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Revelation 17:16

in Revelation 17

And the ten horns and the beast that you saw will hate the prostitute. They will leave her desolate and naked, and will eat her flesh and burn her with fire.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And the ten horns which thou sawest, and the beast, these shall hate the harlot, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and shall burn her utterly with fire.

KJV

And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.

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This verse in Revelation 17

Commentary

14 notes on this verse
"And the beast which thou sawest is of the seven." Since before those kings Nero reigned. "And he is the eighth." He says only when this beast shall come, reckon it the eighth place, since in that is the completion. He added:- "And shall go into perdition." For that ten kings received royal power when he shall move from the east, he says. He shall be sent from the city of Rome with his armies. And Daniel sets forth the ten horns and the ten diadems.

This site's exposition

where the prostitute was seated

on Revelation 17:15-17

The waters are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues, as at 7:9. The ten horns will hate the prostitute and burn her with fire, the penalty of Leviticus 21:9 for a priest's daughter who became a harlot. God has put it into their hearts.

This site's exposition

will hate the prostitute

The kings of the earth weep over her smoke at 18:9, while the ten horns here burn her. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown find a pattern in history. Jerusalem used Rome to crucify her Saviour and was then destroyed by Rome, and the harlot falls to the power that carried her.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers2 voices

A commentator

Caesarius of Arles

EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 17:16, HOMILY 15 · Written before 542.

proposed

The harlot is the life of luxury that is lived by plunder and pleasures. It says that they would hate the harlot, for dissolute persons who are also proud, lustful and arrogant not only persecute the saints, but they also hold themselves in hatred. And …

A commentator

Oecumenius

Commentary on Revelation · Written before 550.

proposed

But how will Rome be laid waste by the kings? For we understood that this was indicated through the Revelation. Perhaps to them she will be fought over as a royal city and stronghold and populous and collecting tributes. Therefore in the war concerning her …

The Medieval Church3 voices

A commentator

Andreas of Caesarea

COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 17:15-18 · Written before 614.

proposed

Since the angel explained these things clearly, a more detailed explanation of them is superfluous. It is remarkable to me how the devil is both enemy and avenger. For he will work through the ten horns, who are guided by him, to oppose that lover …

A commentator

Bede

Commentary on Revelation · Written before 735.

proposed

And the ten horns which you saw, etc. The glory of the world, which they now embrace with wanton love, they will begin to detest with great hatred when they see themselves condemned at the end by the Lamb's victory. It can also be understood …

A commentator

Bede

Commentary on Revelation · Written before 735.

proposed

And they will make her desolate and naked. For they themselves make the world desolate through the wrath of God, while they are devoted to it and use it unjustly.
6 more voices on this verse

The Medieval Church1 voice

A commentator

Bede

Commentary on Revelation · Written before 735.

proposed

And they will eat her flesh, etc. They will burn her, deprived of her usual luxuries, with the fires of hell.

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast,.... Rev 17:3 and which are interpreted of ten kings, Rev 17:

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

By the powerful influence which God hereby showed he had over the minds of great men. Their hearts were in his hand, and he turned them as he pleased; for, (1.) It was of God, and to fulfil his will, that these kings agreed to give their kingdom unto the beast; they were judicially blinded and hardened to do so.

The Nineteenth Century3 voices

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

As Jerusalem used the world power to crucify her Saviour, and then was destroyed by that very power, Rome; so the Church, having apostatized to the world, shall have judgment executed on her first by the world power, the beast and his allies; and these afterwards shall have judgment executed on them by Christ Himself in person.

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

And the ten horns which thou sowest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire - Here is a clue to lead us to the right interpretation of the horns of the beast.
And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast - Rev 17:3. The ten powers or kingdoms represented by those horns. See the notes on Rev 17:12. These shall hate the whore - There seems to be some incongruity between this statement and what was previously made. In the former Rev 17:12-14, these ten governments are represented as in alliance with the beast; as “giving all their power and strength” unto it; and as uniting with it in making war with the Lamb. What is here said must, therefore, refer to some subsequent period, indicating some great change in their feelings and policy. We have seen the evidence of the fulfillment of the former statements. This statement will be accomplished if these same powers, represented by the ten horns, that were formerly in alliance with the papacy, shall become its enemy, and contribute to its final overthrow. That is, it will be accomplished if the nations of Europe, embraced within the limits of those ten kingdoms, shall become hostile to the papacy, and shall combine for its overthrow. Is anything more probable than this? France (see the notes on Rev. 16) has already struck more than one heavy blow on that power; England has been detached from it; many of the states of Italy are weary of it, and are ready to rise up against it; and nothing is more probable than that Spain, Portugal, France, Lombardy, and the papal States themselves, will yet throw off the yoke forever, and put an end to a power that has so long ruled over people. It was with the utmost difficulty, in 1848, that the papal power was sustained, and this was done only by foreign swords; the papacy could not probably be protected in another such outbreak. […]

