Revelation 17:8-18

8 bestiam quam vidisti fuit et non est et ascensura est de abysso et in interitum ibit et mirabuntur inhabitantes terram quorum non sunt scripta nomina in libro vitae a constitutione mundi videntes bestiam quia erat et non est

9 et hic est sensus qui habet sapientiam septem capita septem montes sunt super quos mulier sedet et reges septem sunt

10 quinque ceciderunt unus est alius nondum venit et cum venerit oportet illum breve tempus manere

11 et bestia quae erat et non est et ipsa octava est et de septem est et in interitum vadit

12 et decem cornua quae vidisti decem reges sunt qui regnum nondum acceperunt sed potestatem tamquam reges una hora accipiunt post bestiam

13 hii unum consilium habent et virtutem et potestatem suam bestiae tradunt

14 hii cum agno pugnabunt et agnus vincet illos quoniam Dominus dominorum est et rex regum et qui cum illo sunt vocati et electi et fideles

15 et dixit mihi aquas quas vidisti ubi meretrix sedet populi sunt et gentes et linguae

16 et decem cornua quae vidisti et bestiam hii odient fornicariam et desolatam facient illam et nudam et carnes eius manducabunt et ipsam igni concremabunt

17 Deus enim dedit in corda eorum ut faciant quod illi placitum est ut dent regnum suum bestiae donec consummentur verba Dei

18 et mulier quam vidisti est civitas magna quae habet regnum super reges terrae

Revelation 17:8-18 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO REVELATION 17

This chapter contains a vision of a beast, and a woman on it, and the interpretation of it; one of the seven angels that had the seven vials proposes to John to show him the whore of Babylon, the Jezabel before spoken of, who sits on many waters, with whom the kings and inhabitants of the earth have committed fornication, being intoxicated by her, Re 17:1,2 in order to which he carries him into the wilderness, and there he sees a woman, who is described by the beast she sat on, of a scarlet colour, full of blasphemous names, with seven heads and ten horns; by her array, in purple and scarlet, decked with gold, pearls, and precious stones; by a cup she had in her hand, full of abominable filth; by a name written on her forehead, given at large, and by the condition she was in, drunk with the blood of the saints; which sight filled John with great wonder and admiration, Re 17:3-6 wherefore, to remove his astonishment, the angel proposes to explain to him the mystery of the woman, and the beast she sat on, Re 17:7 and first the mystery of the beast is explained, by its several states, past, present, and to come; by its original and end, ascending out of the bottomless pit, and going into perdition; by the veneration it would be had in by the reprobate part of the world, Re 17:8 its seven heads are interpreted of the seven mountains on which the city of Rome, designed by the woman, stood, and of seven kings, or forms of government, five of which had ceased, and one was in being in John's time, another was to come, which should not continue long, and the beast would be an eighth, Re 17:9-11 its ten horns are explained of ten kings, described by their kingdom they had not as yet received, and which they should have one hour with the beast; by their agreement in mind and conduct; and by their war with the Lamb, the King of kings, and Lord of lords, and those that are with him, the called, chosen, and faithful, and the issue of it, Re 17:12-14 the waters on which the whore sat are interpreted of a multitude of people, nations, and tongues, Re 17:15 the hatred and destruction of her by the ten kings, and the manner of it, are declared, Re 17:16 which is owing to the will of God, who put it into their hearts to agree to give their kingdom to the beast till the prophecies and promises were fulfilled respecting this matter, and now to destroy the whore that sat upon it, Re 17:17 which woman is explained of the great city of Rome, that reigns over the kings of the earth, Re 17:18.