Revelation 4:7

“And the first living creature was like a lion, and the second living creature like a calf, and the third living creature had the face as of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight.”
Revelation 4:7 · direct translation from the Greek

Study it in the app

With the Greek beneath

Andκαὶthe firstτὸ πρῶτονliving creatureτὸ ζῷονwaslikeὅμοιονa lion,λέοντιandκαὶthe secondτὸ δεύτερονliving creatureζῷονlikeὅμοιονa calf,μόσχῳandκαὶthe thirdτὸ τρίτονliving creatureζῷονhadἔχωνthe faceτὸ πρόσωπονasὡςof a man,ἀνθρώπουandκαὶthe fourthτὸ τέταρτονliving creatureζῷονlikeὅμοιονan eagleἀετῷin flight.πετομένῳ

Allusion · Ezekiel 1:10

Go to Ezekiel 1:10

Both texts describe faces of a lion, of a man, of a calf, and of an eagle.

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

ὅμοιονhomoionG3664דְמוּתdemutH1823“like”
λέοντιleontiG3023אַרְיֵהaryeH738“lion”
ἀνθρώπουanthrōpouG444אָדָםadamH120“man, human being”
ἀετῷaetōiG105נֶשֶׁרnesherH5404“eagle, vulture”

Revelation 4:7, word by word

the firstπρῶτονprōton

first

The one who comes before all others, in time or in order.

Where else “prōton” appears

living creatureζῷονzōion

living creature

The beings beside God's throne.

Where else “zōion” appears

likeὅμοιονhomoion

Like, similar.

Where else “homoion” appears

a lionλέοντιleonti

lion

Lion.

Where else “leonti” appears

the secondδεύτερονdeuteron

second

Second.

Where else “deuteron” appears

a calfμόσχῳmoschōi

calf

Calf, young bull.

Where else “moschōi” appears

the thirdτρίτονtriton

third

The one after the second; above all, the third day.

Where else “triton” appears

hadἔχωνechōn

have

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

Where else “echōn” appears

the faceπρόσωπονprosōpon

face

The front of the head, where the eyes and the expression are seen.

Where else “prosōpon” appears

of a manἀνθρώπουanthrōpou

person

A person, man or woman.

Where else “anthrōpou” appears

the fourthτέταρτονtetarton

fourth

Fourth.

Where else “tetarton” appears

an eagleἀετῷaetōi

eagle

A large bird of prey that flies high and strong.

Where else “aetōi” appears

in flightπετομένῳpetomenōi

fly

Fly, move through the air.

Where else “petomenōi” appears

Translation note

It recalls Ezekiel 1:10.

The context

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.

7 · This verse (above)

8And the four living creatures, each of them having six wings apiece, are full of eyes all around and within; and they have no rest day and night, saying, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God the Almighty, who was and who is and who is coming.”

Read all of Revelation 4

How to use it