English
And the seventh poured his bowl in the air, and a loud voice came from the temple, from the throne, saying, ‘It has happened.’
And there were lightning flashes and booms and thunders. And there was a massive earthquake, like has never been since men were on the earth, so immense was the massive earthquake. And the great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and the great Babylon was remembered in front of God, to give her the cup of wine of his anger’s wrath. And every island fled, and no mountains were found. And large hail, like a talent weight, fell from heaven on the men. And the men defamed God because of the plague of hail since it was so exceedingly large.
Interpretation
‘Babylon’ is explicitly identified as ‘the great city’ mentioned in chapter 11.
Parallels
Psalms
18.13 Yhwh also thundered in the heavens, and the Most High uttered his voice.
29.3 The voice of Yhwh is over the waters; the god of glory thunders, Yhwh, over mighty waters.
Kings
1.8.10–11 And when the priests came out of the holy place, a cloud filled the house of Yhwh, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud; for the glory of Yhwh filled the house of Yhwh.
Ezekiel
13.11 There will be a deluge of rain, great hailstones will fall, and a stormy wind will break out.
Exodus
19.16 On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, as well as a thick cloud on the mountain
1 Enoch
14.10–12, 18, 22 I drew near to a great house built of hailstones; and the walls of this house were like stone slabs, and they were all of snow, and the floor was of snow. And the ceiling was like shooting stars and lightning flashes; and among them were fiery cherubim, and their heaven was water, and a flaming fire encircled all their walls, and the doors blazed with fire […] and the voice of the cherubs […] Flaming fire encircled him and a great fire stood by him
Wisdom
5.22 and hailstones full of wrath will be hurled as from a catapult