Revelation 9:17 Meaning and Explanation
“And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The vision shows horses with lion-like heads breathing fire, smoke, and brimstone.
What Does Revelation 9:17 Mean?
John tells us plainly that he is describing what he saw in the vision, lest anyone mistake it for an ordinary cavalry. The riders wear breastplates colored like fire, like the blue of jacinth, and like sulfurous brimstone, and the horses have lions' heads from whose mouths pour fire, smoke, and brimstone. Fire and brimstone are the ancient signs of judgment that fell on Sodom.
The piled imagery presses home the deadly reach of this host. What it breathes out is destruction itself, the smoke and sulfur of ruin. Yet the careful note that this is a vision keeps the reader anchored: John is shown the true character of a judgment too vast for plain speech. The point is not the spectacle but the warning, that there is a real reckoning with evil, and a real refuge in the Lamb who alone can stand between the sinner and the fire.
Frequently Asked Questions About Revelation 9:17
What does Revelation 9:17 mean?
The vision shows horses with lion-like heads breathing fire, smoke, and brimstone.