Some good texts read ὑπάγει, goeth. For the verb, see on John 6:21; see on John 8:21.

In the book (ἐπί)

Lit., upon.

From the foundation of the world

In ordinary New Testament Greek these words would belong to are written. construe with the words immediately preceding. Compare Revelation 13:8, and Matthew 25:34.

And yet is (καίπερ ἐστίν)

Read καὶ πάρεσται, and shall come. Lit., shall be present.

Bespeaking attention and spiritual discernment for that which follows. See on Revelation 13:18.

The mind (ὁ νοῦς)

I. Νοῦς is the organ of mental perception and apprehension - of conscious life, the mind, comprising the faculties of perceiving and understanding, of feeling, judging, determining.

(a) The intellectual faculty or understanding (Luke 24:45). So here, according to some.

(b) The reason, regarded as the faculty of perceiving divine things: of recognizing goodness and hating evil (Romans 1:28; Romans 7:23; Ephesians 4:17).

(c) The power of calm and impartial judgment (2 Thessalonians 2:2).

II. Νοῦς is a particular mode of thinking and judging: moral consciousness as a habit of mind or opinion. Hence thoughts, feelings, purposes (Romans 14:5; 1 Corinthians 1:10). Some render here meaning.

Seven mountains

Many interpreters regard this as conclusively defining the reference of the woman to Rome, which was built upon seven hills. Others deny the local reference, and understand the principle of worldly greatness and ambition. Others again claim that many cities besides Rome can boast of their seven hills, as Constantinople, Brussels, and especially Jerusalem.

Upon them

Redundant, the idea being already expressed by where. A Hebraism.

Lit., fell. Constantly used in the Septuagint of the violent fall or overthrow of kings or kingdoms. See Ezekiel 29:5; Ezekiel 30:6; Isaiah 21:9; Jeremiah 50:15; Jeremiah 51:8.

The compound relative classifying: "of the kind which."

Meaning primarily the faculty of knowing, mind, reason; then that which is thought or known; opinion, purpose. See Acts 20:3; 1 Corinthians 7:25; Plm 1:14.

Shall give (διαδιδώσουσιν)

διδόασιν, the present tense, give. The force of διά is over; give over.

Power and authority (δύναμιν καὶ ἐξουσίαν)

For the distinction, see on 2 Peter 2:11.

The explanation of the symbol given here is in accordance with Isaiah 8:7; Psalm 18:4, Psalm 18:16; Psalm 124:4.

Peoples and multitudes, etc.

See on 1 Peter 2:9; see on Mark 12:37.

Read καὶ and: "the ten horns - and the beast."

Desolate (ἠρημωμένην)

Lit., desolated, the verb being in the perfect participle.

Shall eat her flesh

A token of extreme hostility. See Psalm 27:2; Micah 3:3. Xenophon, speaking of the hatred between the pure Spartans and the Helots, says that no one of the pure Spartans could conceal his readiness to eat the Helot raw. Notice the plural σάρκας flesh, and see on James 5:3.

Burn (κατακαύσουσιν)

Rev., giving the force of κατά down, burn utterly. According to some interpreters the figure is changed from the woman to a city; but this is unnecessary, as the language is probably taken from the punishment of fornication on the part of a priest's daughter (Leviticus 21:9; compare Leviticus 20:14).

Rev., with stricter rendering of the aorist, did put. Lit., did give.

To fulfill His will (ποιῆσαι τὴν γνώμην αὐτοῦ)

See on Revelation 17:13. Rev., more literally, to do his mind.

To agree (ποιήσαι μίαν γνώμην)

Lit., to make one mind. Rev., come to one mind.

The words (τὰ ῥήματα)

But read οἱ λόγοι the prophetic words. For the distinction, see on Luke 1:37.

Lit., hath a kingdom.

Compare Ezekiel 43:2.

Lit., in strength with a great voice. Omit μεγάλῃ great, and read ἰσχυρᾷ φωνῇ with a mighty voice. So Rev.

Babylon - is fallen

The Rev. improves on the A.V. by placing fallen in the emphatic position of the Greek: "Fallen, fallen is Babylon." Compare Isaiah 21:9.

Is become (ἐγένετο)

Lit., became.

Devils (δαιμόνων)

Properly, demons, which Rev., strangely commits to the margin. See on Mark 1:34. See Isaiah 13:20-22; Isaiah 34:13-15. Also on Luke 11:24.

Hold (φυλακὴ)

See on 1 Peter 3:19, and see on Acts 5:21. Rev., in margin, prison.

Cage (φυλακὴ)

The word rendered above hold. Rev., hold. Some, however, explain it, not as a cage where they are kept, but as a place of safety to which they resort.

Bird (ὀρνέου)

Only in Revelation, here, Revelation 19:17, Revelation 19:21. Compare Jeremiah 50:39.

Some, however, read πέπτωκαν have fallen. So Rev.

Of the wine (ἐκ τοῦ οἴνου)

Thus if we read have drunk. If we adopt have fallen, ἐκ is instrumental, by. So Rev.

Of the wrath

The wine of fornication has turned to wrath against herself.

Merchants (ἔμποροι)

The word originally means one on a journey by sea or land, especially for traffic. Hence a merchant as distinguished from κάπηλος a retailer or huckster.

The abundance of her delicacies (τῆς δυνάμεως τοῦ στρήνους αὐτῆς)

Lit., as Rev., the power of her luxury. Στρῆνος is akin to στερεός firm, hard, stubborn (see on steadfast, 1 Peter 5:9). Hence over-strength, luxury, wantonness. Only here in the New Testament. The kindred verb στρηνιάω to live deliciously occurs Revelation 18:7, Revelation 18:9.

Compare Jeremiah 51:6, Jeremiah 51:45; Isaiah 48:20; Isaiah 52:11; Numbers 16:26.

Have fellowship with (συγκοινωνήσητε)

This compound verb is not of frequent occurrence in the New Testament. It is found only in Ephesians 5:11, Philippians 4:14, and here. On the kindred noun συγκοινωνὸς companion, see on Revelation 1:9.

Lit., followed. But the best texts read ἐκολλήθησαν clave. Compare Jeremiah 51:9. For different applications of the verb see on Matthew 19:5; see on Luke 15:15; see on Acts 5:13. Compare the classical phrase for following up closely a fleeing foe, hoerere in terga hostium, to cleave to the backs of the enemy. See also Zechariah 14:5 (Sept.), "The valley of the mountains shall reach (ἐγκολληθήσεται) unto Azal." The radical idea of the metaphor is that of following or reaching after so as to be joined to.