The Meaning of Revelation 10:2 Explained

Revelation 10:2

KJV: And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth,

YLT: and he had in his hand a little scroll opened, and he did place his right foot upon the sea, and the left upon the land,

Darby: and having in his hand a little opened book. And he set his right foot on the sea, and the left upon the earth,

ASV: and he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left upon the earth;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  he had  in  his  hand  a little book  open:  and  he set  his  right  foot  upon  the sea,  and  [his] left  [foot] on  the earth, 

What does Revelation 10:2 Mean?

Study Notes

a little book
Contra, Revelation 5:1 ; Psalms 40:7 ; 2 Peter 1:19-21 .

Verse Meaning

The little scroll in his hand may be different from the scroll Jesus Christ unrolled ( Revelation 5:1; Revelation 6:1). John used a different and rare Greek word to describe it (biblaridion, not biblion). The tense of the Greek verb translated "was open" (perfect passive) indicates that someone had opened it and it was then open in his hand. It probably represents a new revelation from God (cf. Ezekiel 2:9 to Ezekiel 3:3; Jeremiah 15:15-17). The angel stood astride the earth and the sea symbolizing his authority over the whole world ( Revelation 10:5; Revelation 10:8; Revelation 7:2; cf. Exodus 20:4; Exodus 20:11; Deuteronomy 11:24; Psalm 68:22; Psalm 69:34). The implication is that his message involves the whole world. Other less likely views, I think, are that his stance symbolizes the universality of the message, [1] or that he was defying the sea"s instability. [2]

Context Summary

Revelation 10:1-11 - The Angel With The Little Book
If one of God's angels is so strong and glorious, what must the Lord of angels be! From the splendor of His retinue, we may estimate the wealth of the Prince. How exactly does this description of the little book suit the word of the Cross, that is, the message of the gospel! Things are spoken to the saints, which, as Paul says, no tongue can utter. They are sealed to the unbelieving but opened to the children of God. Notice that magnificent description of the ever-living God, the Creator, the Unfolder of the mystery of His dealings, Revelation 10:6-7. See also 1 Corinthians 2:12.
The gospel is full of sweetness and delight in its first conception. The sense of peace with God, the consciousness of pardoned sin and acceptance in the be-loved, are like the music of heaven or the dew of paradise. But the cross cuts deep into the self-life, as we carry the sentence of death in ourselves. We learn the necessity of being crucified with Christ, if we would enter into His resurrection joys; and so the Word of God, which is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrates lower and lower, dividing soul and spirit, the joints and marrow. Our Lord never concealed this from those who sought to be enrolled as His followers; but there is blessedness in the bitterness, as springs of fresh water arising amid the brine of the sea. [source]

Chapter Summary: Revelation 10

1  A mighty strong angel appears with a book open in his hand
6  He swears by him who lives forever, that there shall be no more time
9  John is commanded to take and eat the book

