Revelation 17:16 - Exposition

And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast; and the ten horns which thou sawest, and the beast. There is no authority for the ἐπι τὸ θηρίον of Erasmus except the Vulgate, in bestia, and, of course, the description given of the beast ( Revelation 13:1 , etc,). The two are spoken of separately, on account of the separate juris diction wielded according to verses 32, 13. These shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire; and shall burn her utterly with fire (Revised Version). These words describe the fate in store for the faithless portion of the Church. That world, to which she trusts, shall turn and rend her—a fitting sequel to her want of faith in the power of Christ. This is exactly the description given of the harlot in Ezekiel 16:37 (cf. also Ezekiel 23:22 ). "Eat her flesh" and "burn with fire" both describe similar results; possibly the one is thought of in connection with the symbol of "harlot," the other with the symbol of "city," with which the harlot is identical (see on Ezekiel 16:5 ; but see Genesis 38:24 ; Le Genesis 21:9 ; cf. also the judgment upon the wicked rich in James 5:3 , "shall eat your flesh as it were fire").