Revelation 12:4 Meaning and Explanation
“And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The dragon sweeps a third of the stars to the earth and waits before the woman to devour her child at birth.
What Does Revelation 12:4 Mean?
The dragon's tail sweeps a third of the stars from heaven and hurls them down, a picture of the ruin he draws after him. Then he takes his position directly before the laboring woman, crouched and waiting to devour her child the instant it is born.
This is the ancient enmity in its starkest form. The same hostility that struck at the promised seed all through Scripture now stands poised at the cradle. Yet notice what the dragon cannot do: he can only wait. He has no power to stop the birth, only to threaten it. The child belongs to God, and the menacing of the enemy, for all its fury, is held within bounds it cannot cross.
Revelation 12:4 in the Original Language
katesthiō (κατεσθίω), 'devour' -- to eat up or consume utterly, the dragon's intent to destroy the child whole.
Frequently Asked Questions About Revelation 12:4
What does Revelation 12:4 mean?
The dragon sweeps a third of the stars to the earth and waits before the woman to devour her child at birth.