Greek Commentary for Revelation 10:2

And he had [και εχων]
This use of the participle in place of ειχεν — eichen (imperfect) is like that in Revelation 4:7.; Revelation 12:2; Revelation 19:12; Revelation 21:12, Revelation 21:14, a Semitic idiom (Charles), or as if καταβαινων — katabainōn (nominative) had preceded in place of καταβαινοντα — katabainonta little book A diminutive of βιβλαριον — biblarion (papyri), itself a diminutive of βιβλιον — biblion (Revelation 5:1) and perhaps in contrast with it, a rare form in Hermas and Revelation 10:2, Revelation 10:9, Revelation 10:10. In Revelation 10:8 Tischendorf reads βιβλιδαριον — biblidarion diminutive of βιβλιδιον — biblidion (Aristophanes) instead of βιβλιον — biblion (Westcott and Hort). The contents of this little book are found in Revelation 11:1-13. [source]
Open [ηνεωιγμενον]
See Ezekiel 2:9. Perfect (triple reduplication) passive participle of ανοιγω — anoigō in contrast to the closed book in Revelation 5:1. There also we have επι — epi (upon) την δεχιαν — tēn dexian (the right hand), for it was a large roll, but here the little open roll is held in the hand First aorist active indicative of τιτημι — tithēmi The size of the angel is colossal, for he bestrides both land and sea. Apparently there is no special point in the right foot (τον ποδα τον δεχιον — ton poda ton dexion) being on the sea (επι της ταλασσης — epi tēs thalassēs) and the left (τον ευωνυμον — ton euōnumon) upon the land (επι της γης — epi tēs gēs). It makes a bold and graphic picture.As a lion roareth Only instance of ωσπερ — hōsper in the Apocalypse, but ως — hōs in the same sense several times. Present middle indicative of μυκαομαι — mukaomai an old onomatopoetic word from μυ — mu or μοο — moo (the sound which a cow utters), common for the lowing and bellowing of cattle, Latin mugire, but in Theocritus for the roaring of a lion as here, though in 1 Peter 5:8 we have ωρυομαι — ōruomai Homer uses μυκαομαι — mukaomai for the clangour of the shield and Aristophanes for thunder. It occurs here alone in the N.T. It does not mean that what the angel said was unintelligible, only loud. Cf. Revelation 1:10; Revelation 5:2, Revelation 5:12; Revelation 6:10; Revelation 7:2, Revelation 7:10, etc. [source]
He set [ετηκεν]
First aorist active indicative of τιτημι — tithēmi The size of the angel is colossal, for he bestrides both land and sea. Apparently there is no special point in the right foot It makes a bold and graphic picture. [source]
As a lion roareth [ωσπερ λεων μυκαται]
Only instance of ωσπερ — hōsper in the Apocalypse, but ως — hōs in the same sense several times. Present middle indicative of μυκαομαι — mukaomai an old onomatopoetic word from μυ — mu or μοο — moo (the sound which a cow utters), common for the lowing and bellowing of cattle, Latin mugire, but in Theocritus for the roaring of a lion as here, though in 1 Peter 5:8 we have ωρυομαι — ōruomai Homer uses μυκαομαι — mukaomai for the clangour of the shield and Aristophanes for thunder. It occurs here alone in the N.T. It does not mean that what the angel said was unintelligible, only loud. Cf. Revelation 1:10; Revelation 5:2, Revelation 5:12; Revelation 6:10; Revelation 7:2, Revelation 7:10, etc. [source]
In his hand [ἐν]
The roll of Revelation 5:1-14was on the hand ( ἐπί , see Revelation 5:1), being too large to be grasped within it. The roll was on the right hand; the little book is in the left. See on Revelation 10:5. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Revelation 10:2

