Abaddon is associated with destruction and the realm of the dead in the Hebrew Bible. In Revelation 9:11, Abaddon is the Hebrew name of the angel who rules the locusts from the abyss; the same verse gives his Greek name as Apollyon.
Abaddon before Revelation
Job 26:6 places Abaddon alongside Sheol, saying that neither is hidden from God. In this poetic setting, the term is not presented as the biography of a named angel.
The King James Version renders the corresponding term as “destruction.” Comparing translations explains why readers may encounter Abaddon as a proper-looking name in one version and an English noun in another.
The angel of the abyss
Revelation 9:1–11 describes the opening of the abyss and a plague of locusts. Verse 11 identifies their king as the angel of the bottomless pit and supplies two names: Abaddon in Hebrew and Apollyon in Greek.
This passage is the direct reason to connect Apollyon with Abaddon. It does not require a second article treating the Greek name as a different angel.
Is Abaddon the same as Satan?
The naming sentence in Revelation 9:11 does not use the name Satan. Identifications of the angel with another figure belong to interpretations of the vision and need to be attributed to their particular commentators or religious traditions.
In Job, Abaddon is paired with Sheol; in Revelation, the name belongs to the angel of the abyss. Later identifications belong to interpretation of the vision and should be read in that light.
Explore related entries
Compare Azazel and Semyaza, return to the fallen-angel catalogue, or read our sources guide.