Greek word · G1404

δράκων

drakōn

dragon

In Greek, a large serpent: a python-like snake, often pictured guarding something or as a monster. Greek writers use it of real big snakes and of mythic serpents. The Python that Apollo killed at Delphi is called a drakōn.

Appears 13 times in 12 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

δράκων, -ο τος, ὁ

[in LXX chiefly for תַּנִּין ;]

a dragon, a mythical monster: figuratively, of Satan, Revelation 12:3-17 13:2, 4 13:11 16:13 20:2.†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Revelation 12:3

Range of meaning

In Greek, a large serpent: a python-like snake, often pictured guarding something or as a monster. Greek writers use it of real big snakes and of mythic serpents. The Python that Apollo killed at Delphi is called a drakōn. In Jewish Greek it is the usual word for the sea-monster and chaos serpent of the Hebrew Bible.

Against the English

English 'dragon' now calls up the medieval and fantasy creature: four legs, bat wings, fire-breath, a hoard of gold. The Greek picture is mainly a vast serpent or sea-monster. That is why verse 9 can say 'the great dragon… that ancient serpent', and why 12:15 has it spew water like a river, not fire.

How it drifted

Medieval art (St George, St Michael) and later fantasy gave 'dragon' its legs, wings and fire. The Latin draco was already moving toward a winged monster in late antiquity. The English word kept the label but changed the creature.

Used elsewhere in the period

The Greek Old Testament (LXX) uses drakōn for Hebrew tannin (sea-monster) and for Leviathan: Isaiah 27:1 'the dragon, the fleeing serpent… the dragon in the sea'; Psalm 74:13–14 (LXX 73) 'you crushed the heads of the dragons… the head of the dragon'. Ezekiel 29:3 LXX calls Pharaoh 'the great dragon (ton drakonta ton megan) lying in the midst of his rivers'. Jeremiah 51:34 pictures Nebuchadnezzar swallowing Jerusalem 'like a dragon'. Psalms of Solomon 2:25 (1st century BC) calls the Roman general Pompey 'the dragon'. In the Ugaritic texts from Canaan (around the 13th century BC), Lotan/Leviathan is 'the twisting serpent… the mighty one with seven heads' (KTU 1.5 I 1–3; cf. 1.3 III 38–42).

From the study of Revelation 12:7

Range of meaning

In Greek, a large serpent or snake, often a monstrous one that guards a place or fights the gods. In the Septuagint (the Greek Old Testament) it often translates tannîn (sea monster) and Liwyātān (Leviathan), the chaos monster of the sea.

Against the English

'Dragon' is the standard rendering and not wrong. But in modern English it calls up a winged, fire-breathing beast of medieval legend or fantasy. Greek hearers pictured a huge serpent. 12:9 makes the serpent link explicit: 'the ancient serpent'.

How it drifted

Medieval European dragon lore (St George and the like) and modern fantasy reshaped the English word around wings, fire and hoarded gold. None of that is in John's Greek.

Used elsewhere in the period

LXX Isaiah 27:1 ('the dragon, the fleeing serpent'), Psalm 74:13–14 (73 LXX), Job 26:13, and Ezekiel 29:3, where Pharaoh is 'the great dragon'. In Greek myth, Python was the drakōn that hunted the pregnant Leto. The Babylonian Tiamat and Ugaritic Lotan (Leviathan) are older chaos-monster parallels.

From the study of Revelation 12:9

Range of meaning

In classical and Hellenistic Greek, a large serpent, especially a monstrous or guardian snake (the serpent guarding the golden fleece, the Python at Delphi). In the Greek Old Testament it most often translates Hebrew tannin (sea monster, great serpent) and livyatan (Leviathan), and sometimes nachash (snake), for example in Job 26:13 and Amos 9:3.

Against the English

English 'dragon' now calls up the medieval and fantasy creature: four legs, bat wings, fire-breathing. John's readers pictured a gigantic serpent or sea monster, the embodiment of chaos opposed to God.

How it drifted

Medieval European legend (Saint George and others) and later fantasy art gave the dragon wings, legs and fire. The word stayed the same while the picture behind it changed.

