The Harvest of the Earth: Reaping God's Judgment
Revelation 14:14-20
Rev.14.14 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Και: CONJ
- ειδον: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- και: CONJ
- ιδου: PART
- νεφελη: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- λευκη: ADJ,nom,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- επι: PREP
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- νεφελην: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- καθημενον: VERB,pres,mid,ptc,acc,sg,m
- ομοιον: ADJ,nom,sg,m
- υιον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- ανθρωπου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- εχων: VERB,pres,act,ptc,nom,sg,m
- επι: PREP
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- κεφαλης: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- στεφανον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- χρυσουν: ADJ,acc,sg,n
- και: CONJ
- εν: PREP
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- χειρι: NOUN,dat,sg,fem
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- δρεπανον: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- οξυ: ADJ,acc,sg,n
Parallels
- Dan.7.13-14 (verbal): The title 'one like a son of man' coming with the clouds and receiving authority, glory and a kingdom — the primary Old Testament template echoed in Revelation's depiction.
- Rev.1.13 (verbal): Earlier Johannine vision uses the identical phrase 'one like a son of man,' linking Revelation's cloud-borne figure to the same Christ-like heavenly figure and imagery.
- Matt.24.30 (allusion): Jesus' coming 'on the clouds of heaven' and use of 'Son of Man' reapply Danielic cloud-Christology in the Gospels, paralleled by Revelation's cloud-appearance.
- Joel.3.13 (verbal): Prophetic command 'Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe' provides the Old Testament harvest/sickle motif that Revelation invokes in its judgment imagery.
- Rev.14.17-20 (structural): Immediate parallel within Revelation: angels wielding sickles to reap grapes of wrath/execute judgment — the harvest-judgment sequence continued and developed.
Alternative generated candidates
- And I looked, and behold a white cloud; and seated on the cloud was one like the Son of Man, wearing a golden crown on his head and holding in his hand a sharp sickle.
- Then I looked, and behold — a white cloud; and seated on the cloud was one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand.
Rev.14.15 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- αλλος: ADJ,nom,sg,m
- αγγελος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- εξηλθεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- εκ: PREP
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- ναου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- κραζων: VERB,pres,act,part,nom,sg,masc
- εν: PREP
- φωνη: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- μεγαλη: ADJ,nom,sg,f
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- καθημενω: PART,perf,pass,ptcp,dat,sg,m
- επι: PREP
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- νεφελης·Πεμψον: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- δρεπανον: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- σου: PRON,gen,sg,2
- και: CONJ
- θερισον: VERB,aor,act,imp,2,sg
- οτι: CONJ
- ηλθεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- ωρα: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- θερισαι: VERB,aor,act,inf
- οτι: CONJ
- εξηρανθη: VERB,aor,pass,ind,3,sg
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- θερισμος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- γης: NOUN,gen,sg,f
Parallels
- Joel 3:13 (verbal): Prophetic call to 'Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe'—direct verbal and thematic parallel to the angel's command to reap because the earth's harvest is ripe.
- Matthew 13:39-41 (thematic): Jesus explains the harvest image as 'the end of the age' when the Son of Man will send his angels to gather the wicked—parallels the eschatological harvest and angels as reapers.
- Revelation 14:17-20 (structural): Immediate continuation: another angel wields a sharp sickle and gathers grapes into the great winepress of God's wrath—same imagery and the next stage of the heavenly harvest scene.
- Matthew 9:37-38 (thematic): Jesus' 'the harvest is plentiful' saying applies harvest language to souls and urgency for workers—echoes the motif of ripe harvest and divine harvesting action in an eschatological sense.
Alternative generated candidates
- Then another angel came forth from the temple, crying with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, "Put in your sickle and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe."
- And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, "Put in your sickle and reap, for the hour to reap has come; the harvest of the earth is ripe."
Rev.14.16 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- εβαλεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- καθημενος: PART,nom,sg,m
- επι: PREP
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- νεφελης: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- δρεπανον: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- επι: PREP
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- γην: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- εθερισθη: VERB,aor,pass,ind,3,sg
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- γη: NOUN,nom,sg,f
Parallels
- Revelation 14:14 (structural): Immediate context: the preceding verse introduces the figure on the cloud who has a sickle — the scene that leads directly into v.16's reaping.
- Revelation 14:17-20 (structural): Direct continuation/parallel: an angel with a sharp sickle harvests the earth and casts the grapes into the great winepress, expanding the harvest-judgment imagery of v.16.
- Joel 3:13 (verbal): Prophetic call to 'put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe' — the same sickle/harvest language used for decisive, eschatological judgment.
- Mark 4:29 (verbal): Parable language: 'when the grain is ripe, he immediately puts in the sickle' — uses the same agricultural imagery to signify the moment of gathering/harvest.
- Matthew 13:39-40 (thematic): Jesus' interpretation of the harvest as the 'end of the age' when tares are gathered and burned — thematically parallels Revelation's harvest as eschatological separation and judgment.
Alternative generated candidates
- So he who sat on the cloud thrust his sickle into the earth, and the earth was reaped.
- So he who sat on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was reaped.
Rev.14.17 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Και: CONJ
- αλλος: ADJ,nom,sg,m
- αγγελος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- εξηλθεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- εκ: PREP
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- ναου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- εν: PREP
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- ουρανω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- εχων: VERB,pres,act,ptc,nom,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- αυτος: PRON,nom,sg,3,m
- δρεπανον: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- οξυ: ADJ,acc,sg,n
Parallels
- Revelation 14:14 (verbal): Immediate verbal parallel—this passage also depicts a figure (the 'Son of Man') associated with a sharp sickle and the imagery of a heavenly harvest, linking actors and reaping language.
- Revelation 14:18-20 (structural): Direct structural continuation: these verses describe the angel using the sickle to gather grapes and the subsequent winepress of God's wrath, completing the harvest motif initiated in 14:17.
- Joel 3:13 (allusion): OT prophetic source for the sickle/harvest motif ('Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe'); Revelation repeatedly alludes to Joel’s harvest/harrowing imagery (LXX influence likely).
- Matthew 13:39-41 (thematic): Jesus’ parable identifies the harvest as the end of the age and explicitly says the harvesters are angels—a thematic background for Revelation’s angelic reapers and eschatological harvest.
Alternative generated candidates
- Then another angel came forth from the temple that is in heaven, also having a sharp sickle.
- Then another angel came out of the temple that is in heaven, also having a sharp sickle.
Rev.14.18 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- αλλος: ADJ,nom,sg,m
- αγγελος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- εκ: PREP
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- θυσιαστηριου: NOUN,gen,sg,n
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- εχων: VERB,pres,act,ptc,nom,sg,m
- εξουσιαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- επι: PREP
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- πυρος: NOUN,gen,sg,n
- και: CONJ
- εφωνησεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- φωνη: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- μεγαλη: ADJ,nom,sg,f
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- εχοντι: VERB,pres,act,part,dat,m,sg
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- δρεπανον: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- οξυ: ADJ,acc,sg,n
- λεγων·Πεμψον: VERB,pres,act,ptcp,nom,sg,m+VERB,aor,act,imp,2,sg
- σου: PRON,gen,sg,2
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- δρεπανον: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- οξυ: ADJ,acc,sg,n
- και: CONJ
- τρυγησον: VERB,aor,act,imp,2,sg
- τους: ART,acc,pl,m
- βοτρυας: NOUN,acc,pl,m
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- αμπελου: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- γης: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- οτι: CONJ
- ηκμασαν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- αι: ART,nom,pl,f
- σταφυλαι: NOUN,nom,pl,f
- αυτης: PRO,gen,sg,f
Parallels
- Joel 3:13 (3:13 LXX) (quotation): Direct verbal parallel: 'Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe'—the same harvest/sickle formula is applied to God's final judgment.
- Revelation 14:14-16 (verbal): Immediate literary parallel within Revelation: a Son of Man figure with a sharp sickle is commanded to reap the earth, echoing the sickle/harvest motif and verbal wording.
