TheWay BibleHome›Bible›Revelation›Revelation 6›Revelation 6:8
Revelation 6:8 KJV
Revelation · chapter 6 · verse 8
And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.Revelation 6:8 · King James Version
What Revelation 6:8 means
The fourth horseman is the only one named outright, and pale here is the colour of a corpse. The detail people miss is the limit: power was given unto them over a fourth part of the earth. Even in this vision the destruction is measured out rather than total.
Study note provided by TheWay Bible App, separate from the KJV text. Read the full chapter in context and compare interpretations. Report a correction.
Revelation 6:8 in context
6And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.
7And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
8And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
9And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
10And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
Commentary
Cross references
Key words (Strong's)
- followedakoloutheōto follow one who precedes, join him as his attendant, accompany him, to join one as a…G190 →
- lookedeidōto see, to perceive with the eyes, to perceive by any of the senses, to perceive, notice…G1492 →
- beholdidoubehold, see, loG2400 →
- horsehipposa horseG2462 →
- Deaththanatosthe death of the body, that separation of the soul and the body by which the life on…G2288 →
- powerexousiapower of choice, liberty of doing as one pleases, leave or permission, physical and…G1849 →
Topics
Keep reading in TheWay Bible App
Read, study, memorize, journal, and pray — tap any word for its Greek or Hebrew definition, save verses to memorize, and keep a journal. Free on the web and iOS.
The next three seals give us a sad prospect of great and desolating judgments with which God punishes those who either refuse or abuse the everlasting gospel.
— Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on verses 3-8