5006. talantiaios
Lexical Summary
talantiaios: Of a talent, pertaining to a talent

Original Word: ταλαντιαῖος
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: talantiaios
Pronunciation: tah-lan-tee'-ah-yos
Phonetic Spelling: (tal-an-tee-ah'-yos)
KJV: weight of a talent
NASB: one hundred pounds
Word Origin: [from G5007 (τάλαντον - talents)]

1. talent-like in weight

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
weight of a talent.

From talanton; talent-like in weight -- weight of a talent.

see GREEK talanton

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from talanton
Definition
worth a talent, i.e. of a talent's weight
NASB Translation
one hundred pounds (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 5006: ταλαντιαῖος

ταλαντιαῖος, ταλαντιαία, ταλαντιαιον (τάλαντον, which see; like δραχμιαῖος, στιγμιαιος, δακτυλιαιος, λιτριαιος, etc.; see Lob. ad Phryn., p. 544), of the weight or worth of a talent: Revelation 16:21. (Demosthenes, Aristotle, Polybius, Diodorus, Josephus, Plutarch, others.)

Topical Lexicon
Definition and Scope

A descriptive adjective found once in the Greek New Testament, designating an object whose mass equals the ancient unit known as a “talent.” In Revelation 16:21 the word modifies “hailstones,” presenting a striking picture of divine judgment so severe that each chunk of ice weighs roughly thirty-five to forty kilograms (others calculate up to fifty kilograms, depending on the regional talent in view).

Biblical Occurrence

Revelation 16:21: “And great hailstones, about the weight of a talent, fell from heaven on mankind, and people blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, since this plague was extremely severe.”

This single usage appears within the seventh bowl, the climactic series of judgments poured out just prior to the return of Jesus Christ. The enormity of the hailstones heightens the sense of finality and underscores the futility of human rebellion.

Historical Background of the Talent

1. Monetary weight. In the Greco-Roman world a “talent” was primarily a measure of weight—about 6,000 drachmas. When used of precious metals, it represented an enormous sum, equivalent to a laborer’s wages for several decades.
2. Military and engineering contexts. Archaeological finds record siege stones of comparable mass launched by catapults, illustrating that readers of Revelation could visualize such projectiles.
3. Judicial symbolism. Because a talent signified great value and great weight, it became a metaphor for onerous responsibility or severe burden in both Jewish and Greco-Roman literature.

Theological Significance in Revelation

• Manifestation of the seventh bowl’s completion. The unprecedented hail parallels the trumpet and seal judgments, yet surpasses them in magnitude, indicating the consummation of God’s wrath (Revelation 15:1).
• Echo of Sinai and Egypt. Hail served as the seventh plague in Exodus 9:18-26, where Yahweh declared, “so that you may know that there is none like Me in all the earth.” John’s vision thus places the end-time judgment in continuity with the historic acts of God.
• Measure of guilt. That the stones weigh a talent suggests a proportionate response to humanity’s accumulated sin: “with the measure you use, it will be measured to you” (Matthew 7:2).
• Persistent hardness of heart. Despite the catastrophic hail, “people blasphemed God.” The text teaches that apart from regenerating grace, outward judgments do not soften rebellious hearts (Romans 2:5).

Old Testament Precursors of Hail Judgment

Exodus 9:18-26 – plague on Egypt

Joshua 10:11 – hailstones against the Amorites

Psalm 18:12-13; Psalm 78:47-48; Isaiah 28:2; Ezekiel 13:13 – prophetic and poetic references associating hail with divine warfare or discipline.

These passages create an interpretive backdrop: hail is repeatedly the Lord’s artillery, reinforcing His supremacy over creation.

Related New Testament Concepts

1. Talent as stewardship (Matthew 25:14-30). While etymologically distinct, the parable’s “talent” shares the imagery of weight and value, reminding believers that what God entrusts must be responsibly managed.
2. Stones falling from heaven (Luke 21:11) appear among the “fearful events” preceding Christ’s return, aligning Gospel prophecy with Revelation’s climactic vision.
3. Final wrath (2 Thessalonians 1:7-10). The massive hailstones exemplify “flaming fire” and retributive justice poured out upon the unrepentant.

Applications for Ministry

• Preaching on Warning and Mercy. The verse calls pastors to declare both judgment and the open door of repentance (2 Peter 3:9).
• Worship and Awe. The magnitude of the plague invites congregations to marvel at God’s holiness and power, leading to reverent worship (Hebrews 12:28-29).
• Apologetic Insight. The historicity of hail judgments supports the reliability of Scripture’s prophetic unity, answering skeptics who separate the Testaments.
• Pastoral Counseling. While Revelation’s imagery is terrifying, it also assures believers of ultimate vindication; suffering saints may take comfort that evil will be decisively punished (Revelation 6:10-11).

Conclusion

The lone New Testament appearance of this talent-weighted term powerfully encapsulates the gravity of eschatological judgment. It unites biblical history, prophecy, and theology, impressing on every generation the urgency of repentance and the certainty of God’s righteous reign.

Forms and Transliterations
ταλαντιαια ταλαντιαία talantiaia talantiaía
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Revelation 16:21 Adj-NFS
GRK: μεγάλη ὡς ταλαντιαία καταβαίνει ἐκ
NAS: about one hundred pounds each, came down
KJV: [every stone] about the weight of a talent: and
INT: great about a talent weight comes down out of

Strong's Greek 5006
1 Occurrence


ταλαντιαία — 1 Occ.

5005
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