Εὐφράτης (Euphratēs)
Euphratēs
Euphrates
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun Euphratēs refers to the great river that rises in the Armenian mountains and flows through Mesopotamia into the Persian Gulf. In the New Testament, it appears only twice, both in the Book of Revelation, where it serves as a specific geographical marker for the end-times narrative.
Its name carries the sense of a "good and abounding river," reflecting its historical role as a vital water source and a political boundary for the Roman province of Syria. The text uses this familiar landmark to locate the release of four angels bound at this distant eastern frontier, grounding apocalyptic imagery in real-world geography.
Because the word occurs so rarely, it functions less as a theological term and more as a concrete setting. It reminds readers that the cosmic events described in Revelation unfold within the actual history and landscape of the ancient world, connecting divine prophecy to the physical earth.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Euphrates evokes a landscape of vast horizons and ancient history. In Revelation, this great river is not merely scenery but a boundary marker where divine action intersects with human geography. The text describes angels being released at its banks, reminding us that God’s plans are not abstract ideas floating in space, but events rooted in the real world we inhabit.
When the waters of the Euphrates are dried up to make way for kings from the east, the imagery signals a shift in the order of things. For believers, this points to a time when earthly powers will be rearranged by God’s hand. It is a sobering thought that invites us to look beyond our immediate surroundings and trust in the sovereignty that governs history.
Though we live far from these ancient banks, the message remains close. The same God who holds the rivers also holds your life. There is comfort in knowing that no matter how chaotic the world seems, the final movements belong to Him. We can rest in the certainty that He guides all things toward their intended end.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Euphrates.1×
- Euphrates,1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- Εὐφράτῃ.1×
- Εὐφράτην,1×
Key Verses
-
Revelation of John 9:14
saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Free the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates!”
This verse marks the moment of release, showing the Euphrates as a prison boundary for spiritual forces awaiting God's command.
-
Revelation of John 16:12
The sixth poured out his bowl on the great river, the Euphrates. Its water was dried up, that the way might be prepared for the kings that come from the sunrise.
Here the river’s waters are removed to clear a path, illustrating how God can alter natural barriers to fulfill His purposes.