Revelation 9:11
New International Version
They had as king over them the angel of the Abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon and in Greek is Apollyon (that is, Destroyer).

New Living Translation
Their king is the angel from the bottomless pit; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek, Apollyon —the Destroyer.

English Standard Version
They have as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit. His name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he is called Apollyon.

Berean Standard Bible
They were ruled by a king, the angel of the Abyss. His name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek it is Apollyon.

Berean Literal Bible
They have a king over them, the angel of the abyss. His name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek, he has the name Apollyon.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
And they had as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name Apollyon.

New American Standard Bible
They have as king over them, the angel of the abyss; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek he has the name Apollyon.

NASB 1995
They have as king over them, the angel of the abyss; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek he has the name Apollyon.

NASB 1977
They have as king over them, the angel of the abyss; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek he has the name Apollyon.

Legacy Standard Bible
They have as king over them, the angel of the abyss. His name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek he has the name Apollyon.

Amplified Bible
They have as king over them, the angel of the abyss (the bottomless pit); in Hebrew his name is Abaddon (destruction), and in Greek he is called Apollyon (destroyer-king).

Christian Standard Bible
They had as their king the angel of the abyss; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he has the name Apollyon.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
They had as their king the angel of the abyss; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he has the name Apollyon.

American Standard Version
They have over them as king the angel of the abyss: his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek tongue he hath the name Apollyon.

Contemporary English Version
Their king was the angel in charge of the deep pit. In Hebrew his name was Abaddon, and in Greek it was Apollyon.

English Revised Version
They have over them as king the angel of the abyss: his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek tongue he hath the name Apollyon.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The king who ruled them was the angel from the bottomless pit. In Hebrew he is called Abaddon, and in Greek he is called Apollyon.

Good News Translation
They have a king ruling over them, who is the angel in charge of the abyss. His name in Hebrew is Abaddon; in Greek the name is Apollyon (meaning "The Destroyer").

International Standard Version
They had the angel of the bottomless pit ruling over them as king. In Hebrew he is called Abaddon, and in Greek he is called Apollyon.

Majority Standard Bible
They were ruled by a king, the angel of the Abyss. His name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek it is Apollyon.

NET Bible
They have as king over them the angel of the abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek, Apollyon.

New Heart English Bible
They have over them as king the angel of the abyss. His name in Hebrew is "Abaddon," and in Greek, he has the name "Apollyon."

Webster's Bible Translation
And they had a king over them, who is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew language is Abaddon, but in the Greek language he hath his name Apollyon.

Weymouth New Testament
The locusts had a king over them--the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is 'Abaddon,' while in the Greek he is called 'Apollyon.'

World English Bible
They have over them as king the angel of the abyss. His name in Hebrew is “Abaddon”, but in Greek, he has the name “Apollyon”.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and they have over them a king—the messenger of the abyss—a name [is] to him in Hebrew, Abaddon, and in the Greek he has a name, Apollyon.

Berean Literal Bible
They have a king over them, the angel of the abyss. His name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek, he has the name Apollyon.

Young's Literal Translation
and they have over them a king -- the messenger of the abyss -- a name is to him in Hebrew, Abaddon, and in the Greek he hath a name, Apollyon.

Smith's Literal Translation
And they have a king over them, the angel of the abyss, the name to him in Hebrew Abaddon, and in Greek he has the name Apollyon.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
A king, the angel of the bottomless pit; whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek Apollyon; in Latin Exterminans,

Catholic Public Domain Version
And they had over them a king, the Angel of the abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Doom; in Greek, Destroyer; in Latin, Exterminator.

New American Bible
They had as their king the angel of the abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon and in Greek Apollyon.

New Revised Standard Version
They have as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he is called Apollyon.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And they had a king over them, who was the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is, A-bad’don, but in Greek his name is A-poll’yon.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And there is a King over them, the Angel of The Abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Avadu, and in Aramaic his name is Shara.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
And they had over them a king, the angel of the abyss: his name, in Hebrew, is Abaddon, and, in Greek, he has the name Apollyon.

Godbey New Testament
and they have over them a king, the angel of the bottomless pit, to him the name is Abaddon in Hebrew, and in Greek he has the name Apollyon.

Haweis New Testament
And they had over them a king, the angel of the abyss of hell, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he is called Appollyon.

Mace New Testament
they had for their king the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek his name is Apollyon.

Weymouth New Testament
The locusts had a king over them--the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is 'Abaddon,' while in the Greek he is called 'Apollyon.'

Worrell New Testament
They have over them as king the angel of the abyss: his name in Hebrew is Abaddon; and, in the Greek, he has a name Apollyon.

Worsley New Testament
And they had a king over them, the angel of the bottomless pit; whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek tongue Apollyon.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Fifth Trumpet
10They had tails with stingers like scorpions, which had the power to injure people for five months. 11They were ruled by a king, the angel of the Abyss. His name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek it is Apollyon. 12The first woe has passed. Behold, two woes are still to follow.…

Cross References
Job 26:6
Sheol is naked before God, and Abaddon has no covering.

