Word Studies¶
θερίζω (therizo) — G2325 — "to reap"¶
Original: θερίζω Transliteration: therizo Definition: From G2326 (therismos, in the sense of the crop); to harvest, to reap. Part of Speech: verb NT Occurrences: 21 (BLB count), 19 in KJV concordance
Translations¶
| Translation | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| reap | 5 | 26.3% |
| shall reap | 3 | 15.8% |
| reaping | 2 | 10.5% |
| shall | 2 | 10.5% |
| Other (7 forms) | 7 | 36.9% |
Key Verses¶
- Rev 14:15 — "Thrust in thy sickle, and reap (therison, Aor Act Impv): for the time is come for thee to reap (therisai, Aor Act Inf); for the harvest of the earth is ripe."
- Rev 14:16 — "and the earth was reaped (etheristhe, Aor Pass Ind)"
- Mat 13:39 — (noun therismos) "the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels"
- Gal 6:7-8 — "whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap (therisei). For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; and he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting."
- Jhn 4:36-37 — "he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal... One soweth, and another reapeth."
- Jas 5:4 — "the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields"
Theological Pattern¶
The verb carries both positive and negative connotations depending on context: positive in Jhn 4:36 (gathering fruit to life), neutral/agricultural in Mat 6:26 and Luk 12:24, and judgment-oriented in Gal 6:7-8 (reaping what one sows) and Rev 14:15-16. In Rev 14, the first harvest (therizo) is distinguished from the second (trygao, grape vintage), suggesting different types of harvest.
δρέπανον (drepanon) — G1407 — "sickle"¶
Original: δρέπανον Transliteration: drepanon Definition: From drepo (to pluck); a gathering hook, especially for harvesting. Part of Speech: neuter noun NT Occurrences: 8
Translations¶
| Translation | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| sickle | 8 | 100% |
Key Verses¶
- Mrk 4:29 — "immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come" (only non-Revelation occurrence)
- Rev 14:14 — "in his hand a sharp sickle"
- Rev 14:15 — "Thrust in thy sickle, and reap"
- Rev 14:16 — "thrust in his sickle on the earth"
- Rev 14:17 — "he also having a sharp sickle"
- Rev 14:18 — "him that had the sharp sickle... Thrust in thy sharp sickle" (2x)
- Rev 14:19 — "the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth"
Significance¶
7 of 8 NT occurrences are in Rev 14:14-19 — this is essentially a Revelation harvest word. The one other occurrence (Mrk 4:29) is also harvest-related, in the parable of the seed growing secretly. The OT equivalent is H4038 maggal (Joel 3:13; Jer 50:16) and H2770 chermesh (Deu 23:25).
ληνός (lenos) — G3025 — "winepress"¶
Original: ληνός Transliteration: lenos Definition: Apparently a primary word; a trough, i.e. wine-vat; winepress. Part of Speech: feminine noun NT Occurrences: 5
Translations¶
| Translation | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| winepress | 4 | 80% |
| a winepress | 1 | 20% |
Key Verses¶
- Mat 21:33 — "digged a winepress in it" (vineyard parable)
- Rev 14:19 — "cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God"
- Rev 14:20 — "the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress" (2x)
- Rev 19:15 — "he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God"
OT Connections¶
Hebrew equivalents: H1660 gath (winepress, 5 occurrences — Jdg 6:11; Neh 13:15; Isa 63:2; Lam 1:15) and H6333 purah (winepress, 2 occurrences — Isa 63:3; Hag 2:16). The LXX uses lenos for both. The winepress in Rev 14:19-20 and 19:15 forms a bookend: the grape harvest is cast in and the treading occurs.
πατέω (pateo) — G3961 — "to tread/trample"¶
Original: πατέω Transliteration: pateo Definition: From a derivative probably meaning a "path"; to trample, to tread. Part of Speech: verb NT Occurrences: 5
Key Verses¶
- Luk 10:19 — "I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions"
- Luk 21:24 — "Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles"
- Rev 11:2 — "the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months"
- Rev 14:20 — "the winepress was trodden (epatethe, Aor Pass Ind) without the city"
- Rev 19:15 — "he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath"
Pattern in Revelation¶
The verb appears in three Revelation contexts: (1) treading the holy city (11:2 — oppression), (2) treading the winepress of wrath (14:20 — judgment executed), (3) Christ treading the winepress (19:15 — divine warrior). The LXX uses pateo for Isa 63:3 "I have trodden" (connecting the OT winepress to the Revelation winepress).
