֹלֹתkolotH6963“voice, sound”

Revelation 4:5, word by word

the throneθρόνουthronou

throne

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

Where else “thronou” appears

come outἐκπορεύονταιekporeuontai

come out

To spring from within, like words from the mouth.

Where else “ekporeuontai” appears

lightningsἀστραπαὶastrapai

lightning

The sudden light of lightning flashing across the sky in a storm.

Where else “astrapai” appears

voicesφωναὶphōnai

voice

Someone's voice, or a shout.

Where else “phōnai” appears

thundersβρονταίbrontai

thunder

Thunder.

Where else “brontai” appears

sevenἑπτὰhepta

seven

Seven.

Where else “hepta” appears

lampsλαμπάδεςlampades

torch, lamp

Lamp, torch.

Where else “lampades” appears

of fireπυρὸςpyros

fire

Fire.

Where else “pyros” appears

burningκαιόμεναιkaiomenai

burn

To kindle a lamp or fire; to be aflame.

Where else “kaiomenai” appears

beforeἐνώπιονenōpion

before, in front of

In front of, in the presence of.

Where else “enōpion” appears

areεἰσινeisin

To be: says who or what something is.

Where else “eisin” appears

spiritsπνεύματαpneumata

evil spirit

An invisible being without a body, often evil: a demon.

Where else “pneumata” appears

of Godθεοῦtheou

God

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

Where else “theou” appears

Translation note

It recalls Exodus 19:16.

The context

4And around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones twenty-four elders seated, clothed in white clothes, and on their heads golden crowns.

5 · This verse (above)

6and before the throne there was something like a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the middle of the throne and around the throne were four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind.

Read all of Revelation 4

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