A.T. Robertson Commentary Revelation 12:16

"And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the river which the dragon cast out of his mouth." — Revelation 12:16 (ASV)

Helped the woman (εβοηθησεν τη γυναικ). First aorist active indicative of βοηθεω, old verb with the dative as in Heb 2:18, which see. Herodotus tells of the Lycus disappearing underground near Colossae. But this vivid symbol is not dependent on historical examples.

Swallowed up (κατεπιεν). Second aorist active indicative of καταπινω, literally "drank down."