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Selected Verse: Revelation 17:15 - Strong Concordance
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Re 17:15 |
Strong Concordance |
And [2532] he saith [3004] unto me [3427], The waters [5204] which [3739] thou sawest [1492], where [3757] the whore [4204] sitteth [2521], are [1526] peoples [2992], and [2532] multitudes [3793], and [2532] nations [1484], and [2532] tongues [1100]. |
| |
King James |
And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
(Rev 17:1; Isa 8:7.) An impious parody of Jehovah who "sitteth upon the flood" [ALFORD]. Also, contrast the "many waters" Rev 19:6, "Alleluia."
peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues--The "peoples," &c., here mark the universality of the spiritual fornication of the Church. The "tongues" remind us of the original Babel, the confusion of tongues, the beginning of Babylon, and the first commencement of idolatrous apostasy after the flood, as the tower was doubtless dedicated to the deified heavens. Thus, Babylon is the appropriate name of the harlot. The Pope, as the chief representative of the harlot, claims a double supremacy over all peoples, typified by the "two swords" according to the interpretation of Boniface VIII in the Bull, "Unam Sanctam," and represented by the two keys: spiritual as the universal bishop, whence he is crowned with the miter; and temporal, whence he is also crowned with the tiara in token of his imperial supremacy. Contrast with the Pope's diadems the "many diadems" of Him who alone has claim to, and shall exercise when He shall come, the twofold dominion (Rev 19:12). |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
And he saith unto me - The angel, Rev 17:7. This commences the more "literal" statement of what is meant by these symbols. See the Analysis of the chapter.
The waters which thou sawest - See the notes on Rev 17:1.
Are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues - For an explanation of these terms, see the notes on Rev 7:9. The meaning here is:
(a) that these waters represent a multitude of people. This is a common and an obvious symbol - for outspread seas or raging floods would naturally represent such a multitude. See Isa 8:7-8; Isa 17:12-13; Jer 47:2. Compare Iliad, v. 394. The sense here is, that vast numbers of people would be subject to the power here represented by the woman.
(b) They would be composed of different nations, and would be of different languages, It is unnecessary to show that this, in both respects, is applicable to the papacy. Nations have been, and are subject to its control, and nations speaking a large part of the languages of the world. Perhaps under no one government - not even the Babylonian, the Macedonian, or the ancient Roman - was there so great a diversity of people, speaking so many different languages, and having so different an origin. |
| Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886] |
The waters
The explanation of the symbol given here is in accordance with Isa 8:7; Psa 18:4, Psa 18:16; Psa 124:4.
Peoples and multitudes, etc.
See on Pe1 2:9; see on Mar 12:37. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
| And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues - "So many words," Bishop Newton observes, "in the plural number, fitly denote the great extensiveness of her power and jurisdiction. She herself glories in the title of the Catholic Church, and exults in the number of her votaries as a certain proof of the true religion. Cardinal Bellarmin's first note of the true Church is, the very name of the Catholic Church; and his fourth note is, amplitude, or multitude, and variety of believers; for the truly Catholic Church, says he, ought not only to comprehend all ages, but likewise all places, all nations, all kinds of men." |
12 [1161] His [846] eyes [3788] were as [5613] a flame [5395] of fire [4442], and [2532] on [1909] his [846] head [2776] were many [4183] crowns [1238]; and he had [2192] a name [3686] written [1125], that [3739] no man [3762] knew [1492], but [1508] he himself [846].
6 And [2532] I heard [191] as it were [5613] the voice [5456] of a great [4183] multitude [3793], and [2532] as [5613] the voice [5456] of many [4183] waters [5204], and [2532] as [5613] the voice [5456] of mighty [2478] thunderings [1027], saying [3004], Alleluia [239]: for [3754] the Lord [2962] God [2316] omnipotent [3841] reigneth [936].
