Revelation 16:21

And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, [every stone] about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.

And {G2532} there fell {G2597} upon {G1909} men {G444} a great {G3173} hail {G5464} out of {G1537} heaven {G3772}, every stone about {G5613} the weight of a talent {G5006}: and {G2532} men {G444} blasphemed {G987} God {G2316} because of {G1537} the plague {G4127} of the hail {G5464}; for {G3754} the plague {G4127} thereof {G846} was {G2076} exceeding {G4970} great {G3173}.

And huge seventy-pound hailstones fell on people from the sky. But the people cursed God for the plague of hail, that it was such a terrible plague.

And great hailstones weighing almost a hundred pounds each rained down on them from above. And men cursed God for the plague of hail, because it was so horrendous.

And great hail, every stone about the weight of a talent, cometh down out of heaven upon men: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof is exceeding great.

Commentary

Revelation 16:21 describes the terrifying culmination of God's wrath poured out upon an unrepentant world. As the seventh and final bowl judgment is unleashed, a catastrophic hailstorm descends, each stone possessing immense weight, yet humanity's response remains one of defiant blasphemy rather than repentance.

Context

This verse concludes the account of the seven bowls of God's wrath, which are detailed in Revelation chapter 16. These plagues are final judgments upon those who have rejected God and worshipped the beast. The previous six bowls brought various forms of destruction—from grievous sores to the drying up of the Euphrates River—each intensifying the divine judgment. The hailstorm of verse 21 is the ultimate physical manifestation of God's anger, following the declaration "It is done" (Revelation 16:17), signaling the completion of this phase of judgment.

Key Themes

  • Divine Judgment and Sovereignty: The unprecedented nature of this hailstorm underscores God's absolute power and His righteous judgment against human sin and rebellion. It demonstrates that God is sovereign over all creation and all events, including the most devastating natural phenomena.
  • Unrepentant Rebellion: Despite the overwhelming evidence of God's power and the severity of the plagues, humanity's response is not humility or repentance, but increased blasphemy. This highlights the hardened hearts of those who have chosen to defy God, echoing earlier instances of unrepentance in Revelation where people refused to turn from their evil deeds (Revelation 9:20-21).
  • Escalation of Plagues: The progression of the bowls of wrath, culminating in this massive hailstorm, illustrates the escalating intensity of God's judgment. Each plague is more severe than the last, leading to a climax of destruction that leaves no doubt about the finality of divine wrath.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "about the weight of a talent" (Greek: talantiaiou) is crucial for understanding the scale of this judgment. A talent was an ancient unit of weight, varying by region, but often equivalent to 60-100 pounds (approximately 27-45 kg). This means each hailstones was incredibly massive, far beyond anything naturally occurring. This detail emphasizes the supernatural and devastating nature of this final plague, making it an unprecedented act of divine judgment.

The term "blasphemed God" (Greek: eblasphēmēsan ton Theon) signifies more than just complaining. It denotes a defiant, hostile speaking against God, cursing Him, or deliberately dishonoring His name. Even in the face of such overwhelming destruction, their hearts were so hardened that they chose to directly insult and reject the very God who was judging them.

Practical Application

Revelation 16:21 serves as a stark warning about the ultimate consequences of persistent sin and rebellion against God. It highlights:

  • The Seriousness of Unrepentance: The verse powerfully illustrates that even extreme suffering does not automatically lead to repentance. A hardened heart can choose to defy God even in the face of overwhelming judgment.
  • God's Patience and Final Judgment: While God is long-suffering and desires all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9), there is a limit to His patience, and a time will come for final, irrevocable judgment upon those who refuse His grace.
  • The Call to Repentance Today: For readers in any age, this passage underscores the urgency of responding to God's warnings and His call to repentance. It reminds us that true wisdom lies in humbling ourselves before God and seeking His mercy through faith in Christ, rather than hardening our hearts against Him.
Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Revelation 11:19

    And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.

  • Revelation 16:9

    And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.

  • Joshua 10:11

    And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, [and] were in the going down to Bethhoron, that the LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: [they were] more which died with hailstones than [they] whom the children of Israel slew with the sword.

  • Revelation 8:7

    ¶ The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.

  • Revelation 16:11

    And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.

  • Isaiah 8:21

    And they shall pass through it, hardly bestead and hungry: and it shall come to pass, that when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse their king and their God, and look upward.

  • Exodus 9:23

    And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground; and the LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt.
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