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Read the Bible

King James Version

Revelation 20:9

And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Fire;   Millennium;   Vision;   Scofield Reference Index - Death;   The Topic Concordance - Deception;   Devil/devils;   Hell;   Israel/jews;   War/weapons;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Millennium;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Condemnation;   Heaven, Heavens, Heavenlies;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Conflagration;   Croisade, or Crusade;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Canticles;   ;   Devil;   Encampment;   Gog;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Camp, Encampment;   Castle;   Dragon;   Jerusalem;   Revelation, the Book of;   Suffering;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Chiliasm;   Gog;   Time;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Ascension of Isaiah;   Fire;   Judgment Damnation;   Resurrection;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Camp;   Millennium;   Prophets, the;   Saint;   Satan ;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Fire;   Gog;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Camp;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Gog and Magog;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Print;   Revelation of John:;   Satan;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
They came up across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the encampment of the saints, the beloved city. Then fire came down from heaven and consumed them.
King James Version (1611)
And they went vp on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the campe of the Saints about, and the beloued citie: and fire came downe from God out of heauen, and deuoured them.
New American Standard Bible
And they came up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, and fire came down from heaven and devoured them.
New Century Version
And Satan's army marched across the earth and gathered around the camp of God's people and the city God loves. But fire came down from heaven and burned them up.
English Standard Version
And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them,
New American Standard Bible (1995)
And they came up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, and fire came down from heaven and devoured them.
Berean Standard Bible
And they marched across the broad expanse of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. But fire came down from heaven and consumed them.
Contemporary English Version
and they will march all the way across the earth. They will surround the camp of God's people and the city that his people love. But fire will come down from heaven and destroy the whole army.
Complete Jewish Bible
and they came up over the breadth of the Land and surrounded the camp of God's people and the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and consumed them.
Darby Translation
And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city: and fire came down [from God] out of the heaven and devoured them.
Easy-to-Read Version
I saw Satan's army march across the earth and gather around the camp of God's people and the city that God loves. But fire came down from heaven and destroyed Satan's army.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And they went vp into the plaine of the earth, and they compassed the tents of the Saints about, & the beloued citie: but fire came downe from God out of heauen, and deuoured them.
George Lamsa Translation
And they went up on a broad plain, and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven and consumed them.
Good News Translation
They spread out over the earth and surrounded the camp of God's people and the city that he loves. But fire came down from heaven and destroyed them.
Lexham English Bible
And they went up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the fortified camp of the saints and the beloved city, and fire came down from heaven and consumed them.
Literal Translation
And they went up over the breadth of the land and encircled the camp of the saints, and the beloved city. And fire from God came down out of Heaven and burned them down.
Amplified Bible
And they swarmed up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints (God's people) and the beloved city [Jerusalem]; but fire came down from heaven and consumed them.
American Standard Version
And they went up over the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down out of heaven, and devoured them.
Bible in Basic English
And they went up over the face of the earth, and made a circle about the tents of the saints, and the well loved town: and fire came down out of heaven for their destruction.
Hebrew Names Version
They went up over the breadth of the eretz, and surrounded the camp of the holy ones, and the beloved city. Fire came down out of heaven, and devoured them.
International Standard Version
They marched over the broad expanse of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. Fire came from Godfrom God">[fn] out of heaven and burned them up,Isaiah 8:8; Ezekiel 38:9,16;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and surrounded the camp of the saints, and the beloved city; and fire descended from Aloha from heaven, and devoured them.
Murdock Translation
And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and encompassed the camp of the saints, and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven, and consumed them.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And they went vp in the playne of the earth, and compassed the tentes of the saintes about, and the beloued citie: and fire came downe from God out of heauen, and deuoured them:
English Revised Version
And they went up over the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down out of heaven, and devoured them.
World English Bible
They went up over the breadth of the earth, and surrounded the camp of the saints, and the beloved city. Fire came down out of heaven, and devoured them.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and surrounded the camp of the saints, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them.
Weymouth's New Testament
And they went up over the whole breadth of the earth and surrounded the encampment of God's people and the beloved city. But fire came down from Heaven and consumed them;
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And fier cam doun `of God fro heuene, and deuourede hem. And the deuel, that disseyuede hem, was sent in to the pool of fier and of brymston,
Update Bible Version
And they went up over the width of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down out of heaven, and devoured them.
Webster's Bible Translation
And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and encompassed the camp of the saints, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
New English Translation
They went up on the broad plain of the earth and encircled the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and devoured them completely.
New King James Version
They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them.
New Living Translation
And I saw them as they went up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded God's people and the beloved city. But fire from heaven came down on the attacking armies and consumed them.
New Life Bible
They will spread out over the earth and all around the place where God's people are and around the city that is loved. Fire will come down from God out of heaven and destroy them.
New Revised Standard
They marched up over the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from heaven and consumed them.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And they came up over the breadth of the land, and surrounded the camp of the saints, and the beloved city. And there came down fire out of heaven, and devoured them;
Douay-Rheims Bible
And there cane down fire from God out of heaven and devoured them: and the devil, who seduced them, was cast into the pool of fire and brimstone, where both the beast
Revised Standard Version
And they marched up over the broad earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city; but fire came down from heaven and consumed them,
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
and they went vp on the playne of the erth and compased the tentes of the saynctes about and the beloved cite. And fyre cam doune from God out of heven and devoured them:
Young's Literal Translation
and they did go up over the breadth of the land, and did surround the camp of the saints, and the beloved city, and there came down fire from God out of the heaven, and devoured them;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
and they went vp on the playne of the earth, and compased the tentes of the sayntes aboute, and the beloued cite. And fyre cam doune from God out of heauen, and deuoured them:
Mace New Testament (1729)
they will spread on the surface of the earth, and encompass the camp of the saints, and the beloved city: and fire shall descend from God out of heaven, and devour them.
Simplified Cowboy Version
They surrounded God's camp and his cowboys who he loves. But just as he was about to strike, fire came down from heaven and killed all of the devil's army.