Job 28:22
Abaddon and Death say, ‘We have heard a rumor about it.’

Job 31:12
For it is a fire that burns down to Abaddon; it would root out my entire harvest.

Proverbs 15:11
Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the LORD—how much more the hearts of men!

Isaiah 14:12-15
How you have fallen from heaven, O day star, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the ground, O destroyer of nations. / You said in your heart: “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God. I will sit on the mount of assembly, in the far reaches of the north. / I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” ...

Isaiah 33:22
For the LORD is our Judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our King. It is He who will save us.

Isaiah 54:16
Behold, I have created the craftsman who fans the coals into flame and forges a weapon fit for its task; and I have created the destroyer to wreak havoc.

Ezekiel 28:14-17
You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for I had ordained you. You were on the holy mountain of God; you walked among the fiery stones. / From the day you were created you were blameless in your ways—until wickedness was found in you. / By the vastness of your trade, you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mountain of God, and I banished you, O guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones. ...

Daniel 10:13
However, the prince of the kingdom of Persia opposed me for twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia.

Daniel 12:1
“At that time Michael, the great prince who stands watch over your people, will rise up. There will be a time of distress, the likes of which will not have occurred from the beginning of nations until that time. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered.

Matthew 12:24
But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “Only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, does this man drive out demons.”

Matthew 25:41
Then He will say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

Luke 8:31
And the demons kept begging Jesus not to order them to go into the Abyss.

John 12:31
Now judgment is upon this world; now the prince of this world will be cast out.

John 14:30
I will not speak with you much longer, for the prince of this world is coming, and he has no claim on Me.


Treasury of Scripture

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 has his name Apollyon.

they had.

Revelation 12:9
And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

John 12:31
Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.

John 14:30
Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.

the angel.

Revelation 9:1
And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.

Abaddon.

John 8:44
Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

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Revelation 9
1. At the sounding of the fifth angel, a star falls from heaven, to whom is given the key to the bottomless pit.
2. He opens the pit, and there come forth locusts like scorpions.
12. The first woe past.
13. The sixth trumpet sounds.
14. Four angels who were bound are let loose.














They were ruled by a king
This phrase indicates a structured hierarchy even among the forces of darkness, suggesting that chaos is not without order. The concept of a "king" implies authority and governance, which in a biblical context, often reflects God's ultimate sovereignty. The presence of a king over these destructive forces serves as a reminder that even evil is under divine control and will ultimately serve God's purposes. The Greek word for "king" is "basileus," which denotes one who holds dominion and power, emphasizing the organized nature of the spiritual realm.

the angel of the Abyss
The "Abyss" is often understood as a deep, bottomless pit or a place of confinement for evil spirits. In biblical literature, it is a realm of chaos and destruction, contrasting with the order and life associated with God's kingdom. The "angel" here is a messenger or a being with a specific role, highlighting the structured nature of spiritual warfare. The Greek term "angelos" means messenger, indicating that this being has a specific purpose or mission, even within the realm of darkness.

His name in Hebrew is Abaddon
"Abaddon" is a Hebrew term that means "destruction" or "place of destruction." It is often associated with Sheol, the realm of the dead, in the Old Testament. This name signifies the destructive power and intent of this being, aligning with the theme of judgment and the ultimate defeat of evil. The use of the Hebrew name connects this figure to the broader biblical narrative of God's judgment against sin and rebellion.

and in Greek it is Apollyon
"Apollyon" is the Greek equivalent of "Abaddon," meaning "destroyer." This name reinforces the destructive nature of this angelic being. The use of both Hebrew and Greek names highlights the universal scope of the message in Revelation, addressing both Jewish and Gentile audiences. It underscores the comprehensive nature of God's plan for redemption and judgment, transcending cultural and linguistic boundaries.

