Revelation 17:2

2 with which kings of the earth did fornication; and they that dwell in the earth be made drunk of the wine of her lechery.

Revelation 17:2 Meaning and Commentary

Revelation 17:2

With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication,
&c.] These are the ten kings, who being of the same mind, and of one religion, the Popish religion, gave their power, strength, and kingdom to the beast, ( Revelation 17:12 Revelation 17:17 ) and have been enticed by the whore of Rome to commit spiritual fornication with her; that is, idolatry, to worship, as that church enjoins, idols of gold, silver, brass, and wood, the images of the virgin Mary, and other saints; hence this whore appears to be no mean strumpet, but one of great note, and in much vogue, being sought after and made use of by the great men of the earth;

and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine
of her fornication;
that is, the inhabitants of the Roman empire, or earthly minded men, mere carnal persons, have been drawn into idolatrous practices by the allurements of the church of Rome; such as riches, honours, pleasures, lying miracles, and great pretensions to devotion and religion; whereby they have been intoxicated as men with wine, and have been filled with a blind zeal for that church, and the false doctrines and worship of it, and with madness and fury against the true professors of religion.

Revelation 17:2 In-Context

1 And one of the seven angels came, that had seven vials, and spake with me, and said [saying], Come thou, I shall show to thee the damnation of the great whore, that sitteth on many waters,

2 with which kings of the earth did fornication; and they that dwell in the earth be made drunk of the wine of her lechery.

3 And he took me [away] into desert in Spirit. And I saw a woman sitting on a red beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads, and ten horns.

4 And the woman was environed with purple, and red, and over-gilded with gold [+and engolded/and over-gilt with gold], and precious stone, and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand, full of abominations and uncleanness of her fornication.

5 And a name written in the forehead of her [And in the forehead of her a name written], Mystery, Babylon the great, mother of fornications, and of abominations [and abominations] of the earth.