Revelation 16:16a
Revelation 16, Page 19

Bible, KJV Translation
16:16  And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.

Re-evaluation Translation
16:16  The corrupt rulers of the nations assembled [in a final battle against Israel] in the Jezreel Valley near the hill-town of Megiddo in northwestern Israel.

Significant Words and Comments:
Commentary on Revelation 16:16 (24 April 2008):  “He gathered them together,” is simply, “they assembled.” that is, all the corrupted kings of the earth gathered. He is supplied, not in the Greek text. Gathered them together is just two Greek words which read “assembled they,” in typical Greek verb-subject grammatical order. Gathered [G4863] is discussed in notes on Revelation 13:10.
       
“Into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.” This is a description of the battle described in Ezekiel 38-39 in a mountain region in northwestern Israel. The battle, which was in progress before Yehuveh’s 1260-days of protection ended on 17 March 2009, preceded these final reformations and cleared the way for Yehuveh to restore His kingdom. Place is discussed in notes on Revelation 6:14; called [G2564] is briefly discussed by Revelation 1:4. Hebrew tongue or language is used only here and in Revelation 9:11.
       
Armageddon, “the hill or city of Megiddo,” is entry G0717 from two Hebrew words: har [H2022], “a mountain or range of hills,” and Megiddon or Megiddo from Megiddown [H4023], meaning “rendezvous; a place in Palestine,” from the primary root gadad [H1413], meaning “to crowd; also to gash (as if by pressing into).” This is, of course, the only use of this word in Revelation.
       
Megiddo, a hill-city in northwestern Israel, located at the edge of the Valley of Jezreel and standing as guardian to one of the passes through Mount Carmel, has played an important role in Israel’s history for centuries. Of Megiddo, James Strong states: “In the scene of Revelation 16:16, the struggle . . . is . . . by that battle plain of Esdraelon [Jezreel Valley], which was famous for two great victories, of Barak over the Canaanites, and of Gideon over the Midianites; and for two great disasters, the deaths of Saul and Josiah. Hence in Revelation a place of great slaughter, the scene of a terrible retribution upon the wicked.” Wycliffe, in his notes on I Samuel 31:1, identified these four battles:

        a. “The battle of Kishon, in which Deborah and Barak defeated the hosts
                of Sisera (
Judges 4:15; 5:21).
        b. “The battle of Jezreel, in which Gideon's three hundred defeated the
                vast hordes of the Midianites (
Judges 7).
        c. “The battle of Mount Gilboa, in which Saul died (
I Samuel 31:1).
        d. “The battle of
Megiddo, in which Josiah, king of Israel, lost his life
                fighting against Pharaoh-nechoh (
2 Kings 23:29).”


Gael Bataman
Originally Written:               24 April 2008
Latest Update:                     17 September 2008


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