θυμός (thymos) — G2372 — "wrath/fury"¶
Original: θυμός Transliteration: thymos Definition: From thyo; passion (as if breathing hard); fierceness, indignation, wrath. Part of Speech: masculine noun NT Occurrences: 18
Translations¶
| Translation | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| wrath | 12 | 66.7% |
| fierceness | 2 | 11.1% |
| indignation | 1 | 5.6% |
| Other | 3 | 16.6% |
REVELATION CHAIN (10 of 18 NT occurrences)¶
| Verse | Context | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Rev 12:12 | Dragon's wrath (has come down with great wrath) | wrath |
| Rev 14:8 | Babylon's wine of the wrath of her fornication | wrath |
| Rev 14:10 | Wine of the wrath of God, poured unmixed | wrath |
| Rev 14:19 | Great winepress of the wrath of God | wrath |
| Rev 15:1 | Seven last plagues, filled up wrath of God | wrath |
| Rev 15:7 | Golden vials full of the wrath of God | wrath |
| Rev 16:1 | Pour out the vials of the wrath of God | wrath |
| Rev 16:19 | Wine of the fierceness of his wrath | fierceness |
| Rev 18:3 | Wine of the wrath of her fornication | wrath |
| Rev 19:15 | Winepress of the fierceness and wrath | fierceness |
Distinguished from orgē (G3709)¶
- thymos = passionate fury, hot anger, violent outburst (breathing hard)
- orgē = settled judicial wrath, abiding indignation
- They COMBINE at Rev 16:19 ("fierceness [thymos] of his wrath [orgē]") and Rev 19:15 ("fierceness [thymos] and wrath [orgē]")
- The winepress is specifically the instrument of thymos (passionate divine fury), not merely orgē (cold judicial sentence)
thymiama/thymos wordplay (from R.5)¶
The phonetic near-identity of thymiamaton (G2368, incense/prayers, Rev 5:8) and thymou (G2372, wrath, Rev 15:7) — both sharing the root thyo — may constitute deliberate wordplay: golden bowls shift from containing prayers to containing wrath.
σταφυλή (staphyle) — G4718 — "grape cluster"¶
Original: σταφυλή Transliteration: staphyle Definition: Probably from the base of stachys; a cluster of grapes. Part of Speech: feminine noun NT Occurrences: 3
Key Verses¶
- Mat 7:16 — "Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?"
- Luk 6:44 — "of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes"
- Rev 14:18 — "for her grapes (staphylai) are fully ripe (ekmasen)"
Significance¶
The synoptic usage (Mat 7:16; Luk 6:44) establishes grapes as a test of character — you know a plant by its fruit. In Rev 14:18, the grapes of the earth vine have reached full ripeness (akmazo) — the character of the wicked is fully mature. The connection between "grapes" as character-test and "grapes" as judgment-ripe creates a coherent metaphor.
βότρυς (botrys) — G1009 — "bunch/cluster of grapes"¶
Original: βότρυς Transliteration: botrys Definition: Of uncertain derivation; a bunch (of grapes). Part of Speech: masculine noun NT Occurrences: 1 (NT hapax in KJV)
Key Verse¶
- Rev 14:18 — "gather the clusters (botryas) of the vine of the earth"
OT LXX References¶
- Gen 40:10 — Pharaoh's butler's dream (vine with clusters)
- Num 13:24 — The cluster (eshkol) from the brook Eshcol
Significance¶
An NT hapax legomenon. Distinguished from staphyle (G4718): botrys = the cluster as a structural unit (bunch); staphyle = the individual grapes within the cluster. Both appear in Rev 14:18, creating a complete picture: gather the CLUSTERS (botrys) because the GRAPES (staphyle) within them are ripe.
νεφέλη (nephele) — G3507 — "cloud"¶
Original: νεφέλη Transliteration: nephele Definition: Properly, cloudiness, i.e. (concretely) a cloud. Part of Speech: feminine noun NT Occurrences: 26
Key Occurrences — Son of Man + Cloud¶
| Verse | Preposition | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Dan 7:13 (LXX) | META (with) | "came WITH the clouds of heaven" — approaching God |
| Mat 24:30 | EN (in) | "coming IN the clouds of heaven" — Second Coming |
| Mat 26:64 | EPI (upon) + META (with) | "coming in the clouds" — to high priest |
| Rev 1:7 | META (with) | "he cometh WITH clouds" — Second Coming |
| Rev 14:14 | EPI (upon) | "UPON the cloud one sat" — harvest scene |
Significance¶
The preposition shift between Dan 7:13 (WITH clouds — movement toward the Ancient of Days) and Rev 14:14 (UPON the cloud — seated, reigning, executing harvest) is significant. In Dan 7:13, the Son of Man APPROACHES the throne; in Rev 14:14, He is already enthroned on the cloud, sickle in hand.
