Bible Strands
Revelation 12:15
Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river to overtake the woman and sweep her away in the torrent.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrator describes a vision where the serpent attempts to intercept and destroy the woman who has just fled to a wilderness refuge. This action occurs immediately after she is given eagle wings to escape and before the earth intervenes to swallow the flood.
The words — ἔβαλεν (ebalen) means "cast" or "spewed," describing the serpent forcing water from his mouth. ὄφις (ophis) identifies the attacker as the serpent, maintaining continuity with the chapter's antagonist.
The thread — The imagery of a destructive river echoes Isaiah 8:7, where floodwaters represent a conquering army, and Psalms 18:4, which uses torrents to depict overwhelming chaos.
Why it lands — The text reports a physical attempt to sweep away a fleeing figure before describing the earth's counteraction. It requires the reader to observe how environmental obstruction is deployed against those in divine refuge.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.
Cross-references
- Isaiah 8:7 the Lord will surely bring against them the mighty floodwaters of the Euphrates—the king of Assyria and all his pomp. It will overflow its channels and overrun its banks.
- Psalms 18:4 The cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of chaos overwhelmed me.
- Isaiah 59:19 So shall they fear the name of the LORD where the sun sets, and His glory where it rises. For He will come like a raging flood, driven by the breath of the LORD.
- Psalms 65:7 You stilled the roaring of the seas, the pounding of their waves, and the tumult of the nations.
- Psalms 93:3 The floodwaters have risen, O LORD; the rivers have raised their voice; the seas lift up their pounding waves.
- Isaiah 28:2 Behold, the Lord has one who is strong and mighty. Like a hailstorm or destructive tempest, like a driving rain or flooding downpour, he will smash that crown to the ground.
- Revelation 17:15 Then the angel said to me, “The waters you saw, where the prostitute was seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues.