Revelation 16:21 Meaning and Explanation
“And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Enormous hailstones fall from heaven, and people curse God instead of repenting.
What Does Revelation 16:21 Mean?
The chapter closes with a great hail from heaven, each stone about the weight of a talent, a crushing burden. Like the hail that fell on Egypt, it descends as judgment. Yet the final note is not repentance but blasphemy: people curse God because of the plague, for it is exceedingly severe.
The chapter ends where its refrain has pointed all along, on hardened hearts that will not turn. Even under the heaviest blows, they choose cursing over surrender. It is a solemn warning that judgment by itself cannot soften a will set against God; only grace received can. The reader is left to weigh the contrast with the blessing of verse 15, and to choose, while there is still time, the watchful, humble heart that gives God glory rather than the hardened heart that defies Him.
Revelation 16:21 in the Original Language
talanton (τάλαντον), 'talent' -- a large unit of weight, here picturing hailstones of crushing size.
Frequently Asked Questions About Revelation 16:21
What does Revelation 16:21 mean?
Enormous hailstones fall from heaven, and people curse God instead of repenting.