Revelation 17:7

7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel ? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.

Revelation 17:7 Meaning and Commentary

Revelation 17:7

And the angel said unto me
The same as in ( Revelation 17:1 )

wherefore didst thou marvel?
which is not said by way of reproof, as questions of this kind sometimes are, ( Acts 3:12 ) for John did not wonder at her with a sinful admiration, so as to have her in great veneration, and to do homage and worship to her, as the inhabitants of the world wondered after the beast, ( Revelation 13:3 ) ( 17:8 ) but his admiration was an amazement, or stupefaction of mind, joined with indignation at her; and this is said by the angel to lead on to what he had to declare unto him.

I will tell thee the mystery of the woman;
that is, what is mysteriously or mystically designed by her; for till it was made known to John by the angel, it was a mystery to him; and when it was revealed, the interpretation is given in such an obscure manner, that it is only understood by the mind that has spiritual wisdom; and still remains a mystery to carnal men, just as the Gospel itself does. The hidden meaning of this woman, or the mystery of her, is told by the angel in ( Revelation 17:18 ) .

And of the beast that carried her, which hath the seven heads, and
ten horns;
the mystical sense of the beast, its heads and horns, and which is also delivered in a mysterious manner, is given in ( Revelation 17:8-12 ) .

Revelation 17:7 In-Context

5 And upon her forehead was a name written , MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.

7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel ? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.

8 The beast that thou sawest was , and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder , whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was , and is not, and yet is .

9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth .