Translation commentary on Revelation 8:13

Then I looked, and I heard: this is a separate episode that serves as a prelude to the last three trumpet blasts. In certain languages translators may say “Then I looked up, and I heard,” or idiomatically, for example, “Then I raised my face up and looked, and I heard.”

An eagle crying with a loud voice: the normal verb that expresses the sound made by an eagle should not be used; here the eagle is said to speak with a human voice.

As it flew in midheaven: that is to say, it was flying high in the sky.

Woe, woe, woe: this is an exclamation of horror, and a translator should use a term that expresses dismay at the horrible suffering that is coming on the inhabitants of the world. Most English translations are like Revised Standard Version. New Jerusalem Bible has “Disaster,” and Translator’s New Testament “Calamity”; other possibilities are “How terrible!” “How tragic!” or “Misfortune! Misfortune!”

An alternative translation model for the first part of this verse is “Then I looked and I saw an eagle flying high up in the sky, and I heard it crying out, saying, ‘Misfortune! Misfortune!’ ”

Translators should note that the word woe is pronounced three times. This coordinates with the way in which the text keeps count of the “woes” as they occur, in 9.12 and 11.14. Therefore the term used should be one that can be repeated in those places.

Those who dwell on the earth: this includes all human beings, even though God’s faithful people will not be destroyed. In many languages it will be necessary to specify that this refers only to people, not animals; for example, “all people (humans) on earth.”

The three angels: it is better to say “the other three angels” or “the remaining three angels.” The last three trumpet blasts will be followed by even worse disasters for the whole human race.

Are about to blow: for the auxiliary verb indicating future, are about to, see the same Greek term translated “is to take place” in 1.19. Revised English Bible is like Good News Translation, “must now blow.”

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Revelation to John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1993. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Revelation 8:13

Paragraph 8:13

8:13a

an eagle:
The Greek phrase is literally “one eagle.” The word “one” probably emphasizes that the eagle was alone. For example:

a single eagle (New Living Translation (2004))

eagle: An eagle is a large, sometimes aggressive bird. Eagles weigh about 5 kilograms (11 pounds) and are about 1 meter (3 feet) in length.

See how you translated this word in 4:7.

flying overhead: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as flying overhead refers to the open sky far above the ground. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

in midair (New International Version)
-or-
high in the air (Good News Translation)

calling in a loud voice: Here the phrase calling in a loud voice refers to speaking loudly. Another way to translate it is:

said with a powerful voice

8:13b

Woe! Woe! Woe to those who dwell on the earth: Here the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Woe refers to a time of much hardship or distress. Speaking the word three times probably corresponds to three hardships (each called a “woe”). Other ways to translate this clause are:

How terrible, terrible, terrible for the inhabitants of the earth!
-or-
Trouble, trouble, trouble to everyone who lives on earth! (Contemporary English Version)

If you have translated Matthew 11:21 (“How dreadful”), Mark 13:17 (“How miserable”), or Luke 22:22 (“woe”), see how you translated Woe there.

The word Woe is said three times to correspond to the three hardships. But in some languages repeating a word has a different use or is unnatural. If that is true in your language, repeat the meaning in a natural way. For example:

Woe for the inhabitants of the earth! Indeed, woe to them. Yes, woe.

those who dwell on the earth: This phrase refers to the people living on the earth. For example:

all who live on earth (Good News Translation)

8:13c

the trumpet blasts about to be sounded by the remaining three angels: The Greek words are literally “the remaining trumpet blasts of the angels about to sound them.” The Greek uses an active clause, and the Berean Standard Bible uses a passive clause. Some languages must use an active clause. For example, the Revised Standard Version says:

the blasts of the other trumpets which the three angels are about to blow

the trumpet blasts: The Greek phrase is literally “the remaining sounds of the trumpet.” Here this phrase refers to the sounds that the last three trumpets will make when the three angels blow them. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

the remaining trumpet blasts (God’s Word)
-or-
the sound of the other trumpets (Revised English Bible)

about to be sounded: This phrase indicates that the time is close for the last three angels to blow their trumpets.

© 2020 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.