The Meaning of Revelation 8:10 Explained

Revelation 8:10

KJV: And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters;

YLT: And the third messenger did sound, and there fell out of the heaven a great star, burning as a lamp, and it did fall upon the third of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters,

Darby: And the third angel sounded his trumpet: and there fell out of the heaven a great star, burning as a torch, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters.

ASV: And the third angel sounded, and there fell from heaven a great star, burning as a torch, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of the waters;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  the third  angel  sounded,  and  there fell  a great  star  from  heaven,  burning  as it were  a lamp,  and  it fell  upon  the third part  of the rivers,  and  upon  the fountains  of waters; 

What does Revelation 8:10 Mean?

Study Notes

angel (See Scofield " Hebrews 1:4 ")
star Cf. Revelation 9:1 ; Isaiah 14:12 contra, Daniel 12:3

Context Summary

Revelation 8:1-13 - The Four First Trumpets Include The Devastation Of Natural Objects. The Dumb Creation, And Even The Earth Itself, Suffers For Man's Sin. Think Of The Horses Wounded In Battle, Dying In Long Agony; Of Vast Tracks Of Country Once Smiling, With Harvest Becoming A Wilderness; Of The Soil Compelled To Produce The Ingredients Of Poisoning And Intoxication. Poor Mother Earth! Goethe Said That He Could Hear Her Sighing As A Captive For Redemption.
The seventh seal includes the seven trumpets. What a contrast that pause must have been to the jubilant songs of the great multitude! In the Jewish temple, we are told, the musical instruments and chanting resounded during the offering of the sacrifices, which occupied the first part of the service; but at the offering of the incense a solemn silence was observed, Psalms 62:1. The people prayed quietly without, at the time of incense. What a glimpse is here afforded of the intercession of our great High Priest! The smoke of the incense of His great merit arises with the prayers of the saints. Pray on, believer, though your voice be feeble, and so much imperfection mingles with your efforts to serve God. The incense of Christ's intercession is fragrant enough to make even you acceptable.
The four first trumpets include the devastation of natural objects. The dumb creation, and even the earth itself, suffers for man's sin. Think of the horses wounded in battle, dying in long agony; of vast tracks of country once smiling, with harvest becoming a wilderness; of the soil compelled to produce the ingredients of poisoning and intoxication. Poor Mother Earth! Goethe said that he could hear her sighing as a captive for redemption. [source]

Chapter Summary: Revelation 8

1  At the opening of the seventh seal,
2  Seven angels have seven trumpets given them
6  Four of them sound their trumpets and great plagues follow
9  Another angel puts incense to the prayers of the saints on the golden altar

Greek Commentary for Revelation 8:10

Burning as a torch [καιομενος ως λαμπας]
See Revelation 4:5; Matthew 2:2, perhaps a meteor, striking at the fresh-water supply (rivers ποταμων — potamōn springs πηγας — pēgas) as in the first Egyptian plague also. [source]
Lamp [λαμπὰς]
Rev., torch. See on Revelation 4:5. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Revelation 8:10

