1. And there came one of the seven angels having the seven phials, and spoke with me, saying to Me, Come, I will show thee the judgment of the great harlot sitting upon many waters. 2. With whom the kings of the land have committed whoredom, and those inhabiting the land have been made drunk with the wine of her whoredom. 3. And he carried me away in the spirit into a wilderness and I saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. 4. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious Stone and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand, full of abominations and the uncleanness of her whoredom. 5. And upon her forehead a name was written, Mystery, Babylon the great, the mother of the whoredoms and abominations of the land. 6. And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the Saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus, and I wondered, seeing her with a great wonder. 7. And the angel said unto me, Why dost thou wonder? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast carrying her, having the seven heads and ten horns. 8. The beast that thou hast seen was, and is not, and is going to come up out of the deep and go away into perdition. And those dwelling upon the land shall wonder, whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, seeing the beast that was and is not, but yet is. 9. This is the mind having wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, where the woman is sitting upon them. 10. And they are seven kings; five have fallen, and one is, another is not yet come, and when he comes he must remain a short while. 11. And the beast that was and is not, himself is the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going into perdition. 12. And the ten horns that thou hast seen are ten kings, who have not yet received a kingdom, but they receive authority as kings one hour with the beast. 13. These have one purpose (sententia), and shall surrender their power and authority to the beast. 14. These shall fight with the Lamb, but the Lamb shall overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and they who are with Him are called, chosen and faithful. 15. And he says unto me, The waters that thou hast seen, where the harlot is sitting, are peoples and crowds and nations and tongues. 16. And the ten horns that thou hast seen upon the beast these shall hate the harlot, and shall make her desolate, and naked, and eat up her flesh, and burn her up with fire. 17. Forasmuch as God has put in their heart to do His purpose, and to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until God's words shall* be consummated. 18. And the woman whom thou hast seen is the great city, having a kingdom over the kings of the land. * Reading consummentur (shall be consummated) as in n. 750, instead of consummarentur (should be consummated).

THE SPIRITUAL SENSE

THE CONTENT OF THE WHOLE CHAPTER

Concerning the Roman Catholic form of religion. There is described in what sort of way it had falsified the Word, and consequently perverted all the truths of the Church (vers. 1-7):

how it had falsified and perverted them with those who were subject to its dominion (vers. 8-11):

that [this had occurred] less with those who had not so subjected themselves to its dominion (vers. 12-15).

Concerning the Reformed:

that they had extricated themselves from the yoke of its domination (vers. 16, 17):

concerning its domination still (verse 18).

THE CONTENTS OF EACH OF THE VERSES

1. And there came one of the seven angels having the seven phials, and spoke with me signifies an influx and revelation now from the Lord out of the inmost of heaven concerning the Roman Catholic form of religion. Saying unto me, I will show thee the judgment of the great harlot sitting upon many waters signifies a revelation concerning that form of religion as to its profanations and adulterations of the truth (veritas) of the Word. 2. With whom the kings of the land have committed whoredom signifies that they have adulterated the truths and goods of the Church that are derived from the Word. And those inhabiting the land have been made drunk with the wine of her whoredom signifies the insaneness in spiritual things resulting from the adulteration of the Word with those who are in that form of religion.

