Revelation 17:1-6 NIV

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 17:5

And upon her forehead was a name written. Omit "was." ὄνομα , "name," is dependent upon ἔχουσα , "having," in Revelation 17:4 . This practice was customary with harlots (Juv., 'Sat.,' 6:123; Seneca, 'Controv.,' Revelation 1:2 ). In Revelation 14:1 and Revelation 7:3 the faithful members of God's Church have his Name in their foreheads; here the faithless ones, represented by the harlot, exhibit a spurious imitation. As God's Name marked the former as his, so the name... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 17:6

And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus; of the witnesses (cf. Revelation 11:7 ). Another point of contrast between this woman and the woman of Revelation 12:1-17 .; the former persecutes, the latter is persecuted. It may be asked—How can these words be applied to professing Christians, as they must be, if such be the interpretation of the "harlot"? The answer may be found in Jeremiah. In Jeremiah 2:33 , Jeremiah 2:34 ... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Revelation 17:1

And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials - See the notes on Revelation 15:1, Revelation 15:7. Reference is again made to these angels in the same manner in Revelation 21:9, where one of them says that he would show to John “the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” No particular one is specified. The general idea seems to be, that to those seven angels was entrusted the execution of the last things, or the winding up of affairs introductory to the reign of God, and that the... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Revelation 17:2

With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication - Spiritual adultery. The meaning is, that papal Rome, unfaithful to God, and idolatrous and corrupt, had seduced the rulers of the earth, and led them into the same kind of unfaithfulness, idolatry, and corruption. Compare Jeremiah 3:8-9; Jeremiah 5:7; Jeremiah 13:27; Jeremiah 23:14; Ezekiel 16:32; Ezekiel 23:37; Hebrews 2:2; Hebrews 4:2. How true this is in history need not be stated. All the princes and kings of Europe in the dark... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Revelation 17:3

So he carried me away in the spirit - In vision. He seemed to himself to be thus carried away; or the scene which he is about to describe was made to pass before him as if he were present.Into the wilderness - Into a desert. Compare the notes on Revelation 12:6. Why this scene is laid in a wilderness or desert is not mentioned. Prof. Stuart supposes that it is because it is “appropriate to symbolize the future condition of the beast.” So DeWette and Rosenmuller. The imagery is changed somewhat... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Revelation 17:4

And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour - On the nature of the scarlet color, see the notes on Revelation 17:3. The purple color - πορφύρα porphura - was obtained from a species of shellfish found on the coasts of the Mediterranean, which yielded a reddish-purple dye, much prized by the ancients. Robes dyed in that color were commonly worn by persons of rank and wealth, Mark 15:17, Mark 15:20; Luke 16:19. The purple color contains more blue than the crimson, though the limits... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Revelation 17:5

And upon her forehead - In a circlet around her forehead. That is, it was made prominent and public, as if written on the forehead in blazing capitals. In Revelation 13:1 it is said that “the name of blasphemy” was written on the “heads” of the beast. The meaning in both places is substantially the same, that it was prominent, and unmistakable. See the notes on that verse. Compare the note on Revelation 14:1.Was a name written - A title, or something that would properly indicate her... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Revelation 17:6

And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints - A reeling, intoxicated harlot, for that is the image which is kept up all along. In regard to the phrase “drunken with blood,” compare Jeremiah 46:10. “The phraseology is derived from the barbarous custom (still extant among many pagan nations) of drinking the blood of the enemies slain in the way of revenge. The effect of drinking blood is said to be to exasperate, and to intoxicate with passion and a desire of revenge” (Prof. Stuart,... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Revelation 17:1-2

Revelation 17:1-2. And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials Most probably this was the seventh angel; for, under the seventh vial, great Babylon came in remembrance before God, and now St. John is called upon to see her condemnation and execution; saying, Come hither, I will show thee the judgment of the great whore Which is now circumstantially described. This relation concerning the great whore, and that concerning the wife of the Lamb, (Revelation 21:9-10,)... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Revelation 17:3

Revelation 17:3. So he carried me away, &c. Namely, in the vision. As Ezekiel, while he was a captive in Chaldea, was conveyed by the Spirit to Jerusalem, (Ezekiel 8:3,) so John is carried away in the Spirit into the wilderness; for there the scene is laid, being a scene of desolation. When the woman, the true church, was persecuted and afflicted, she was said ( Rev 12:14 ) to flee into the wilderness: and, in like manner, when the woman, the false church, is to be destroyed, the... read more

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 17:5

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 17:6

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Revelation 17:1

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Revelation 17:2

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Revelation 17:3

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Revelation 17:4

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Revelation 17:5

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Revelation 17:6

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Revelation 17:1-2

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Revelation 17:3

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