Καὶ πάντες οἱ ἄγγελοι εἱστήκεισαν κύκλῳ τοῦ θρόνου καὶ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων καὶ τῶν τεσσάρων ζῴων, καὶ ἔπεσαν ἐνώπιον τοῦ θρόνου ἐπὶ τὰ πρόσωπα αὐτῶν καὶ προσεκύνησαν τῷ Θεῷ. (Revelation 7:11)
And all the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God.
Heaven’s Syntax of Adoration
This majestic vision from Revelation orchestrates a cosmic scene of worship. The declensions in this verse play a symphonic role: nominatives show the participants, genitives form concentric spheres of authority and honor, and datives mark the divine recipient of glory. Each form contributes to the liturgy of heaven’s language.
Declension Analysis Table
| Greek Word | Morphology | Case & Syntactic Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| πάντες οἱ ἄγγελοι | 2nd declension masculine nominative plural with article | Subject of εἱστήκεισαν | “All the angels”—emphatically identified as worship participants |
| τοῦ θρόνου | 2nd declension masculine genitive singular with article | Genitive of relation or possession | “Around the throne”—central axis of heavenly geography and authority |
| τῶν πρεσβυτέρων | 2nd declension masculine genitive plural with article | Genitive of coordination (linked with τοῦ θρόνου) | Forms the circle of authority surrounding the throne |
| τῶν τεσσάρων ζῴων | 2nd declension neuter genitive plural (ζῷον) with cardinal adjective | Genitive of coordination | “The four living creatures”—iconic symbolic beings in apocalyptic vision |
| ἔπεσαν | Aorist active indicative, 3rd person plural (from πίπτω) | Main verb following the vision of standing | Action shift from reverent standing to prostrate worship |
| ἐνώπιον τοῦ θρόνου | Preposition + genitive | Genitive of place | “Before the throne”—emphasizing location of divine presence |
| ἐπὶ τὰ πρόσωπα αὐτῶν | Preposition + accusative plural + genitive pronoun | Accusative of motion; genitive of possession | “Upon their faces”—intensity and posture of reverence |
| προσεκύνησαν τῷ Θεῷ | Dative masculine singular noun with article | Dative of direct object (recipient of worship) | The verb προσκυνέω takes a dative direct object — here, God is directly worshiped |
Genitives That Enfold the Throne
The phrase κύκλῳ τοῦ θρόνου καὶ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων καὶ τῶν τεσσάρων ζῴων forms a multi-layered genitive construction. The genitive case functions as a coordinate frame, mapping the divine center surrounded by layers of reverence: throne → elders → living creatures → angels.
– Genitive singular: τοῦ θρόνου = divine authority
– Genitive plurals: τῶν πρεσβυτέρων and τῶν…ζῴων = figures of worship and mediation
Accusatives That Show Movement
– ἐπὶ τὰ πρόσωπα: accusative of motion indicates the angels fell onto their faces
– αὐτῶν: genitive of possession — their faces, denoting personal participation in worship
Dative of Worship: Direct Recipient
– τῷ Θεῷ: governed directly by the verb προσεκύνησαν. The dative marks God as the direct recipient of prostration and reverence. No preposition is present or required.
Declensions That Shape the Liturgy of Heaven
This verse is a grammar of reverence. The nominative angels act, the genitive throne and elders frame the center, the accusatives record their movement in humility, and the dative reveals the object of worship. The declensions are not static—they enact worship. In Revelation 7:11, grammar becomes choreography, and case endings become the syntax of heaven’s liturgy.