- Revelation 14:19-20 (structural): Closely linked continuation: the subsequent angel gathers the clusters and the winepress of God's wrath is trodden—these verses form the same judgment-harvest/winepress sequence.
- Isaiah 63:1-3 (allusion): The imagery of treading the winepress and blood flowing from the press resonates with Isaiah's prophetic depiction of divine vengeance and the winepress metaphor for judgment.
- Matthew 13:30 (thematic): Parable of the weeds and harvest: uses harvest imagery to depict separation and final judgment—the gathering of 'clusters' or reaping of the earth is a shared symbolic framework.
Alternative generated candidates
- And another angel came out from the altar, the one who has authority over the fire, and he cried with a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, "Put in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for its grapes are fully ripe."
- And another angel came out from the altar, the one who has authority over the fire, and he cried with a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, "Put in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for its grapes are fully ripe."
Rev.14.19 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- εβαλεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- αγγελος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- δρεπανον: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- εις: PREP
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- γην: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- ετρυγησεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- αμπελον: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- γης: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- εβαλεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- εις: PREP
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- ληνον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- θυμου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- θεου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- μεγαν: ADJ,acc,sg,m
Parallels
- Revelation 14:14-16 (verbal): Immediate parallel within Revelation: an angel with a sharp sickle commanded to reap the earth—same harvest/sickle imagery and sequence leading to judgment.
- Revelation 19:15 (thematic): Same winepress imagery for divine judgment: 'treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God' applied to the coming eschatological judge.
- Isaiah 63:1-6 (allusion): Ancient prophetic image of God treading the winepress in anger, with blood flowing—background motif for Revelation's winepress of God's wrath.
- Joel 3:13 (verbal): Uses the sickle/harvest metaphor—'Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe'—linking harvest imagery to the eschatological judgment of nations.
Alternative generated candidates
- So the angel swung his sickle to the earth and gathered the vintage of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
- So the angel swung his sickle over the earth and gathered the vintage of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
Rev.14.20 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- επατηθη: VERB,aor,pass,ind,3,sg
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- ληνος: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- εξωθεν: ADV
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- πολεως: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- εξηλθεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- αιμα: NOUN,nom,sg,neut
- εκ: PREP
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- ληνου: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- αχρι: PREP
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- χαλινων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- ιππων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
- απο: PREP
- σταδιων: NOUN,gen,pl,n
- χιλιων: NUM,gen,pl
- εξακοσιων: NUM,gen,pl
Parallels
- Revelation 14:19 (structural): Immediate context: the angel swings a sickle to gather the grapes and throws them into the great winepress — the action directly leads to the treading described in 14:20.
- Revelation 14:18 (structural): The preceding angelic command to reap and cast the clusters into the winepress frames the vineyard/winepress imagery continued in 14:20.
- Revelation 19:15 (thematic): Jesus (or the rider on the white horse) is said to 'tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God,' echoing the winepress as the locus of divine judgment.
- Isaiah 63:1-6 (allusion): Isaiah depicts one who 'trodden the winepress' and whose garments are stained with blood — a close Old Testament source for the violent winepress imagery of divine vengeance in Revelation.
- Joel 3:13 (verbal): Joel calls for the swinging of the sickle and the trampling of the winepress because the harvest is ripe, using the same harvest/winepress motif for eschatological judgment.
Alternative generated candidates
- And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress as high as the horses' bridles for a distance of one thousand six hundred stadia.
- And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress as high as the bridles of the horses, for a distance of sixteen hundred stadia.
I looked, and behold — a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand.
Then another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, Put in your sickle and reap, for the hour to reap has come; the harvest of the earth is fully ripe. So he who sat on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was reaped.
Then another angel came out of the temple that is in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar — the angel who has authority over the fire — and he cried out with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, Put in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, for its grapes are fully ripe. So the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the vintage of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress as high as the bridles of the horses, for a distance of one thousand six hundred stadia.