COMING DOWN OUT OF HEAVEN (καταβαινοντα εκ του ουρανου). Present active predicate participle. Not the angel of Revelation 17:1; Revelation 17:7; Revelation 17:15 (John's guide), but one announcing the doom of Babylon (Rome). As in Revelation 10:1; Revelation 20:1.WAS LIGHTENED (εφωτισθη). First... [ Continue Reading ]
FALLEN, FALLEN IS BABYLON THE GREAT (επεσεν, επεσεν Βαβυλων η μεγαλη). The very words of Revelation 14:8: "Did fall, did fall Babylon the great." Prophetic aorists of πιπτω repeated like a solemn dirge of the damned.IS BECOME (εγενετο). Prophetic aorist middle.A HABITATION OF DEVILS (κατοικητη... [ Continue Reading ]
BY (εκ). "As a result of." Some MSS. omit "of the wine" (του οινου). Cf. Revelation 14:10; Revelation 16:10.HAVE FALLEN (πεπτωκαν). Perfect active third personal of πιπτω for usual πεπτωκασ. Some MSS. read πεπωκαν (have drunk), from πινω like the metaphor in Revelation 14:8; Revelation 14:10; Re... [ Continue Reading ]
COME FORTH, MY PEOPLE, OUT OF HER (εξελθατε, ο λαος μου, εξ αυτης). Second aorist (urgency) active imperative (-α form) of εξερχομα. Like Isaiah 48:20; Isaiah 52:11; Jeremiah 50:8; Jeremiah 51:6, (about Babylon). See also the call of Abram (Genesis 12:1). the rescue of Lot (Genesis 19:12). In the... [ Continue Reading ]
HAVE REACHED (εκολληθησαν). First aorist passive (deponent) indicative of κολλαω, old verb (from κολλα, gluten, glue), to cleave to, to join one another in a mass "up to heaven" (αχρ του ουρανου). Cf. Jeremiah 51:9; Zechariah 14:5.HATH REMEMBERED (εμνημονευσεν). First aorist (prophetic) active... [ Continue Reading ]
RENDER AS SHE RENDERED (αποδοτε ως απεδωκεν). Second aorist (effective) active imperative and first aorist (effective) active of αποδιδωμ, old and common verb for requital, to give back, the _lex talionis_ which is in the O.T. (Jeremiah 50:15; Jeremiah 50:29; Jeremiah 51:24; Jeremiah 51:56; Psalms... [ Continue Reading ]
HOW MUCH SOEVER (οσα). Indefinite quantitative relative pronoun οσος in the accusative (cognate) neuter plural object of εδοξασεν (first aorist active indicative of δοξαζω).HERSELF (αυτην). Reflexive pronoun, accusative also with εδοξασεν.WAXED WANTON (εστρηνιασεν). First aorist (ingressive)... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE (δια τουτο). Because of her presumption added to her crimes.IN ONE DAY (εν μια ημερα). Symbolical term for suddenness like μια ωρα, in one hour (Revelation 18:10; Revelation 18:16; Revelation 18:19). John has in mind still Isaiah 47:7-9.SHALL COME (ηξουσιν). Future active of ηκω. He... [ Continue Reading ]
SHALL WEEP (κλαυσουσιν). Future active of κλαιω, middle κλαυσοντα in Attic, as in John 16:20.AND WAIL OVER HER (κα κοψοντα επ' αυτην). Future direct middle of κοπτω, old verb, to beat, to cut, middle to beat oneself (Revelation 1:7). For combination with κλαιω as here see Luke 8:52. See Revelat... [ Continue Reading ]
STANDING AFAR OFF (απο μακροθεν εστηκοτες). Perfect active (intransitive) participle of ιστημ. Vivid picture of the terrible scene, fascinated by the lurid blaze (cf. Nero's delight in the burning of Rome in A.D. 64), and yet afraid to draw near. On απο μακροθεν see Mark 5:6. There is a weird cha... [ Continue Reading ]
THE MERCHANTS (ο εμπορο). As in Revelation 18:3; Revelation 18:15; Revelation 18:23. The dirge of the merchants follows the wail of the kings.WEEP AND MOURN (κλαιουσιν κα πενθουσιν). Present active indicatives of κλαιω and πενθεω as in verses Revelation 18:9 (for κλαιω), Revelation 18:15; Revel... [ Continue Reading ]
OF FINE LINEN (βυσσινου). Genitive case after γομον, as are all the items to κοκκινου. Old adjective from βυσσος (linen, Luke 16:19), here a garment of linen, in N.T. only Revelation 18:12; Revelation 18:16; Revelation 19:8; Revelation 19:14.PURPLE (πορφυρας). Fabric colored with purple dye (πορ... [ Continue Reading ]