Contextual Overview

1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, 3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. 4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. 7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog, and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. 9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. 10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

went: Isaiah 8:7, Isaiah 8:8, Ezekiel 38:9, Ezekiel 38:16, Habakkuk 1:6

and compassed: 2 Kings 6:15, Micah 2:13, Matthew 16:16-18, Luke 19:43, Luke 21:20

the camp: Psalms 48:1-3, Psalms 74:2-4, Psalms 125:1, Psalms 125:2, Hebrews 13:13

and fire: Revelation 11:5, Revelation 13:13, Genesis 19:24, Exodus 9:23, Exodus 9:24, Leviticus 10:2, Leviticus 10:3, Numbers 11:1, Numbers 16:35, 2 Kings 1:10-15, Psalms 97:3, Psalms 106:18, Isaiah 30:33, Isaiah 37:36, Ezekiel 38:22, Ezekiel 39:6, Luke 9:54, Luke 17:29, 2 Thessalonians 1:8

Reciprocal: Joshua 9:2 - gathered 1 Samuel 23:26 - away Job 38:18 - General Psalms 48:4 - General Psalms 110:5 - strike Psalms 118:10 - All nations Isaiah 8:9 - Associate Isaiah 25:5 - shalt bring Isaiah 29:7 - the multitude Isaiah 34:2 - the indignation Isaiah 51:13 - were ready Isaiah 54:15 - they shall Ezekiel 13:5 - to stand Daniel 7:22 - the Ancient Daniel 11:45 - he shall come Joel 3:11 - Assemble Micah 4:3 - and rebuke Micah 5:9 - hand Zephaniah 3:19 - I will undo Zechariah 9:8 - I will Zechariah 12:3 - though Zechariah 12:6 - like an hearth Philippians 3:19 - end Revelation 12:17 - to make Revelation 20:5 - the rest

Cross-References

Genesis 12:18
And Pharaoh called Abram and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife?
Genesis 20:10
And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing?
Genesis 20:11
And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife's sake.
Genesis 20:18
For the Lord had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham's wife.
Genesis 26:10
And Abimelech said, What is this thou hast done unto us? one of the people might lightly have lien with thy wife, and thou shouldest have brought guiltiness upon us.
Genesis 34:7
And the sons of Jacob came out of the field when they heard it: and the men were grieved, and they were very wroth, because he had wrought folly in Israel in lying with Jacob's daughter: which thing ought not to be done.
Genesis 38:24
And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter in law hath played the harlot; and also, behold, she is with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt.
Genesis 39:9
There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?
Exodus 32:21
And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them?
Exodus 32:35
And the Lord plagued the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And they went up on the breadth of the earth,.... Either the whole earth, in the several parts of which they will be raised; or the land of Israel, where Christ and his people will be; and so the wicked being raised, will come up from the several parts of the world, and spread themselves over the holy land; just as Gog and Magog are said to cover the land of Israel, as a cloud, Ezekiel 38:16 and it may be observed, that the very phrase of רחב ארצך, "the breadth of thy land", is used of Immanuel's land, or the land of Israel, in Isaiah 8:8

