Devine Scripture

Revelation 12:16

What does Revelation 12:16 mean?

A plain-English look at Revelation 12:16 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Revelation 12:16 means

The earth comes to the woman’s aid, opening its mouth to swallow the river discharged by the dragon. This startling rescue displays God’s sovereignty over creation, which He can employ to preserve His people. The enemy’s carefully aimed flood vanishes in a moment, showing the fragility of evil’s designs against God’s decree. Help arrives through means outside the woman’s control, teaching dependence on divine intervention. The protection does not end hostility; it confounds a particular strategy. God’s deliverance may appear ordinary or extraordinary, but it is effective. The serpent’s fury meets the limits God sets, and the woman remains under heaven’s care.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the river which the dragon cast out of his mouth.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the river which the dragon cast out of his mouth.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And the earth gave help to the woman, and with open mouth took up the river which the dragon sent out of his mouth.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

and the land did help the woman, and the land did open its mouth and did swallow up the river, that the dragon did cast forth out of his mouth;

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And the earth helped the woman: and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the river which the dragon cast out of his mouth.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river which the dragon cast out of his mouth.

Context

Following the serpent’s flood in verse 15, verse 16 gives the counter-move: the earth itself, serving God’s purpose, swallows the threat. This underscores the theme of divine protection amid persecution. Yet the story is not over. The next verse explains the dragon’s renewed rage and widened war, preparing readers for an escalation that extends beyond the woman to her other offspring who follow God and bear witness to Jesus.

v.15And the serpent cast out of his mouth after the woman water as a river, that he might cause her to be carried away by the stream.

v.16This passage

v.17And the dragon waxed wroth with the woman, and went away to make war with the rest of her seed, that keep the commandments of God, and hold the testimony of Jesus:

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • 1 Kings 17:6

    And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.

  • Exodus 12:35

    And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they asked of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment:

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