Devine Scripture

Revelation 9:6

What does Revelation 9:6 mean?

A plain-English look at Revelation 9:6 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Revelation 9:6 means

Such is the agony that people long to die but cannot. The judgment intensifies by frustrating even the escape of death. The verse portrays a dreadful paradox: life without relief feels worse than death, yet death flees. This highlights the powerlessness of human control in the face of divine judgment. The desire for death does not equal repentance; pain alone cannot change the heart. The scene warns that there is a misery from which self-chosen exits offer no refuge. It underscores the spiritual nature of the assault: what comes from the abyss produces despair, not deliverance, apart from God’s grace.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

And in those days men shall seek death, and shall in no wise find it; and they shall desire to die, and death fleeth from them.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

And in those days men shall seek death, and shall in no wise find it; and they shall desire to die, and death fleeth from them.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And in those days men will be hoping for death, and it will not come to them; and they will have a great desire for death, and death will go in flight from them.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

and in those days shall men seek the death, and they shall not find it, and they shall desire to die, and the death shall flee from them.

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And in those days, men shall seek death and shall not find it. And they shall desire to die: and death shall fly from them.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

And in those days shall men seek death, and shall in no way find it; and shall desire to die, and death flees from them.

Context

Verse 6 concludes the initial description of the plague’s effect on people, following the restriction and duration in verse 5. The narrative will now turn (verses 7–10) to depict the locusts’ composite, unnatural appearance and martial bearing, emphasizing their otherworldly origin and frightening power. This descriptive section leads to verse 11, where their ruler is identified, completing the portrait of the fifth trumpet before the transition in verse 12.

v.5And it was given them that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when it striketh a man.

v.6This passage

v.7And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared for war; and upon their heads as it were crowns like unto gold, and their faces were as men’s faces.

Cross references

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

  • Jeremiah 8:3

    And death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue that remain of this evil family, that remain in all the places whither I have driven them, saith Jehovah of hosts.

  • Job 7:15

    So that my soul chooseth strangling, And death rather than these my bones.

  • Job 3:20

    Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, And life unto the bitter in soul;

  • Luke 23:30

    Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us.

  • Revelation 6:16

    and they say to the mountains and to the rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:

  • Hosea 10:8

    The high places also of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed: the thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars; and they shall say to the mountains, Cover us; and to the hills, Fall on us.

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