(11) And they had a king . . .--Better, They have over them as king (not "the angel," as in English version) an angel of the abyss; his name (is) in Hebrew Abaddon, and in the Greek he has a name, Apollyon. There is more than one point in which the seer wishes us to mark the contrast between these symbolical and the natural locusts. Locusts have no sting; these have. Locusts have no king (Proverbs 30:27); these have a king. The movements of the invading locusts are conducted with wonderful precision and order, yet no presiding monarch arranges their march; but here there is a directing and controlling head. The great movement is no mere undesigned or instinctive one, but the offspring of a hidden, spiritual force. The great battle is not on the surface only, the invasions, revolutions, tyrannies, which try and trouble mankind, involve spiritual principles, and are but tokens of the great conflict between the spirit of destruction and the spirit of salvation, between Christ and Belial, God and Mammon, the Prince of this world and the Prince of the kings of the earth. The king of these locust hordes is named in Hebrew Abaddon, or Perdition, a name sometimes given to the place or abode of destruction (Job 26:6). "Destruction (Abaddon) hath no covering"--i.e., before God. (Comp. Proverbs 15:11). In Greek his name is Apollyon, or Destroyer: The spirit of the destroyer is the spirit that inspires these hosts. It is a great movement, but its end is destruction, as its inspiring genius is from beneath, from an angel of the nether world. It is not necessary for us to seek some great historical personage for the fulfilment of this portion of the prophecy, any more than we ought to accept any great historical event as an exhaustive fulfilment of the vision. The picture is vivid and forcible, and its full and certain meaning will be plain hereafter; but it at least should draw our minds from the curiosity which seeks for historical or personal counterparts to the self-vigilance which fears lest our own spirit should be injured by the prevalence of any form of evil. It should teach us to remember always the vehement, earnest way in which the sacred writers describe the subtle, venomous power of all sin, and the merciless destructiveness of its work. It is not of any invading hosts, or signal and special forms of evil, but of the terrible and usual influence of all sin, that the Apostle St. Paul writes when he describes the world-wide devastations of sin in language partly borrowed from the Old Testament, but singularly reminding us of the vision before us. "There is none that doeth good; no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; the poison of asps is upon their lips; their feet are swift to shed blood; destruction and misery are in their ways; and the way of peace have they not known; there is no fear of God before their eyes" (Romans 3:12-18). It is perhaps well to notice that at this fifth trumpet the unseen spiritual powers of darkness appear taking part in. the conflict. There is a time when the obstinate resistance of mankind (yes, and of individual men and women also) to better things becomes fortified by an evil spirit, and they are no longer passive resisters of good, but they become active antagonists of good, hating and obscuring the light of truth, and wounding the spirits and consciences of men. Alas! many walk of whom the Apostle could only say with tears, "they are the enemies of the cross of Christ" (the emblem of salvation), "and whose end is destruction" (Philippians 3:18-19).

Verse 11. - And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit; they have over them as king the angel of the abyss (Revised Version). Most commentators contrast with the condition of the natural locusts, who have no king (Proverbs 30:7). "The angel" evidently, points to the star of ver. l, who is Satan himself. Some think a particular angel, not Satan, is intended. Alford unnecessarily hesitates to decide that Satan is meant, owing to Revelation 12:3, 9. Whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon. Abaddon is the Hebrew אֲבַדּון, a noun representing the abstract idea "destruction" (Job 31:12), but more frequently employed to designate the netherworld (Job 26:6; Job 28:22; Proverbs 15:11; Psalm 88:12). Apollyon (ἀπολλύων, present participle) is the Greek ἀπώλεια (by which the LXX. renders אֲבַדּון) personified. It is in conformity with St. John's usual practice to give the two forms of the name (cf. John 1:38, 42; John 4:25; John 9:7; John 11:16; John 19:13, 17). In the name we have summed up the character of him who bears it. He is the "destroyer," the one who causes "perdition" to mankind. Cf. the words of our Lord given by St. John (John 8:44), "He was a murderer from the beginning." Bengel and others contrast with "Jesus" the "Saviour." Perhaps the height of absurdity is reached by those writers (Bleek, Volkmar) who see in the name Apollyon a reference to (N)apoleon.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
They were ruled by
ἔχουσιν (echousin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 2192: To have, hold, possess. Including an alternate form scheo skheh'-o; a primary verb; to hold.

a king,
βασιλέα (basilea)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 935: A king, ruler, but in some passages clearly to be translated: emperor. Probably from basis; a sovereign.

the
τὸν (ton)
Article - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

angel
ἄγγελον (angelon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 32: From aggello; a messenger; especially an 'angel'; by implication, a pastor.

of the
τῆς (tēs)
Article - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

Abyss.
ἀβύσσου (abyssou)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 12: The abyss, unfathomable depth, an especially Jewish conception, the home of the dead and of evil spirits. Depthless, i.e. 'abyss'.

His
αὐτῷ (autō)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

name
ὄνομα (onoma)
Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3686: Name, character, fame, reputation. From a presumed derivative of the base of ginosko; a 'name'.

in Hebrew
Ἑβραϊστί (Hebraisti)
Adverb
Strong's 1447: In the Hebrew, or rather, in the Aramaic dialect. Adverb from Hebrais; Hebraistically or in the Jewish language.

[is] Abaddon,
Ἀβαδδών (Abaddōn)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3: Abaddon, Destroyer (i.e. Destroying Angel) or place of destruction (personified). Of Hebrew origin; a destroying angel.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

in
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

Greek
Ἑλληνικῇ (Hellēnikē)
Adjective - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1673: Greek, the Greek language. From Hellen; Hellenic, i.e. Grecian.

[it is]
ὄνομα (onoma)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3686: Name, character, fame, reputation. From a presumed derivative of the base of ginosko; a 'name'.

Apollyon.
Ἀπολλύων (Apollyōn)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 623: Apollyon, The Destroying One, a Greek translation of the Hebrew: Abaddon. Active participle of apollumi; a destroyer.


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NT Prophecy: Revelation 9:11 They have over them as king (Rev. Re Apocalypse)
Revelation 9:10
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