7 Now therefore, behold, the Lord [0136] bringeth up [05927] upon them the waters [04325] of the river [05104], strong [06099] and many [07227], even the king [04428] of Assyria [0804], and all his glory [03519]: and he shall come up [05927] over all his channels [0650], and go over [01980] all his banks [01415]:
1 And [2532] there came [2064] one [1520] of [1537] the seven [2033] angels [32] which [3588] had [2192] the seven [2033] vials [5357], and [2532] talked [2980] with [3326] me [1700], saying [3004] unto me [3427], Come hither [1204]; I will shew [1166] unto thee [4671] the judgment [2917] of the great [3173] whore [4204] that sitteth [2521] upon [1909] many [4183] waters [5204]:
2 Thus saith [0559] the LORD [03068]; Behold, waters [04325] rise up [05927] out of the north [06828], and shall be an overflowing [07857] flood [05158], and shall overflow [07857] the land [0776], and all that is therein [04393]; the city [05892], and them that dwell [03427] therein: then the men [0120] shall cry [02199], and all the inhabitants [03427] of the land [0776] shall howl [03213].
12 Woe [01945] to the multitude [01995] of many [07227] people [05971], which make a noise [01993] like the noise [01993] of the seas [03220]; and to the rushing [07588] of nations [03816], that make a rushing like the rushing [07582] of mighty [03524] waters [04325]!
13 The nations [03816] shall rush [07582] like the rushing [07588] of many [07227] waters [04325]: but God shall rebuke [01605] them, and they shall flee [05127] far off [04801], and shall be chased [07291] as the chaff [04671] of the mountains [02022] before [06440] the wind [07307], and like a rolling thing [01534] before [06440] the whirlwind [05492].
7 Now therefore, behold, the Lord [0136] bringeth up [05927] upon them the waters [04325] of the river [05104], strong [06099] and many [07227], even the king [04428] of Assyria [0804], and all his glory [03519]: and he shall come up [05927] over all his channels [0650], and go over [01980] all his banks [01415]:
8 And he shall pass [02498] through Judah [03063]; he shall overflow [07857] and go over [05674], he shall reach [05060] even to the neck [06677]; and the stretching out [04298] of his wings [03671] shall fill [04393] the breadth [07341] of thy land [0776], O Immanuel [06005] [0410].
9 After [3326] this [5023] I beheld [1492], and [2532], lo [2400], a great [4183] multitude [3793], which [3739] no man [3762] could [1410] number [705] [846], of [1537] all [3956] nations [1484], and [2532] kindreds [5443], and [2532] people [2992], and [2532] tongues [1100], stood [2476] before [1799] the throne [2362], and [2532] before [1799] the Lamb [721], clothed [4016] with white [3022] robes [4749], and [2532] palms [5404] in [1722] their [846] hands [5495];
1 And [2532] there came [2064] one [1520] of [1537] the seven [2033] angels [32] which [3588] had [2192] the seven [2033] vials [5357], and [2532] talked [2980] with [3326] me [1700], saying [3004] unto me [3427], Come hither [1204]; I will shew [1166] unto thee [4671] the judgment [2917] of the great [3173] whore [4204] that sitteth [2521] upon [1909] many [4183] waters [5204]:
7 And [2532] the angel [32] said [2036] unto me [3427], Wherefore [1302] didst thou marvel [2296]? I [1473] will tell [2046] thee [4671] the mystery [3466] of the woman [1135], and [2532] of the beast [2342] that carrieth [941] her [846], which [3588] hath [2192] the seven [2033] heads [2776] and [2532] ten [1176] horns [2768].
37 David [1138] therefore [3767] himself [846] calleth [3004] him [846] Lord [2962]; and [2532] whence [4159] is he [2076] then his [846] son [5207]? And [2532] the common [4183] people [3793] heard [191] him [846] gladly [2234].
9 But [1161] ye [5210] are a chosen [1588] generation [1085], a royal [934] priesthood [2406], an holy [40] nation [1484], a peculiar [1519] [4047] people [2992]; that [3704] ye should shew forth [1804] the praises [703] of him who hath called [2564] you [5209] out of [1537] darkness [4655] into [1519] his [846] marvellous [2298] light [5457]:
4 Then [0233] the waters [04325] had overwhelmed [07857] us, the stream [05158] had gone over [05674] our soul [05315]:
16 He sent [07971] from above [04791], he took [03947] me, he drew [04871] me out of many [07227] waters [04325].
4 The sorrows [02256] of death [04194] compassed [0661] me, and the floods [05158] of ungodly men [01100] made me afraid [01204].
7 Now therefore, behold, the Lord [0136] bringeth up [05927] upon them the waters [04325] of the river [05104], strong [06099] and many [07227], even the king [04428] of Assyria [0804], and all his glory [03519]: and he shall come up [05927] over all his channels [0650], and go over [01980] all his banks [01415]: