Lexical Summary rhedé: Chariot Original Word: ῥεδή Strong's Exhaustive Concordance chariot. Of Latin origin; a rheda, i.e. Four-wheeled carriage (wagon for riding) -- chariot. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof Gallic origin Definition a chariot NASB Translation chariots (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4480: ῤέδηῤέδη (others, ῥεδα; on the first vowel cf. Tdf.s note on Revelation as below; WHs Appendix, p. 151{a}) (according to Quintilian 1, 5, 57 (cf. 68) a Gallic word (cf. Vanicek, Fremdwörter, under the word ῥεδα)), ῥεδης, ἡ, a chariot, a species of vehicle having four wheels (Isidorus Hispal. orig. 20, 12 (sec. 511) (cf. Rich, Dict. of Antiq. under the word Rheda)): Revelation 18:13. Topical Lexicon Occurrence Strong’s Greek 4480 (ῥέδων) appears once, in Revelation 18:13, within the catalogue of luxury goods traded by “Babylon the great”: “of cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, and frankincense, of wine, olive oil, fine flour, and wheat, of cattle and sheep; of horses and chariots, and slaves— that is, souls of men”. Historical Background The term reflects the Latin raeda, a covered four-wheeled carriage used in the Roman world for travel and the transport of high-value cargo or distinguished passengers. Unlike the two-wheeled war chariots of earlier Near-Eastern cultures, the raeda signaled prestige, wealth, and leisurely comfort. Its presence in the list underscores the cosmopolitan nature of first-century trade and the allure of Roman luxury permeating the provinces. Chariots as Symbols of Power and Prestige 1. Military might: Old Testament chariots often embodied martial strength (Exodus 14:9; 2 Kings 18:24). Nations trusted in them, yet “some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God” (Psalm 20:7). Luxury Trade and Moral Decline Revelation 18 parallels the lament over Tyre in Ezekiel 27. Both portray commerce that feeds pride and oppression. The “chariots” in Revelation represent not warfare but ostentatious excess. Their pairing with “slaves—souls of men” exposes a system willing to commodify even human life for the sake of convenience and display. Thus, the single use of ῥέδων functions as a moral indictment of a culture drunk on materialism. Eschatological Significance 1. Transience of earthly splendor: The sudden fall of Babylon (Revelation 18:10) proves that possessions, however ornate, cannot shield from divine judgment. Ministry Reflections • Discernment in stewardship: The passage challenges modern disciples to evaluate their relationship to luxury and convenience. Forms and Transliterations ραιδών ρεδων ῥεδῶν ρέμβεται ρέμβευσον redon redōn rhedon rhedôn rhedōn rhedō̂nLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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