8
I looked, and there in front of me was a pale horse! Its rider's name was Death. Following close behind him was Hell. They were given power over a fourth of the earth. They were given power to kill people with the sword, hunger and sickness. They could also use the earth's wild animals to kill.
Reference
People
Greek: μέ (mé)
me
Hebrew: ʼănâʼ
I
Greek: κἀκεῖ (kakeî)
likewise in that place
Greek: ἐμός (emós)
my
Hebrew: ʼechâd
properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an ordinal) first
Greek: ἵππος (híppos)
a horse
Hebrew: shum
{an appellation, as amark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character}
Greek: τελευτή (teleutḗ)
decease
Hebrew: Mûwth
'To die for the son', probably the title of a popular song
Greek: ἐπιοῦσα (epioûsa)
supervening, being expressed or implied) the ensuing day or night
Greek: ἆσσον (âsson)
more nearly, i.e. very near
Hebrew: zûwr
to press together, tighten
Greek: τοῦτον (toûton)
this (person, as objective of verb or preposition)
Greek: γέεννα (géenna)
valley of (the son of) Hinnom; ge-henna (or Ge-Hinnom), a valley of Jerusalem, used (figuratively) as a name for the place (or state) of everlasting punishment
Hebrew: chêçen
strength
Hebrew: ʻêllâʼ
above
Hebrew: ʼechâd
properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an ordinal) first
Hebrew: rᵉbîyʻay
{fourth; also (fractionally) a fourth}
Greek: ὁ (ho)
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom)
Hebrew: ʼillêyn
these
Greek: οἰκουμένη (oikouménē)
land, i.e. the (terrene part of the) globe; specially, the Roman empire
Hebrew: ʼăraʻ
the earth; by implication (figuratively) low
Hebrew: chêçen
strength
Greek: σφάζω (spházō)
to butcher (especially an animal for food or in sacrifice) or (generally) to slaughter, or (specially), to maim (violently)
Hebrew: zâbach
to slaughter an animal (usually in sacrifice)
Greek: δῆμος (dēmos)
the public (as bound together socially)
Hebrew: ʻam
{a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock}
Greek: ὁ (ho)
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom)
Hebrew: ʼillêyn
these
Greek: ῥομφαία (rhomphaía)
a sabre, i.e. a long and broad cutlass (any weapon of the kind, literally or figuratively)
Greek: καίγε (kaíge)
and at least (or even, indeed)
Hebrew: kîy
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
Greek: δή (dḗ)
a particle of emphasis or explicitness; now, then, etc.
Hebrew: ʼôw
desire (and so probably in Proverbs 31:4); hence (by way of alternative) or, also if
Greek: χρῆσις (chrēsis)
employment, i.e. (specially), sexual intercourse (as an occupation of the body)
Greek: ὁ (ho)
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom)
Hebrew: ʼillêyn
these
Greek: οἰκουμένη (oikouménē)
land, i.e. the (terrene part of the) globe; specially, the Roman empire
Hebrew: ʼăraʻ
the earth; by implication (figuratively) low
Greek: ἄγριος (ágrios)
wild (as pertaining to the country), literally (natural) or figuratively (fierce)
Greek: σφάζω (spházō)
to butcher (especially an animal for food or in sacrifice) or (generally) to slaughter, or (specially), to maim (violently)
Hebrew: zâbach
to slaughter an animal (usually in sacrifice)
Parallel theme
Hosea 13:14
Zechariah 6:3
Revelation 1:18
Revelation 9:18
Revelation 9:15
Isaiah 25:8
Word
Jeremiah 16:4
Ezekiel 5:12
Verse Explanation
John sees a pale horse whose rider is named Death, with the grave following him, and authority is given to them over a large portion of the earth to kill through war, famine, disease, and wild animals.
History
Future / symbolic: The pale horse gathers several forms of death into one image, showing the devastating consequences of human conflict and widespread catastrophe.