Used elsewhere in the period

LXX Isaiah 27:1: on that day God will punish 'the dragon, the fleeing serpent… the dragon, the twisted serpent' (drakonta ophin), which already pairs drakōn and ophis as here. LXX Psalm 73(74):13–14 has God breaking the heads of the dragons in the waters. Greek myth has Python, the serpent that pursued the pregnant Leto, mother of Apollo. Bel and the Dragon (Greek additions to Daniel) has a sacred serpent worshipped in Babylon.

Where it appears

Revelation · 13

  1. Revelation 12:3 δράκων a dragon

    Then another sign appeared in heaven: a huge red dragon with seven heads, ten horns, and seven royal crowns on his heads.

    Here: A huge serpent or sea-monster. In the Greek Old Testament this word stands for Leviathan, Rahab and the monster of the deep. Verse 9 names it 'that ancient serpent, called the devil and Satan'.

  2. Revelation 12:4 δράκων dragon

    His tail swept a third of the stars from the sky, hurling them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, ready to devour her child as soon as she gave birth.

    Here: A huge serpent-monster. In the Greek Old Testament it translates the sea-monster, Leviathan and the serpent. Verse 9 identifies him as 'that ancient serpent, called the devil and Satan'.

  3. Revelation 12:7 δράκοντος. δράκων dragon., dragon

    Then a war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back.

    Here: The huge red seven-headed serpent-monster of 12:3. 12:9 names him: the ancient serpent, the devil, Satan.

  4. Revelation 12:9 δράκων dragon

    And the great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

    Here: In Greek a drakōn is a huge snake or sea monster, not the winged fire-breather of later legend. In the Greek Old Testament it names the chaos monsters God defeats (Leviathan, Rahab).

  5. Revelation 12:13 δράκων dragon

    And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child.

    Here: The huge serpent-monster of 12:3, whom 12:9 identifies as 'the ancient serpent, called the devil and Satan.' To the first hearers this was a chaos-serpent like Leviathan, not a medieval fire-breather.

  6. Revelation 12:16 δράκων dragon

    But the earth helped the woman and opened its mouth to swallow up the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth.

    Here: A huge serpent or sea monster. Verse 15 calls the same creature "the serpent," and 12:9 identifies him as "the ancient serpent, called the devil and Satan."

  7. Revelation 12:17 δράκων dragon

    And the dragon was enraged at the woman and went to make war with the rest of her children, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And the dragon stood on the shore of the sea.

    Here: The huge serpent-monster of 12:3. Verse 12:9 has already named him as 'the ancient serpent, called the devil and Satan'.

  8. Revelation 13:2 δράκων dragon

    The beast I saw was like a leopard, with the feet of a bear and the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority.

    Here: The great red serpent-monster of chapter 12, explicitly named in 12:9 as 'the ancient serpent, called the devil and Satan'. It is the power behind the beast.

  9. Revelation 13:4 δράκοντι dragon

    They worshiped the dragon who had given authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can wage war against it?”

    Here: This is the seven-headed serpent-monster of chapter 12, named in 12:9 as 'the ancient serpent, called the devil and Satan'. It is the power behind the throne.

  10. Revelation 13:11 δράκων. a dragon.

    Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. This beast had two horns like a lamb, but spoke like a dragon.

    Here: The dragon of chapter 12, identified in 12:9 as 'the ancient serpent, called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world'. Speaking 'like a dragon' means speaking as the serpent of Eden did: deceptive speech that leads people to false worship.

  11. Revelation 16:13 δράκοντος dragon

    And I saw three unclean spirits that looked like frogs coming out of the mouths of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet.

    Here: This is the great serpent of chapter 12, named there as 'the ancient serpent, called the devil and Satan' (12:9). He is the source of the whole evil alliance.

  12. Revelation 20:2 δράκοντα, dragon,

    He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.

    Here: The huge serpent-monster of chapter 12, with seven heads. It is the ancient picture of chaos and evil set against God, not the winged, fire-breathing lizard of later European legend.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.