John prostrates to Jesus
και επεστρεψα βλεπειν την φωνην ητις ελαλησεν μετ εμου και επιστρεψας ειδον επτα λυχνιας χρυσας
kai epestreya blepein thn fwnhn htis elalei met emou kai epistreyas eidon epta lucnias crusas
Rev 1.12 And I turned to see the voice which spoke with me.
και εν μεσω των επτα λυχνιων ομοιον υιω ανθρωπου ενδεδυμενον ποδηρη και περιεζωσμενον προς τοις μαστοις ζωνην χρυσην
kai en mesw twn lucniwn omoion uion anqrwpou endedumenon podhrh kai periezwsmenon pros tois mastois zwnhn crusan
Rev 1.13 And having turned, I saw seven lampstands of gold, and in (the) midst of the seven lampstands (One) like (the) Son of Man, having been clothed to (the) feet, and having been girded with at the breasts a girdle of gold.
η δε κεφαλη αυτου και αι τριχες λευκαι ωσει εριον λευκον ως χιων και οι οφθαλμοι αυτου ως φλοξ πυρος
h de kefalh autou kai ai trices leukai ws erion leukon ws ciwn kai oi ofqalmoi autou ws flox puros
Rev 1.14 the And head of Him, and the hairs white as wool white, as snow, and the eyes of Him as a flame of fire;
και οι ποδες αυτου ομοιοι χαλκολιβανω ως εν καμινω πεπυρωμενοι και η φωνη αυτου ως φωνη υδατων πολλων
kai oi podes autou omoioi calkolibanw ws en kaminw pepurwmenhs kai h fwnh autou ws fwnh udatwn pollwn
Rev 1.15 and the feet of Him like burnished metal as in a furnace having been fired, and the voice of Him as a sound of waters many,
και εχων εν τη δεξια αυτου χειρι αστερας επτα και εκ του στοματος αυτου ρομφαια διστομος οξεια εκπορευομενη και η οψις αυτου ως ο ηλιος φαινει εν τη δυναμει αυτου
kai ecwn en th dexia ceiri autou asteras epta kai ek tou stomatos autou romfaia distomos oxeia ekporeuomenh kai h oyis autou ws o hlios fainei en th dunamei autou
Rev 1.16 and having in His right hand seven stars; and a sharp, two-edged sword proceeding out of His mouth, and His face shining as the sun in its power.
και οτε ειδον αυτον επεσα προς τους ποδας αυτου ως νεκρος και επεθηκεν την δεξιαν αυτου χειρα επ εμε λεγων μοι μη φοβου εγω ειμι ο πρωτος και ο εσχατος
kai ote eidon auton epesa pros tous podas autou ws nekros kai eqhken thn dexian autou ep eme legwn mh fobou egw eimi o prwtos kai o escatos
Rev 1.17 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet, as dead. And He put His right hand on me, saying to me, Do not fear. I am the First and the Last,
Compare to 53.9…
فَكَانَ قَابَ قَوْسَيْنِ أَوْ أَدْنَى
Fakana qaba qawsayni aw adna
53.9 So He was at a distance of two cubits, or nearer.
كَانَ = “kana”
“kana” definition:
Perfect tense, 3rd person, masculine singular. Divested of all signification of time, is often used as a copula. It is a complete or attributive verb. It governs its attribute in the accusative. Was; existed, happened; occurred; took place; were; used to; is ever; is become; worthy of. It comes from the root “kana”, which means he, or it, was; to be, exist, happen, occur, take place, become, be such or so. A verb of the class called incomplete, because, with the agent that it comprises, or to which it relates, it cannot constitute a complete preposition; i.e. non-attributive. It governs its noun, or subject, in the nominative case, and it’s enunciative, or predicate, in the acc. case. Divested of all signification of time, is often used as a copula. As a complete, i.e., attributive verb.
فَكَانَ = “fa” + “kana” = “fakana” = so He was
References:
An Arabic-English Lexicon, E.W. Lane, volume eight, p. 3004
The Dictionary of the Holy Qur’an, 1st edition, Abdul Mannan Omar, pp. 500 – 502
A Dictionary and Glossary of the Koran, John Penrice, pp. 128 - 129
Occurrences of “fakana” in the Koran: 8
Locations: 7.175, 11.43, 18.80, 18.82, 26.63, 37.141, 53.9, 59.17
قَابَ = “qaba”
“qaba” definition:
Noun. The portion, of a bow, that is between the part that is grasped by the hand and the curved extremity: it is the space between the string and the part that is grasped by the hand, of the bow; small distance; short span; space between the middle and the end of a bow; portion of a bow that is between the part which is grasped by the hand and the curved extremity; space from one extremity of the bow to the other; measure or space. The mention of a single “qaba”, for two bows, indicates a very close union between two persons. As pertaining to 53.9…an inverted phrase meaning: and he was at the distance of the measure of the two portions between the part that is grasped by the hand and each of the curved extremities of the bow. It comes from the root “qaba”, which means he dug, or made a hollow in the ground: or he dug a round hollow in the ground; to dig a hole like an egg, draw ear, fly away. His skin became pitted, or marked with small hollows. He was, or became, near; drew near; or approached: and he fled – thus, it has two contrasting significations.