The words behind it

29 Greek words

Every Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

18 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Revelation 18:8Therefore her plagues will come in one day—death and grief and famine—and she will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.”8 worksEzekiel 16:37–44therefore I will surely gather all the lovers with whom you found pleasure, all those you loved and all those you hated. I will gather them against you from all around and expose you before them, and they will see you completely naked.7 worksRevelation 12:3Then another sign appeared in heaven: a huge red dragon with seven heads, ten horns, and seven royal crowns on his heads.7 worksLeviticus 21:9If a priest’s daughter defiles herself by prostituting herself, she profanes her father; she must be burned in the fire.6 worksRevelation 13:1Then I saw a beast with ten horns and seven heads rising out of the sea. There were ten royal crowns on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads.6 worksRevelation 17:12The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but will receive one hour of authority as kings, along with the beast.6 works
The other 12 cross-references, with their words ▾
Jeremiah 50:41–42Behold, an army is coming from the north; a great nation and many kings are stirred up from the ends of the earth.5 worksRevelation 17:1–2Then one of the seven angels with the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits on many waters.4 worksRevelation 18:16–17saying: “Woe, woe to the great city, clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls!4 worksJoshua 6:24Then the Israelites burned up the city and everything in it. However, they put the silver and gold and articles of bronze and iron into the treasury of the LORD’s house.4 worksRevelation 18:17For in a single hour such fabulous wealth has been destroyed!” Every shipmaster, passenger, and sailor, and all who make their living from the sea, will stand at a distance4 worksEzekiel 23:45–49But righteous men will sentence them to the punishment of those who commit adultery and bloodshed, because they are adulteresses with blood on their hands.3 worksRevelation 18:19Then they will throw dust on their heads as they weep and mourn and cry out: “Woe, woe to the great city, where all who had ships on the sea were enriched by her wealth! For in a single hour she has been destroyed.”3 worksEzekiel 23:22Therefore, Oholibah, this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘I will incite your lovers against you, those from whom you turned away in disgust. And I will bring them against you from every side—3 worksRevelation 16:12And the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings of the East.2 worksRevelation 17:10There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for only a little while.2 worksRevelation 19:18so that you may eat the flesh of kings and commanders and mighty men, of horses and riders, of everyone slave and free, small and great.”2 worksDaniel 7:5Suddenly another beast appeared, which looked like a bear. It was raised up on one of its sides, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. So it was told, ‘Get up and gorge yourself on flesh!’2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Revelation 18:8

    Therefore her plagues will come in one day—death and grief and famine—and she will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.”

    it leads to

    • Jeremiah 50:31

      “Behold, I am against you, O arrogant one,” declares the Lord GOD of Hosts, “for your day has come, the time when I will punish you.

    • Jeremiah 50:34

      Their Redeemer is strong; the LORD of Hosts is His name. He will fervently plead their case so that He may bring rest to the earth, but turmoil to those who live in Babylon.

    • Revelation 18:9–10

      Then the kings of the earth who committed sexual immorality and lived in luxury with her will weep and wail at the sight of the smoke rising from the fire that consumes her.

    • Isaiah 47:9–11

      These two things will overtake you in a moment, in a single day: loss of children, and widowhood. They will come upon you in full measure, in spite of your many sorceries and the…

    • 1 Corinthians 10:22

      Are we trying to provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?

  • Through

    Leviticus 21:9

    If a priest’s daughter defiles herself by prostituting herself, she profanes her father; she must be burned in the fire.

    it leads to

    • Genesis 38:24

      About three months later, Judah was told, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar has prostituted herself, and now she is pregnant.” “Bring her out!” Judah replied. “Let her be burned to death!”

    • Leviticus 19:29

      You must not defile your daughter by making her a prostitute, or the land will be prostituted and filled with depravity.

    • Titus 1:6

      An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, having children who are believers and who are not open to accusation of indiscretion or insubordination.

Where this verse is studied

About Revelation

The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, Jan and Hubert van Eyck, about 1430 to 1432. Public domain.
The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, Jan and Hubert van Eyck, about 1430 to 1432. Public domain.
Revelation: the study guide →Read Revelation 17 →
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Andreas of Caesarea, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 17:15-18; Bede, Commentary on Revelation; Caesarius of Arles, EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 17:16, HOMILY 15; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Revelation and Victorinus of Pettau, Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John.

Read on in Revelation 17 →