Devine Scripture

Revelation 19:17

What does Revelation 19:17 mean?

A plain-English look at Revelation 19:17 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Revelation 19:17 means

An angel, standing in the sun—visible to all—cries out to the birds flying overhead to gather for “the great supper of God.” This is stark, ironic contrast to the marriage supper of the Lamb: one feast celebrates covenant joy; the other displays covenant judgment. The summons to carrion birds signals the certainty and magnitude of the defeat about to occur. God’s verdict will leave the battlefield to the scavengers. The image is not gratuitous gore but a solemn warning: resistance to the King ends in ruin. Creation itself, even its birds, is drafted as a witness to the justice of God’s triumph.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in mid heaven, Come and be gathered together unto the great supper of God;

KJV

King James Version · 1611

And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in mid heaven, Come and be gathered together unto the great supper of God;

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And I saw an angel taking his place in the sun; and he was crying with a loud voice, saying to all the birds in flight in the heavens, Come together to the great feast of God;

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

And I saw one messenger standing in the sun, and he cried, a great voice, saying to all the birds that are flying in mid-heaven, `Come and be gathered together to the supper of the great God,

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And I saw an angel standing in the sun: and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that did fly through the midst of heaven: Come, gather yourselves together to the great supper of God:

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in mid-heaven, Come, gather yourselves to the great supper ofGod,

Context

With the King’s supremacy declared (verse 16), the narrative shifts to depict the consequences for His enemies. The angel’s invitation to the birds anticipates the slaughter of the opposing forces in verses 19–21. The “great supper of God” intentionally echoes the earlier wedding feast, sharpening the contrast between blessing and judgment. Before the battle is even described, its outcome is proclaimed, heightening the sense of inevitability. The next verse will detail the range of the fallen, from kings to commoners (verse 18), and then the opponents’ vain gathering against the Rider (verse 19).

v.16And he hath on his garment and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

v.17This passage

v.18that ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses and of them that sit thereon, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, and small and great.

Cross references

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

  • Revelation 8:13

    And I saw, and I heard an eagle, flying in mid heaven, saying with a great voice, Woe, woe, woe, for them that dwell on the earth, by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, who are yet to sound.

  • Isaiah 34:1

    Come near, ye nations, to hear; and hearken, ye peoples: let the earth hear, and the fulness thereof; the world, and all things that come forth from it.

  • Ezekiel 39:17

    And thou, son of man, thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Speak unto the birds of every sort, and to every beast of the field, Assemble yourselves, and come; gather yourselves on every side to my sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you, even a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel, that ye may eat flesh and drink blood.

  • Revelation 14:6

    And I saw another angel flying in mid heaven, having eternal good tidings to proclaim unto them that dwell on the earth, and unto every nation and tribe and tongue and people;

  • Jeremiah 12:9

    Is my heritage unto me as a speckled bird of prey? are the birds of prey against her round about? go ye, assemble all the beasts of the field, bring them to devour.

  • Isaiah 56:9

    All ye beasts of the field, come to devour, yea, all ye beasts in the forest.

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