Luke 4:17 Opened [ἀναπτύξας]
Lit., unrolled. Both this and the simple verb πτύσσω , to close (Luke 4:20), occur only once in the New Testament. The former word was used in medical language of the opening out of various parts of the body, and the latter of the rolling up of bandages. The use of these terms by Luke the physician is the more significant from the fact that elsewhere in the New Testament ἀνοίγω is used for the opening of a book (Revelation 5:2-5; Revelation 10:2, Revelation 10:8; Revelation 20:12); and εἰλίσσω , for rolling it up (Revelation 6:14). [source]
Revelation 10:5 His hand []
Add τὴν δεξιὰν theright, and see on Revelation 10:2. On lifting the hand in swearing, see Genesis 14:22; Exodus 6:8(margin); Deuteronomy 32:40. [source]
Revelation 10:2 And he had [και εχων]
This use of the participle in place of ειχεν — eichen (imperfect) is like that in Revelation 4:7.; Revelation 12:2; Revelation 19:12; Revelation 21:12, Revelation 21:14, a Semitic idiom (Charles), or as if καταβαινων — katabainōn (nominative) had preceded in place of καταβαινοντα — katabainonta little book A diminutive of βιβλαριον — biblarion (papyri), itself a diminutive of βιβλιον — biblion (Revelation 5:1) and perhaps in contrast with it, a rare form in Hermas and Revelation 10:2, Revelation 10:9, Revelation 10:10. In Revelation 10:8 Tischendorf reads βιβλιδαριον — biblidarion diminutive of βιβλιδιον — biblidion (Aristophanes) instead of βιβλιον — biblion (Westcott and Hort). The contents of this little book are found in Revelation 11:1-13. [source]
Revelation 10:5 Standing [εστωτα]
Second perfect active participle of ιστημι — histēmi (intransitive). John resumes the picture in Revelation 10:2. [source]
Revelation 10:8 Again speaking and saying [παλιν λαλουσαν και λεγουσαν]
Present active predicate participles feminine accusative singular agreeing with ην — hēn (object of ηκουσα — ēkousa), not with πωνη — phōnē (nominative) as most of the cursives have it Ordinarily it would be ελαλει και ελεγεν — elalei kai elegen See Revelation 4:1 for like idiom. This is the voice mentioned in Revelation 10:4. No great distinction is to be made here between λαλεω — laleō and λεγω — legō take Present active imperative of υπαγω — hupagō and second aorist active imperative of λαμβανω — lambanō The use of υπαγε — hupage (exclamation like ιδε — ide) is common in N.T. (Matthew 5:24; Matthew 8:4; Matthew 19:21; John 4:16; John 9:7). Charles calls it a Hebraism (Revelation 16:1). Note the repeated article here (το — to) referring to the open book in the hand of the angel (Revelation 10:2), only here βιβλιον — biblion is used, not the diminutive of βιβλαριδιον — biblaridion of Revelation 10:2, Revelation 10:9, Revelation 10:10. [source]
Revelation 12:2 And she was with child [και εν γαστρι εχουσα]
Perhaps εστιν — estin to be supplied or the participle used as a finite verb as in Revelation 10:2. This is the technical idiom for pregnancy as in Matthew 1:18, Matthew 1:23, etc. [source]
Revelation 5:1 A book [βιβλιον]
Diminutive of βιβλος — biblos but no longer so used, βιβλαριδιον — biblaridion occurring instead (Revelation 10:2).Written (γεγραμμενον — gegrammenon). Perfect passive predicate participle of γραπω — graphō and on the back (εσωτεν και οπιστεν — esōthen kai opisthen). “Within and behind.” Description of a roll like that in Luke 4:17, not a codex as some scholars think. Usually these papyrus rolls were written only on the inside, but this one was so full of matter that it was written also on the back side (οπιστεν — opisthen), and so was an οπιστογραπον — opisthographon like that in Ezekiel 2:10. There are many allegorical interpretations of this fact which are all beside the point.Sealed Perfect passive predicate participle of κατασπραγιζω — katasphragizō old compound (perfective use of κατα — kata), to seal up (down), here only in N.T.With seven seals (σπραγισιν επτα — sphragisin hepta). Instrumental case of σπραγις — sphragis old word used in various senses, proof or authentication (1 Corinthians 9:2; Romans 4:11), signet-ring (Revelation 7:2), impression made by the seal (Revelation 9:4; 2 Timothy 2:19), the seal on books closing the book (Revelation 5:1, Revelation 5:2, Revelation 5:5, Revelation 5:9; Revelation 6:1, Revelation 6:3, Revelation 6:5, Revelation 6:7, Revelation 6:9, Revelation 6:12; Revelation 8:1). “A will in Roman law bore the seven seals of the seven witnesses” (Charles). But this sealed book of doom calls for no witnesses beyond God‘s own will. Alford sees in the number seven merely the completeness of God‘s purposes. [source]

What do the individual words in Revelation 10:2 mean?

and having in the hand of him a little scroll being open he placed the foot - right upon the sea and left earth
καὶ ἔχων ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ βιβλαρίδιον ἠνεῳγμένον ἔθηκεν τὸν πόδα τὸν δεξιὸν ἐπὶ τῆς θαλάσσης δὲ εὐώνυμον γῆς

χειρὶ  hand 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: χείρ  
Sense: by the help or agency of any one, by means of any one.
αὐτοῦ  of  him 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
βιβλαρίδιον  a  little  scroll 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: βιβλαρίδιον 
Sense: a little book.
ἠνεῳγμένον  being  open 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Participle Middle or Passive, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: ἀνοίγω 
Sense: to open.
ἔθηκεν  he  placed 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: τίθημι  
Sense: to set, put, place.
πόδα  foot 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: πούς  
Sense: a foot, both of men or beast.
τὸν  - 
Parse: Article, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
δεξιὸν  right 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: δεξιός  
Sense: the right, the right hand.
ἐπὶ  upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐπί  
Sense: upon, on, at, by, before.
θαλάσσης  sea 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: θάλασσα  
Sense: the sea.
εὐώνυμον  left 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: εὐώνυμος  
Sense: of good name and of good omen.
γῆς  earth 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: γῆ  
Sense: arable land.