CINNAMON (κινναμωμον). Old word transliterated into English, here only in N.T. Of Phoenician origin (Herodotus) as to name and possibly from South China.SPICE (αμωμον). A fragrant plant of India, αμομυμ, for perfume.INCENSE (θυμιαματα). See Revelation 5:8; Revelation 8:3.OINTMENT (μυρον). S... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FRUITS (η οπωρα). The ripe autumn fruit (Jeremiah 40:10; Jeremiah 40:12). Here only in N.T. Of uncertain etymology (possibly οπος, sap, ωρα, hour, time for juicy sap). See Judges 1:12 for δενδρα φθινοπωρινος (autumn trees).WHICH THY SOUL LUSTETH AFTER (σου της επιθυμιας της ψυχης). "Of the... [ Continue Reading ]
OF THESE THINGS (τουτων). Listed above in verses Revelation 18:12-14.WHO WERE MADE RICH BY HER (ο πλουτησαντες απ' αυτης). "Those who grew rich (ingressive aorist active participle of πλουτεω, for which see verses Revelation 18:3; Revelation 18:13) from her."SHALL STAND AFAR OFF (απο μακροθεν... [ Continue Reading ]
For the Woe see verses Revelation 18:10; Revelation 18:19. For the next clause see Revelation 17:4 with the addition here of βυσσινον (Revelation 18:12).FOR IN ONE HOUR SO GREAT RICHES IS MADE DESOLATE (οτ μια ωρα ηρημωθη ο τοσουτος πλουτος). The reason (οτ) for the "woe." First aorist passive ind... [ Continue Reading ]
SHIPMASTER (κυβερνητης). Old word (from κυβερναω, to steer), helmsman, sailing-master, in N.T. only here and Acts 27:11. Subordinate to the ναυκληρος (supreme commander).THAT SAILETH ANY WHITHER (ο επ τοπον πλεων). "The one sailing to a place." See Acts 27:2, τους κατα την Ασιαν πλεοντας (those... [ Continue Reading ]
AS THEY LOOKED (βλεποντες). Present active participle of βλεπω. See οταν βλεπωσιν in verse Revelation 18:10.WHAT CITY IS LIKE THE GREAT CITY? (τις ομοια τη πολε τη μεγαληι;). No πολις with τις, but implied. Associative instrumental case, as usual, with ομοια. "The eternal city" is eternal no lo... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY CAST DUST (εβαλον χουν). Second aorist active of βαλλω. Χους is old word (from χεω to pour) for heap of earth, dust, in N.T. only here and Mark 6:11. Cf. Ezekiel 27:30; Luke 10:13. This is the dirge of the sea-folk (cf. verses Revelation 18:10; Revelation 18:16).BY REASON OF HER COSTLINESS... [ Continue Reading ]
REJOICE OVER HER (Ευφραινου επ' αυτη). Present middle imperative of ευφραινω, for which verb see Revelation 11:10, used there of the joy of the wicked over the death of the two witnesses, just the opposite picture to this. "The song of doom" (Charles) here seems to be voiced by John himself.GOD H... [ Continue Reading ]
A STRONG ANGEL (εις αγγελος ισχυρος). Here εις = a, just an indefinite article, not "one" as a numeral.TOOK UP (ηρεν). First aorist active indicative of αιρω.AS IT WERE A GREAT MILLSTONE (ως μυλινον μεγαν). Late adjective, in inscriptions, here only in N.T., made of millstone (μυλος, Matthew... [ Continue Reading ]
THE VOICE (φωνη). Cf. Ezekiel 26:13. Or "sound" as in 1 Corinthians 14:8 with σαλπιγξ (trumpet). For this song of judgment see Jeremiah 25:10.OF HARPERS (κιθαρωιδων). Old word (from κιθαρα, harp, and ωιδος, singer) as in Revelation 14:2.OF MINSTRELS (μουσικων). Old word (from μουσα, music), h... [ Continue Reading ]
OF A LAMP (λυχνου). Old word (Matthew 5:15), again in Revelation 22:5.SHALL SHINE NO MORE AT ALL (ου μη φανη). Fifth instance in these verses of ου μη with the aorist subjunctive, here the active of φαινω as in Revelation 8:12. It is not known whether Rome had street lights or not.THE VOICE OF... [ Continue Reading ]
IN HER (εν αυτη). In Rome.WAS FOUND (ευρεθη). First aorist passive indicative of ευρισκω. See Revelation 16:6; Revelation 17:6 for the blood already shed by Rome. Rome "butchered to make a Roman holiday" (Dill, _Roman Society_, p. 242) not merely gladiators, but prophets and saints from Nero's... [ Continue Reading ]