Revelation 9:11 Meaning and Explanation
“And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Their king is the angel of the abyss, named Abaddon in Hebrew and Apollyon in Greek.
What Does Revelation 9:11 Mean?
Unlike natural locusts, which Proverbs notes have no king, this swarm is ruled by one: the angel of the bottomless pit. John gives his name in two tongues, Hebrew and Greek, so that every reader grasps its meaning. Both names point to ruin and destruction.
The naming unmasks the nature of the power behind the torment. Whatever it crowns itself, its true business is destruction; that is its name and its work. This stands in sharp contrast to the One whose name is Faithful and True, who came not to destroy but to save. The reader learns to read the world by its fruits: what destroys belongs to the abyss, but the kingdom of Christ heals, gathers, and makes alive.
Revelation 9:11 in the Original Language
Abaddon (אֲבַדּוֹן) and Apollyon (Ἀπολλύων) both mean 'destroyer' or 'destruction.'
Frequently Asked Questions About Revelation 9:11
What does Revelation 9:11 mean?
Their king is the angel of the abyss, named Abaddon in Hebrew and Apollyon in Greek.