Revelation 8:11b
Re-evaluation Translation:
(Repeating) 8:11 The Lamb-king who exalts Yehuveh’s commandments is called the Proclaimer: and the people of Israel gave heed; but many individuals among the people were completed, because they were taught so gently in receivable portions.
Bible, KJV Translation:
(Repeating) 8:11 And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.
Significant Words and Comments:
Commentary on Revelation 8:11 continued (22 January 2008):
“The waters became wormwood,” the people of restored-Israel heeded the Lamb-king’s appeals regarding Yehuveh’s commandments, living them and themselves proclaiming them! Waters are masses of people, Revelation 8:10.
“Many men died of the waters,” is simply, “many individuals among the people ceased from living their own way because of the righteous proclamations.” Many is polus [H4183] “many, much, large.” Men is anthropos [H0444, from which we take anthropology, the study of people] “human beings, people.” Waters [H5204] are masses of people. See Revelation 8:10.
Died is apothnesko [H0599] “to die, be dead, to perish; to cease, stop.” The corresponding Hebrew word muwth [H4191] is used nearly seven hundred times, consistently indicating “death, to die (literally or figuratively); causative, to kill; to bring to a complete end.” As in the incident with Nabal, the Hebrew makes no distinction between spiritual and physical death: “It came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, and his wife had told him these things, that his heart died [H4191] within him, and he became as a stone. And it came to pass about ten days after, that Yehuveh smote Nabal, that he died [H4191].” These is only one verse in Torah which uses die/death [H4191] with commandments [H4687]: “He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his own soul; but he that despiseth His ways shall die.” The distinction is explicit. If anyone despised the Lamb-king’s exaltation of Yehuveh’s “pure” “commandments” he would die; but at this time everyone is fully united to Yehuveh, so this ceasing is of quite a different nature! “Ye that did cleave unto Yehuveh your Elohim are alive every one of you this day.” Rather, all men cease from living by their own ideas and fully conform to Yehuveh’s instruction. 1 Samuel 25:37-38; Proverbs 19:16; Psalms 19:8; Deuteronomy 4:4 (4:4-8).
Apothnesko [H0599] is used six times in Revelation [3:2; 8:9, 11; 9:6; 14:13; 16:3]. See notes on being dead on Revelation 3:1, 2.
“They were made bitter,” following the language of Proverbs 27:7, “to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet,” speaks of trickled things, things delivered gently in small amounts. Bitter in Greek is pikraino [G4087] “to make bitter; to embitter, exasperate: make angry, indignant: irritate; to grieve;” from pikros [G4089], meaning “to make intense; harsh, virulent.” By contrast, bitter, in Proverbs 27:7, is mar [H4751], from marar [H4783], “to trickle.” Rather than the Lamb-king’s proclamations offending or embittering, this simply says they are presented gently in small portions. How compassionate of the Lamb-king! Pikraino is used three times in Revelation [8:11; 10:9, 10].
Gael Bataman
Originally Written: 22 January 2008
Latest Update: 28 May 2008
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