Revelation 14:7 Fear God [ποβητητε τον τεον]
First aorist passive (deponent) imperative of ποβεομαι — phobeomai here transitive with the accusative as in Luke 12:5. It is a call to judgment with no hope offered except by implication (Acts 14:15.).Give him glory (δοτε αυτωι δοχαν — dote autōi doxan). Second aorist active indicative of διδωμι — didōmi For the phrase see Revelation 11:13.The hour is come Second aorist (prophetic use) active indicative of ερχομαι — erchomai Common idiom in John‘s Gospel (John 2:4; John 4:21, John 4:23; John 5:25, John 5:28; John 7:30, etc.).Worship (προσκυνησατε — proskunēsate). First aorist active imperative of προσκυνεω — proskuneō with the dative case. Solemn call to the pagan world to worship God as Creator (Revelation 4:11; Revelation 10:6), as in Psalm 96:6; Acts 14:15. For “the fountains of waters” see Revelation 8:10. [source]
Revelation 14:7 The hour is come [η ωρα ηλτεν]
Second aorist (prophetic use) active indicative of ερχομαι — erchomai Common idiom in John‘s Gospel (John 2:4; John 4:21, John 4:23; John 5:25, John 5:28; John 7:30, etc.).Worship (προσκυνησατε — proskunēsate). First aorist active imperative of προσκυνεω — proskuneō with the dative case. Solemn call to the pagan world to worship God as Creator (Revelation 4:11; Revelation 10:6), as in Psalm 96:6; Acts 14:15. For “the fountains of waters” see Revelation 8:10. [source]
Revelation 14:7 Worship [προσκυνησατε]
First aorist active imperative of προσκυνεω — proskuneō with the dative case. Solemn call to the pagan world to worship God as Creator (Revelation 4:11; Revelation 10:6), as in Psalm 96:6; Acts 14:15. For “the fountains of waters” see Revelation 8:10. [source]
Revelation 16:4 Into the rivers and the fountains of waters [εις τους ποταμους και τας πηγας των υδατων]
See Revelation 8:10 for this phrase. Contamination of the fresh-water supply by blood follows that of the sea. Complete again. [source]
Revelation 7:17 Shall be their shepherd [παιμανει αυτους]
“Shall shepherd them,” future active of ποιμαινω — poimainō (from ποιμην — poimēn shepherd), in John 21:16; Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:2; Revelation 2:27; Revelation 7:17; Revelation 12:5; Revelation 19:15. Jesus is still the Good Shepherd of his sheep (John 10:11, John 10:14.). Cf. Psalm 23:1.Shall guide them (οδη γησει αυτους — hodē gēsei autous). Future active of οδηγεω — hodēgeō old word (from οδηγος — hodēgos guide, Matthew 15:14), used of God‘s guidance of Israel (Exodus 15:13), of God‘s guidance of individual lives (Psalm 5:9), of the guidance of the Holy Spirit (John 16:13), of Christ‘s own guidance here (cf. John 14:4; Revelation 14:4).Unto fountains of waters of life The language is like that in Isaiah 49:10; Jeremiah 2:13. Note the order, “to life‘s water springs” (Swete) like the Vulgate ad vitae fontes aquarum, with emphasis on ζωης — zōēs (life‘s). For this idea see also John 4:12, John 4:14; John 7:38.; Revelation 21:6; Revelation 22:1, Revelation 22:17. No special emphasis on the plural here or in Revelation 8:10; Revelation 14:7; Revelation 16:4.And God shall wipe away (και εχαλειπσει ο τεος — kai exaleipsei ho theos). Repeated in Revelation 21:4 from Isaiah 25:8. Future active of εχαλειπω — exaleiphō old compound, to wipe out (εχ — ex), off, away, already in Revelation 3:5 for erasing a name and in Acts 3:19 for removing the stain (guilt) of sin.Every tear Old word, with other form, δακρυ — dakru in Luke 7:38, Luke 7:44. Note repetition of εκ — ek with οπταλμων — ophthalmōn (out of their eyes). “Words like these of Revelation 7:15-17 must sound as a divine music in the ears of the persecuted. God will comfort as a mother comforts” (Baljon). [source]
Revelation 7:17 Unto fountains of waters of life [επι ζωης πηγας υδατων]
The language is like that in Isaiah 49:10; Jeremiah 2:13. Note the order, “to life‘s water springs” (Swete) like the Vulgate ad vitae fontes aquarum, with emphasis on ζωης — zōēs (life‘s). For this idea see also John 4:12, John 4:14; John 7:38.; Revelation 21:6; Revelation 22:1, Revelation 22:17. No special emphasis on the plural here or in Revelation 8:10; Revelation 14:7; Revelation 16:4.And God shall wipe away (και εχαλειπσει ο τεος — kai exaleipsei ho theos). Repeated in Revelation 21:4 from Isaiah 25:8. Future active of εχαλειπω — exaleiphō old compound, to wipe out (εχ — ex), off, away, already in Revelation 3:5 for erasing a name and in Acts 3:19 for removing the stain (guilt) of sin.Every tear Old word, with other form, δακρυ — dakru in Luke 7:38, Luke 7:44. Note repetition of εκ — ek with οπταλμων — ophthalmōn (out of their eyes). “Words like these of Revelation 7:15-17 must sound as a divine music in the ears of the persecuted. God will comfort as a mother comforts” (Baljon). [source]
Revelation 8:7 Sounded [εσαλπισεν]
First aorist active indicative of σαλπιζω — salpizō repeated with each angel in turn (Revelation 8:8, Revelation 8:10, Revelation 8:12; Revelation 9:1, Revelation 9:13; Revelation 11:15). [source]

What do the individual words in Revelation 8:10 mean?

And the third angel sounded [his] trumpet fell out of - heaven a star great burning like a torch it fell upon a third of the rivers the springs of waters
Καὶ τρίτος ἄγγελος ἐσάλπισεν ἔπεσεν ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἀστὴρ μέγας καιόμενος ὡς λαμπάς ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ τὸ τρίτον τῶν ποταμῶν τὰς πηγὰς τῶν ὑδάτων

τρίτος  third 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: τρίτον 
Sense: the third.
ἄγγελος  angel 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἄγγελος  
Sense: a messenger, envoy, one who is sent, an angel, a messenger from God.
ἐσάλπισεν  sounded  [his]  trumpet 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: σαλπίζω  
Sense: to sound a trumpet.
ἔπεσεν  fell 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: πίπτω 
Sense: to descend from a higher place to a lower.
ἐκ  out  of 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐκ 
Sense: out of, from, by, away from.
τοῦ  - 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
οὐρανοῦ  heaven 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: οὐρανός  
Sense: the vaulted expanse of the sky with all things visible in it.
ἀστὴρ  a  star 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἀστήρ  
Sense: a star.
μέγας  great 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: μέγας  
Sense: great.
καιόμενος  burning 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Middle or Passive, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: καίω  
Sense: to set on fire, light, burning.
ὡς  like 
Parse: Adverb
Root: ὡς 
Sense: as, like, even as, etc.
λαμπάς  a  torch 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: λαμπάς 
Sense: a torch.
ἔπεσεν  it  fell 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: πίπτω 
Sense: to descend from a higher place to a lower.
ἐπὶ  upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐπί  
Sense: upon, on, at, by, before.
τρίτον  third 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: τρίτον 
Sense: the third.
τῶν  of  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ποταμῶν  rivers 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: ποταμός  
Sense: a stream, a river.
πηγὰς  springs 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Plural
Root: πηγή  
Sense: fountain, spring.
ὑδάτων  waters 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Neuter Plural
Root: ὕδωρ  
Sense: water.