στέφανος (stephanos) — G4735 — "crown/wreath"¶
Original: στέφανος Transliteration: stephanos Definition: From stepho (to twine or wreathe); a chaplet (as a badge of royalty, a prize in games, or ornament). Part of Speech: masculine noun NT Occurrences: 18 (BLB), 14 in KJV concordance
Revelation Occurrences¶
| Verse | Wearer | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Rev 2:10 | Overcomers | "I will give thee a crown of life" |
| Rev 3:11 | Philadelphia | "hold that fast... that no man take thy crown" |
| Rev 4:4 | 24 Elders | "on their heads crowns of gold" |
| Rev 4:10 | 24 Elders | "cast their crowns before the throne" |
| Rev 6:2 | First horseman | "a crown was given unto him" |
| Rev 9:7 | Locust-horses | "on their heads were as it were crowns" |
| Rev 12:1 | Woman | "upon her head a crown of twelve stars" |
| Rev 14:14 | Son of Man | "on his head a golden crown" |
stephanos vs. diadema¶
- stephanos — consistently assigned to POSITIVE figures in Revelation: overcomers, elders, woman, Christ
- diadema (G1238) — sovereignty/kingly crown: dragon (12:3), beast (13:1), Christ at military return (19:12)
- Rev 14:14 uses stephanos, NOT diadema — the Son of Man at harvest wears the VICTOR's crown, not the KING's crown. This may indicate that at Rev 14:14, Christ acts as the victorious reaper rather than the conquering warrior (which is the Rev 19 role with diadema).
θυσιαστήριον (thysiasteriou) — G2379 — "altar"¶
Original: θυσιαστήριον Transliteration: thysiasteriou Definition: From a derivative of thysiazo; a place of sacrifice, i.e. an altar. Part of Speech: neuter noun NT Occurrences: 23 (BLB), 22 in KJV concordance
All 8 Revelation Occurrences¶
| Verse | Qualified? | Altar Type | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rev 6:9 | Unqualified | Burnt offering | Martyrs under the altar |
| Rev 8:3a | Unqualified | Burnt offering | Angel stood at the altar |
| Rev 8:3b | "golden" (chrysou) | Incense | Golden altar before the throne |
| Rev 8:5 | Unqualified | Burnt offering | Fire of the altar |
| Rev 9:13 | "golden" (chrysou) | Incense | Voice from four horns |
| Rev 11:1 | Unqualified | Burnt offering | Measure the altar |
| Rev 14:18 | Unqualified | Burnt offering | Angel came out from the altar |
| Rev 16:7 | Unqualified | Burnt offering | Altar speaks |
SP037 Altar Arc Significance¶
The altar at Rev 14:18 is UNQUALIFIED (no "golden" qualifier) = burnt offering altar, the same altar where the martyrs' blood was poured (6:9) and which later speaks to confirm God's justice (16:7). The angel coming "out from the altar" (ek tou thysiasteriou) connects directly to the fire authority that originated at the censer scene (8:5). The altar vindication arc runs: 6:9 (cry) -> 8:3-5 (prayers/fire) -> 9:13 (voice from altar) -> 14:18 (angel from altar with fire authority) -> 16:7 (altar speaks) -> 19:2 (vindication completed).
στάδιον (stadion) — G4712 — "stade/furlong"¶
Original: στάδιον Transliteration: stadion Definition: From the base of histemi (as fixed); a stade or certain measure of distance. Part of Speech: neuter noun NT Occurrences: 6 (BLB), 4 in KJV concordance
Key Verses¶
- Rev 14:20 — "a thousand and six hundred furlongs" (1600 stadia ≈ 184 miles / 296 km)
- Rev 21:16 — "twelve thousand furlongs" (12,000 stadia — New Jerusalem measurement)
1600 Stadia — Possible Significance¶
- 1600 = 40 x 40 (40 = testing/judgment number squared)
- 1600 = 4 x 400 (4 = universality; 400 = complete period)
- Approximately 184 miles / 296 km — roughly the length of Palestine from Dan to Beersheba (traditional measurement ~150 miles, but the larger dimension of the land from north to south could approach this)
- The contrast with 12,000 stadia (Rev 21:16, New Jerusalem) is notable: the blood-flow distance is approximately 1/7.5 of the city of God
Hebrew Words¶
מַגָּל (maggal) — H4038 — "sickle"¶
Definition: From an unused root meaning to reap; a sickle. Occurrences: 2 — Jer 50:16; Joel 3:13 - Joel 3:13: "Put ye in the sickle (maggal), for the harvest is ripe" — the direct OT source for Rev 14:15
גַּת (gath) — H1660 — "winepress"¶
Definition: Probably from darak (treading); a wine-press. Occurrences: 5 — Jdg 6:11 (2x); Neh 13:15 (2x); Isa 63:2; Lam 1:15 - Isa 63:2: "thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat (gath)"
פּוּרָה (purah) — H6333 — "winepress"¶
Definition: From pur; a wine-press (as crushing the grapes). Occurrences: 2 — Isa 63:3; Hag 2:16 - Isa 63:3: "I have trodden the winepress (purah) alone" — the specific word used for the divine solitude treading
τρυγάω (trygao) — G5166 — "to gather/vintage grapes"¶
Definition: From a derivative of trygo (to dry) meaning ripe fruit; to collect the vintage. NT Occurrences: 3 — Luk 6:44; Rev 14:18; 14:19 - Distinguished from therizo (G2325): trygao = grape harvesting; therizo = grain harvesting - The distinction between therizo (14:15-16, grain) and trygao (14:18-19, grape) lexically confirms two different harvests with two different objects