and compassed the camp of the saints about; these are the blessed and Holy Ones, who have part in the first resurrection, even all the saints; not only the martyrs under the Heathen persecutions, and the confessors of Christ under the Papacy, but all the saints from the beginning of the world; these will be all encamped together, with the tabernacle of God in the midst of them, Revelation 21:3 and Christ their King at the head of them, Micah 2:13 the allusion is to the encampment of the children of Israel in the wilderness, about the tabernacle, which was in the midst of them, Numbers 2:2 c. afterwards the city of Jerusalem itself was called a camp, and answered in all respects to the camp in the wilderness f, to which the reference is in Hebrews 13:11 and which serves to illustrate the passage here, since it follows:

and the beloved city: not Constantinople, as some have thought, but the holy city, the new Jerusalem, Revelation 21:2 the general assembly and church of the firstborn, beloved by God and Christ, and by the holy angels, and by one another and these very probably will be with Christ upon the same spot of ground where the Old Jerusalem stood, a city so highly favoured, and so much distinguished by God; so that where Christ suffered so much reproach and shame, and such an accursed death, he will now be glorified, and live in triumph with his saints:

and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them; not material fire; with this the earth, and the bodies of the wicked then upon it, will be burnt at the beginning of the thousand years; but now their bodies will be raised immortal, and not capable of being consumed with such fire; but the fiery indignation of God, or his wrath, which will be poured out like fire, is here meant, which will destroy both body and soul; this is no other than the lake of fire, or second death, into which they will be cast; and which will not be until the judgment is over, though it is here related to show what will be the event and issue of their attack upon the saints: the allusion is to the fire sent upon Gog and Magog, and to the burning of their weapons, in Ezekiel 38:22 and so the Jews g say of their Gog and Magog, that

"they shall be killed with the burning of the soul, with a flame of fire, which shall come from under the throne of glory.''

f T. Bab Zebachim, fol. 116. 2. Maimon. Hilch. Beth Habbechirah, c. 7. sect. 11. g Targum Jon. in Numb. xi. 26.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And they went up on the breadth of the earth - They spread over the earth in extended columns. The image is that of an invading army that seems, in its march, to spread all over a land. The reference here is to the hosts assembled from the regions of Gog and Magog; that is, to the formidable enemies of the gospel that would be roused up at the close of the period properly called the “millennial” period - the period of the thousand years. It is not necessary to suppose that there would be “literally” armies of enemies of God summoned from lands that would be called lands of “Gog and Magog”; but all that is necessarily implied is, that there will be a state of hostility to the church of Christ which would be well illustrated by such a comparison with an invading host of barbarians. The expression “the breadth of the land” occurs in Habakkuk 1:6, in a description. of the invasion of the Chaldeans, and means there “the whole extent of it”; that is, they would spread over the whole country.

And compassed the camp of the saints about - Besieged the camp of the saints considered as engaged in war, or as attacked by an enemy. The “camp of the saints” here seems to be supposed to be without the walls of the city; that is, the army was drawn out for defense. The fact that the foes were able to “compass this camp about,” and to encircle the city at the same time, shows the greatness of the numbers of the invaders.

And the beloved city - Jerusalem - a city represented as beloved by God and by his people. The whole imagery here is derived from a supposed invasion of the land of Palestine - imagery than which nothing could be more natural to John in describing the hostility that would be aroused against the church in the latter day. But no just principle of interpretation requires us to understand this “literally.” Compare Hebrews 12:22. Indeed, it would be absolutely “impossible” to give this chapter throughout a “literal” interpretation. What would be the “literal” interpretation of the very first verses? “I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the “key” of the bottomless pit, and “a great chain” in his hand; and he laid hold on the “dragon and bound” him.” Can anyone believe that there is to be a literal “key,” and a “chain,” and an act of seizing a “serpent,” and “binding” him? As little is it demanded that the passage before us should be taken “literally”; for if it is maintained that this should be, we may insist that the same principle of interpretation should be applied to every part of the chapter, and every part of the book.

And fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them - Consumed them - fire being represented as devouring or eating. See the notes on Revelation 17:16. The meaning is, that they would be destroyed as if fire should come down from heaven, as on Sodom and Gomorrah. But it is not necessary to understand this literally, anymore than it is the portions of the chapter just referred to. What is obviously meant is, that their destruction would be sudden, certain, and entire, and that thus the last enemy of God and the church would be swept away. Nothing can be determined from this about the “means” by which this destruction will be effected; and that must be left for time to disclose. It is sufficient to know that the destruction of these last foes of God and the church will be certain and entire. This “language,” as denoting the final destruction of the enemies of God, is often employed in the Scriptures. See Psalms 11:6; Isaiah 29:6; Ezekiel 38:22; Ezekiel 39:6.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Revelation 20:9. The beloved city — Primarily, Jerusalem, typically, the Christian Church.


 
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