Revelation 6:16

New Testament Apocalyptic ASV (1901)

What does Revelation 6:16 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “and they say to the mountains and to the rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

and they say to the mountains and to the rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
Revelation 6:16 — American Standard Version

Context — Revelation 6

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
16and they say to the mountains and to the rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And said to the mountains and rocks, fall on us, etc.] They chose death rather than life. Dioclesian being invited by Constantine to a marriage feast, excused himself by reason of his old age; but receiving threatening letters, the historian f211 says, in which he was charged with having favoured Maxentius, and with favouring Maximinus, he poisoned himself; and others of the emperors are said to lay violent hands upon themselves: and hide us from the face of him that sitteth upon the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; thus they owned the proper deity, and almighty power of God, and Christ, which they dreaded; so Maximinus being afflicted with a most horrible disease, of which he died,…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“from the face-- (Psa 34:16). On the whole verse, compare Hos 10:8; Luk 23:30.”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal - See the notes at Revelation 5:1; Revelation 6:1. And, lo, there was a great earthquake - Before endeavoring to ascertain to what the sixth seal was designed to refer, it is proper, as in the previous cases, to furnish a particular explanation of the meaning of the symbols. All the symbols represented in the opening of this seal denote consternation, commotion, changes; but still they are all significant, and we are to suppose that something would occur corresponding with each one of them. It cannot be supposed that the things here described were represented on the part of the roll or volume that was now unfolded in any other way than that they…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“To the mountains and the rocks - Which were tottering already, Rev 6:12. Hide us from the face of him - Which "is against the ungodly," Psa 34:16. Next: Revelation Chapter 7”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“Fall: Rev 10:6; Jer 8:3; Hos 10:8; Luk 23:30 the face: Rev 4:2, Rev 4:5, Rev 4:9, Rev 20:11 and from: Rev 6:10, Rev 19:15; Psa 2:9-12, Psa 14:5, Psa 21:8-12, Psa 110:5, Psa 110:6; Zac 1:14, Zac 1:15; Mat 26:64; Th2 1:7-9 Revelation 6:17”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification