Revelation 19:3

3 And a second time they say, Hallelujah. And her smoke goeth up for ever and ever.

Revelation 19:3 Meaning and Commentary

Revelation 19:3

And again they said, Alleluia
Or a "second time" they said it; they began and ended their solemn worship and service with it; so some psalms begin and end with this word, translated in the Old Testament by the words "Praise ye the LORD", as in ( Psalms 106:1 Psalms 106:48 ) ( Psalms 113:1 Psalms 113:9 ) &c. and the repeating of the word shows how hearty, arnest, and constant they were in the work of praise on this account:

and her smoke rose up for ever and ever;
they repeated their hallelujah, or gave one spiritual "huzza" more at the burning of Rome, and this followed: or the words may be rendered, "for her smoke rose" and so are a reason for the second "hallelujah": it looks as if Rome, like another Sodom and Gomorrah, would sink into a sulphurous burning lake, and continue so: respect is had to the everlasting punishment of antichrist and his followers in hell, and to the everlasting burnings that will follow Rome's temporal destruction, which was an example and symbol of the vengeance of eternal fire; see ( Revelation 14:11 ) so the Jews F15 say of the burning of Rome, that its fire shall not be quenched for ever, and that "its smoke shall rise up for".


FOOTNOTES:

F15 Yalkut Simeoni, par. 2. fol. 48. 2.

Revelation 19:3 In-Context

1 After these things I heard as it were a great voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, Hallelujah; Salvation, and glory, and power, belong to our God:
2 for true and righteous are his judgments; for he hath judged the great harlot, her that corrupted the earth with her fornication, and he hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.
3 And a second time they say, Hallelujah. And her smoke goeth up for ever and ever.
4 And the four and twenty elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshipped God that sitteth on the throne, saying, Amen; Hallelujah.
5 And a voice came forth from the throne, saying, Give praise to our God, all ye his servants, ye that fear him, the small and the great.
The American Standard Version is in the public domain.