3. And he carried me away in the spirit into a wilderness signifies carried away in a spiritual state to those with whom all things of the Church have been devastated. And I saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet beast, full of names of blasphemy signifies that form of religion upon the Word profaned by them. Having seven heads, and ten horns signifies intelligence derived from the Word, in the beginning holy, afterwards none, and at last insanity, and continually much power derived from the Word. 4. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet signifies the celestial Divine Good and Divine Truth that are of the Word, with them. And decked with gold and precious stone signifies the spiritual Divine Good and Divine Truth that are of the Word, with them. And pearls signifies the cognitions of good and truth that are of the Word, with them. Having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and the uncleanness of her whoredom signifies that form of religion derived from the profaned holy things of the Word, and from its goods and truths defiled by means of dreadful untruths. 5. Upon her forehead written, Mystery, Babylon the great, the mother of the whoredoms and abominations of the land signifies what the Roman Catholic form of religion is like interiorly, which has been concealed: that as the result of its origin from the love of dominating out of the love of self over the holy things of the Church and over heaven thus over all things of the Lord and His Word, it has defiled and profaned the things that are of the Word and of the Church therefrom. 6. And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus signifies that form of religion being insane as the result of the adulterated and profaned Divine Truths and Goods of the Lord, of the Word, and of the Church therefrom. And I wondered, seeing her with a great wonder signifies astonishment at that form of religion being such interiorly, when yet exteriorly it appears otherwise. 7. And the angel said unto me, Why dost thou wonder? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast carrying her, having the seven heads and ten horns signifies the disclosure: what the things that precede and were seen signify. 8. The beast that thou hast seen, was and is not signifies the Word with them acknowledged as holy, and yet in reality not acknowledged. And is going to come up out of the deep and go away into perdition signifies [that it was] several times deliberated in the Papal Consistory concerning the reception and reading of the Word by the laity and common people, but it was rejected. And those dwelling upon the land shall wonder, whose names have not been written in the Lamb's* book of life from the foundation of the world, seeing the beast that was and is not, but yet is signifies the bewilderment of all those who are of that form of religion, who from its establishment have aimed at dominion over heaven and earth, that the Word, although thus rejected, is still in existence. 9. This is the mind having wisdom signifies that this interpretation is in the natural sense but is for those who are in the spiritual sense from the Lord. The seven heads are seven mountains, and the woman is sitting upon them, [10] and they are seven kings signifies the Divine Goods and Divine Truths of the Word upon which that form of religion has been founded, in time destroyed and finally profaned. Five have fallen, and one is, and another is not yet come, and when he comes he must remain a short while signifies that all the Divine Truths of the Word have been destroyed except this one, that to the Lord was given all authority in heaven and on earth; and except this other one, which has not yet come into question, [and is] not going to continue, which is, that the Lord's Human is Divine. 11. And the beast that was and is not, himself is the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going into perdition signifies that the Word, concerning which [something was said] before, is Divine Good Itself, and that it is Divine Truth, and that it is being taken away from the laity and the common people lest the profanations and adulterations made there by the leaders should appear, and they [the laity and common people] should withdraw 12. And the ten horns** are ten kings, who have not yet received a kingdom signifies the Word as to the power derived from Divine Truths with those who are in the kingdom of France and are not in that manner under the yoke of the Papal dominion, with whom, however, there has not yet been formed a Church thus separated from the Roman Catholic form of religion. But they receive authority as kings one hour with the beast signifies that the Word has influence with them, and they have influence by means of the Word, as if they were in its Divine Truths. 13. These have one purpose, and shall surrender their power and authority to the beast signifies that they unanimously acknowledge that government and dominion over the Church is solely by means of the Word. 14. These shall fight with the Lamb, but the Lamb shall overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings signifies the Lord's fight with them about the acknowledgment of His Divine Human, because the Lord in that [Human] is the God of heaven and earth, and also is the Word. And they who are with Him are called, chosen and faithful signifies that those who approach and worship the Lord Only are the ones who come into heaven, both those who are in the external things of the Church and those who are in the internal and inmost things thereof. 15. And He says unto me, The waters that thou hast seen, where the harlot is sitting, are peoples and crowds, and nations and tongues signifies that under the Papal dominion, but in the truths of the Word variously adulterated and profaned by that form of religion, there are those who belong thereto as the result of diversity in doctrine and discipline, and in religion and confession. 16. And the ten horns that thou hast seen upon the beast, these shall hate the harlot signifies the Word as to its power derived from Divine Truths with the Protestants, who have altogether cast off from themselves the yoke of Papal dominion. And shall make her desolate and naked signifies that they will divest themselves of its untruths and evils. And shall eat up her flesh, and burn her up with fire signifies that out of hatred they will condemn and destroy with themselves the evils and untruths that are proper to that form of religion, and execrate and blot out with themselves the form of religion itself. 17. Forasmuch as God has put in their heart to do His purpose, and to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast signifies the judgment with them from the Lord, that they should altogether repudiate and execrate the Roman Catholic form of religion, and should blot it out and uproot it among themselves, and the unanimous judgment that they should acknowledge the Word and found the Church upon it. Until God's words shall*** be consummated signifies until all the things that have been foretold concerning them have been fulfilled. 18. And the woman whom thou hast seen is the great city having a kingdom over the kings of the land signifies that as to doctrine the Roman Catholic form of religion reigns in Christendom, and to some extent even still with the Reformed although they are not under the Papal dominion. * The Original Edition has Agni (the Lamb's or of the Lamb) here, but it is not found in the text of the chapter nor at n. 735. ** The Original Edition omits 'that thou hast seen' here and at n. 740. *** See footnote to verse 17.

THE EXPOSITION

*In the things preceding from chap. vii to chap. xvi inclusive [the Word] has treated of the Reformed. Now in this and the following chapter it treats of the followers of the Pontiff (Pontifcii), among whom those who have claimed for themselves the power of opening and shutting heaven are understood by 'Babylon'. Here therefore it shall first be said what specifically is understood by 'Babylon'. By 'Babylon' or 'Babel' is understood the love, derived from the love of self, of dominating over the holy things of the Church; and because that love mounts up so far as it has free rein, and the holy things of the Church are also the holy things of heaven, therefore by 'Babylon' or 'Babel' is also signified dominion over heaven. And because that love actuates the devil, who aims at similar things, he cannot but profane holy things by adulterating the goods and truths of the Word. Therefore by 'Babylon' or 'Babel' is signified also the profanation of holy things, and the adulteration of the good and truth of the Word. These are the things that are signified by 'Babylon' here in the Apocalypse, and by 'Babel' in the prophetical and historical Word, in these passages:-

Concerning Babel: Behold the day of Jehovah is coming, cruel. The stars of the heavens and the constellations thereof shall not shine with their light (lux); the sun has been darkened in his rising, and the moon is not causing her light (lumen) to gleam. I will cause the elation of the proud to cease, and will lay low the pride of the violent. Babel, the ornament of kingdoms, shall be as God's overthrowing Sodom and Gomorrah. Ziim** shall lie down there, their houses shall be filled with ochim, and the daughters of the owl shall dwell there, and satyrs shall prance there, ijim shall answer in her palaces, and dragons in the palaces of her delights Isa. xiii 1,9-11, 19, 21, 22;

besides many other things in the whole of that chapter.

Thou shalt declare this parable concerning the king of Babel: Thy magnificence has been sent down into hell. Thou hast fallen down from heaven, O Lucifer; thou hast said in thy heart, I will ascend the heavens, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God, I will ascend above the heights of the cloud, I will become like the Most High. But yet thou hast been sent down into hell. I will arise against thee***, and cut off from Babel the name and the remnant Isa. xiv 4, 11-15, 22;

Jehovah has spoken against Babel: Your mother was ashamed exceedingly, she who bare you (genetrix vestra) was suffused with shame; behold the last [of the nations is] a wilderness, a drought and a solitude. Arrange yourselves against Babel round about, shoot the javelin against her, and do not spare the arrows. How Babel has been brought into desolation among the nations! she has acted insolently against Jehovah, against the Holy One of Israel. A drought is upon her waters, that they may dry up, for it is a land of graven images, and it glories in horrible things; therefore ziim shall dwell there with ijim, and owls shall dwell therein, according to God's overthrowing Sodom and Gomorrah Jer. 11, 12, 14, 23, 29, 31, 38-40;

besides many other things concerning 'Babel' in the whole of that chapter.

Babel is a goblet of gold in the hand of Jehovah, making the entire land drunken. The nations have drunk of her wine, therefore they are mad. Forsake her, for her judgment has reached to the heavens, and has lifted itself up even to the clouds. Behold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain, destroying the entire land. I will roll thee down from the rocks, and I will turn thee into a mountain of burning. I will visit upon Bel in Babel; and I will draw forth his mouthful out of his mouth, that the nations may no longer flow together unto him; even the wall of Babel shall collapse. Behold the coming days in which I shall visit upon the graven images of Babel, that her whole land may be ashamed. Though Babel should ascend into the heavens, and though she should fortify the highplace of her strength, from Me shall waiters come. Yea, I will make drunk her princes and her wise men, and her guides and her leading men, that they may sleep the sleep of an age and not awake Jer. lii, 7, 9, 25, 44, 47, 53, 57;

besides many other things in the whole of that chapter concerning 'Babel'.

Come down and sit upon the dust, O virgin daughter of Babel, sit on the ground; there is no throne. Take a mill-stone and grind meal; uncover the thigh, pass over rivers, thy nakedness shall be uncovered, thy disgrace shall be seen. Thou hast said, I shall be mistress to eternity; thou hast not remembered the end. Thou hast trusted in thy wickedness; thou hast said, [There is] no seeing me; thy wisdom and thy knowledge has led thee astray, while thou bait said in thy heart, I, and there is none else like me; devastation shall conic suddenly, thou shalt not know. Stand fast in thy enchantments, in the multitude of thy sorceries, wherein thou bait laboured from thy youth. Perchance they can be of some use, perchance thou shalt become terrible Isa. xlvii 1-3, 7, 10-12;

besides more concerning' Babel' in that chapter. Similar things are signified by:-

The city and the tower, whose top [was to be] in heaven, which those coming out of the east attempted to build in the valley of Shinar whose lip Jehovah going down out of heaven confounded, whence the name of the place [was] Babel (confusion) Gen. xi 1-9.

Similar things are signified by the following passages in Daniel:-

By the statue seen by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babel, the feet of which were partly iron and partly clay, which the stone cut out not by hand smote and ground to pieces, and all of the statue became as chaff on threshing-floors; and the stone was made into a great rock Dan. ii 31-47.

By the great statue which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babel made, and commanded that they should fall down and adore before it, and that those who would not do so should be cast into the furnace of fire Dan. iii 1-7 seq.

By the tree growing until its height should reach to heaven, and the sight of it to the end of the land, which the Watcher and Holy One coming down out of heaven commanded to be hewed down, lopped, brokers up, and scattered about: and because the king of Babel was represented thereby, it came to pass that he was driven away from man, was dwelling with the beasts, and eating grass like an ox Dan. iv i to the end.

By the fact that Belshazzar king of Babel with his nobles, wives and concubines, was drinking wine out of the vessels of gold and silver of the Jerusalem temple, and was praising gods of gold, silver, bronze, iron and stone; on account of which the wall was written on, and the king himself was slain on the same day Dan. v to the end. By the decree of Darius the Mede, king of Babel, that no one within the space of 30 days should ask anything from God or man, but from the king only: if otherwise, he should be cast into the den of lions Dan. vi 7 [H.B. 8] to the end.

And by the four beasts coming up out of the sea seen by Daniel, the fourth of which [was] terrible, strong, having great teeth of iron, it devoured and crushed in pieces, and trampled the residue with its feet. And that then the judgment was set, and the books were opened, and the beast was slain and consigned to be burnt by fire. And that then there was seen coming with the clouds of heaven One like the Son of Man, to Whom was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, and all peoples and nations and tongues shall worship Him; His dominion is the dominion of an age that shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not perish Dan. vii 1-14 seq. * In the Original Edition the whole of this paragraph is marked with quotation marks. ** Reading ziim as in Hebrew instead of jiim. *** Hebrew has 'them'.