REV 16

Revelation 16:19

WEB

The great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. Babylon the great was remembered in the sight of God, to give to her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.

BSB

The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. And God remembered Babylon the great and gave her the cup of the wine of the fury of His wrath.

KJV

And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.

Matthew Henry

Verses 17–21

Revelation 16:17–21

Here we have an account of the seventh and last angel pouring forth his vial, contributing his part towards the accomplishment of the downfall of Babylon, which was the finishing stroke. And here, as before, observe,

I. Where this plague fell - on the air, upon the prince of the power of the air, that is, the devil. His powers were restrained, his policies confounded; he was bound in God's chain: the sword of God was upon his eye and upon his arm; for he, as well as the powers of the earth, is subject to the almighty power of God. He had used all possible means to preserve the antichristian interest, and to prevent the fall of Babylon - all the influence that he has upon the minds of men, blinding their judgments and perverting them, hardening their hearts, raising their enmity to the gospel as high as could be. But now here is a vial poured out upon his kingdom, and he is not able to support his tottering cause and interest any longer.

II. What it produced, 1. A thankful voice from heaven, pronouncing that now the work was done. The church triumphant in heaven saw it, and rejoiced; the church militant on earth saw it, and became triumphant. It is finished. 2. A mighty commotion on the earth - an earthquake, so great as never was before, shaking the very centre, and this ushered in by the usual concomitants of thunder and lightnings. 3. The fall of Babylon, which was divided into three parts, called the cities of the nations (Rev 16:19); having had rule over the nations, and taken in the idolatry of the nations, incorporating into her religion something of the Jewish, something of the pagan, and something of the Christian religion, she was as three cities in one. God now remembered this great and wicked city. Though for some time he seemed to have forgotten her idolatry and cruelty, yet now he gives unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. And this downfall extended further than to the seat of antichrist; it reached from the centre to the circumference; and every island and every mountain, that seemed by nature and situation the most secured, were carried away in the deluge of this ruin.

III. How the antichristian party were affected with it. