# serpent

This is the same being as the dragon mentioned earlier in [Revelation 12:9](./07.md).

# like a river

The water flowed from his mouth like a river flows. AT: "in large volume" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-simile]])

# to sweep her away

"to wash her away"

# The earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon was pouring out of his mouth

The earth is spoken of as if it were a living thing, and a hole in the earth is spoken of as if it were a mouth that could drink up the water. AT: "A hole in the ground opened up and the water went down into the hole" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-personification]])

# dragon

This was a large, fierce reptile, like a lizard. For Jewish people, it was a symbol of evil and chaos. The dragon is also identified in verse 9 as "the devil or Satan." See how you translated this in [Revelation 12:3](./03.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/writing-symlanguage]])

# hold to the testimony about Jesus

The word "testimony" can be translated as a verb. AT: "continue to testify about Jesus"