Revelation 17:4

Was arrayed (hn peribeblhmenh). Periphrastic past perfect indicative of periballw, to fling round one. In purple and scarlet (porpuroun kai kokkinon). Accusative retained after this passive verb of clothing, as so often. Porpurou is old adjective for purple (from porpura), in N.T. only here and John 19:2 John 19:5 . See preceding verse for kokkino. Decked (kecruswmenh). Perfect passive participle of crusow, old verb, to gild, to adorn with gold, here alone in N.T. With gold and precious stone and pearls (crusiwi kai liqwi timiwi kai margaritai). Instrumental case. Crusiwi is cognate with the participle. Liqwi timiwi is collective ( John 18:12 John 18:16 ; John 21:19 ). There is a zeugma also with margaritai ( John 18:12 John 18:16 ; John 21:21 ), for which word see Matthew 7:6 . Probably John is thinking of the finery of the temple prostitutes in Asia Minor. Full of abominations (gemon bdelugmatwn). Agreeing with pothrion, "cup" (neuter singular accusative). Some MSS. read gemwn (nominative masculine like ecwn in verse Matthew 3 , quite irregular). For bdelugmatwn (genitive after gemon) see Matthew 24:15 ; ( Mark 13:14 ), common in the LXX for idol worship and its defilements (from bdelussw, to render foul), both ceremonial and moral. See Jeremiah 15:7 . Even the unclean things of her fornication (kai ta akaqarta th porneia auth). Either the accusative after gemon as in verse Jeremiah 3 (and full of the unclean things of her fornication) or the object of ecousa, like pothrion.