قَابَ قَوْسَيْنِ = at the distance of the measure of two Arabian bows; one chord to two bows
References:
An Arabic-English Lexicon, E.W. Lane, volume seven, pp. 2570 - 2571
The Dictionary of the Holy Qur’an, 1st edition, Abdul Mannan Omar pp. 468 - 469
Concordance of the Koran, Gustav Flugel, p. 155
Occurrences of “qaba” in the Koran: 1
Location: 53.9
قَوْسَيْنِ = “qawsayni”
“qawsayni” definition:
Dual noun. Two bows. As applied to 53.9…and he was at a distance of two Arabian bows: or two cubits; at the distance of the measure of, the two portions between the part of the bow that is grasped by the hand and each of the curved extremities. It comes from the root “qasa”, which means to compare by measurement proceed anyone, measure anything, imitate anyone. He measured the thing by another thing like it (both in the proper sense and mentally).
References:
An Arabic-English Lexicon, E.W. Lane, volume seven, pp. 2574 -2575
The Dictionary of the Holy Qur’an, 1st edition, Abdul Mannan Omar p. 469
Concordance of the Koran, Gustav Flugel, p. 155
Occurrences of “qawsayni” in the Koran: 1
Location: 53.9
أَوْ = “aw”
“aw” definition:
A conjunction: or; either; whether; until; unless. It does not denote doubt but simply indicates the presentation of an alternative similitude. It is also used in the meaning of “wa”, (and) & “bal” (rather) to denote transition, separation, or distance.
References:
An Arabic-English Lexicon, E.W. Lane, volume one, pp. 122 – 123
A Grammar of the Arabic Language, W. Wright, Third edition, volume 1, p. 293
The Dictionary of the Holy Qur’an, 1st edition, Abdul Mannan Omar p. 37
أَدْنَى = “adna”
“adna” definition:
Elative. Nearest; worse; lower; best; more fit; more proper; more likely; more probable; nearer; near; less; fewer. It comes from the root “dana”, which means he, or it, was, or became, near; drew near, or approached; it is either in person, or substance, or in respect of a predicament, and in place, and in time; to be near, come near or low, let down, be akin to.
References:
An Arabic-English Lexicon, E.W. Lane, volume three, pp. 920 - 922
The Dictionary of the Holy Qur’an, 1st edition, Abdul Mannan Omar p. 182
Concordance of the Koran, Gustav Flugel, p. 69
Occurrences of “adna” in the Koran: 9
Locations: 2.61, 4.3, 5.108, 30.3, 33.51, 33.59, 53.9, 58.7, 73.20
Summary of 53.9:
• Revelation tells us that when Jesus descended unto John’s Earth-bound vantage point; John first hears the voice of Jesus, behind him
• John turns around to see who spoke to him
• Upon turning around, John describes Jesus who stands before him
• Revelation indicates that John was in the immediate presence of Jesus by the following two indicators:
1. John falls at the “pous”(feet) of Jesus
2. Jesus places His right “cheir”(hand) “epi”(upon) John
• 53.9 begins with the copulative particle “fa”, which indicates either definite cause and effect, or a natural sequence of events
• It ties together 53.8 & 53.9
• “Fa” is juxtaposed to the masculine singular, perfect tense, “kana”, which is rendered “so He was”
• The word grouping “qaba qawsayni” informs us of the distance that “He (i.e. Jesus) was at”
• This distance is described as the equivalent of two cubits, or “adna” (nearer)
• Essentially, in very close contact
• Interestingly, “the mention of a single “qaba”, for two bows, indicates a very close union between two persons”
• Hence, via the conjunction “fa”, we are assured that the descending of Jesus (as described in 53.8 ), results in very close contact with John, as told to us in 53.9
• The cause is the descending of Jesus; the effect is that Jesus is now in the presence of John
• Summarizing ayahs 1 - 9 in sura 53, we have the following parallels to Revelation:
1. John falls at the feet of Jesus
2. John is the Companion of Jesus
3. John did not die
4. John did not err
5. John speaks not by his own will
6. John received divinely inspired Revelation
7. This Revelation was signified via an angel
8. The Revelation is from Jesus Christ
9. Jesus taught John
10. Jesus is the Triune God
11. The Lord Jesus is Uniplural in nature
12. The Lord Jesus is coming with the clouds
13. Jesus descends from the clouds to John
14. John is in the immediate presence of Jesus