Tag Archives: Revelation 6:4

καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ἄλλος ἵππος πυρρός, καὶ τῷ καθημένῳ ἐπ’ αὐτὸν ἐδόθη αὐτῷ λαβεῖν τὴν εἰρήνην ἐκ τῆς γῆς καὶ ἵνα ἀλλήλους σφάξωσι, καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτῷ μάχαιρα μεγάλη. — Revelation 6:4

A Horse of Fire: Unleashing Judgment through Grammar

This dramatic apocalyptic verse unleashes the second horseman of the apocalypse: a fiery red horse symbolizing conflict and bloodshed. The Greek grammar in this single sentence orchestrates a chain of violent outcomes, structured through strategic use of aorist verbs, infinitives, subjunctives, and divine passives that build momentum from heavenly decree to earthly destruction.

ἐξῆλθεν…καὶ ἐδόθη: The Structure of Divine Permission

The opening verb ἐξῆλθεν (“went out”) sets the apocalyptic scene in motion.… Learn Koine Greek

καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ἄλλος ἵππος πυρρός, καὶ τῷ καθημένῳ ἐπ’ αὐτὸν ἐδόθη αὐτῷ λαβεῖν τὴν εἰρήνην ἐκ τῆς γῆς καὶ ἵνα ἀλλήλους σφάξωσι, καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτῷ μάχαιρα μεγάλη. Main Verb and Narrative Structure: ἐξῆλθεν

The primary verb ἐξῆλθεν (aorist active indicative, 3rd person singular of ἐξέρχομαι) serves as the central narrative action, translated as “went out” or “came forth.” The aorist tense marks this as a completed event in the sequence of visionary disclosures.

This verb governs the subject ἄλλος ἵππος πυρρός—“another horse, fiery red”—a phrase that introduces the symbolic figure with vivid imagery, following apocalyptic genre conventions.

Nominal Phrase: ἄλλος ἵππος πυρρός

This phrase consists of:

– ἄλλος (nominative masculine singular): “another,” functioning as an adjective modifying ἵππος – ἵππος (nominative masculine singular): “horse,” the subject of ἐξῆλθεν – πυρρός (nominative masculine singular adjective): “fiery red,” agreeing with ἵππος

The word order places emphasis on the color descriptor πυρρός, a rare and intense term, highlighting the horse’s symbolic function of violence and war.… Learn Koine Greek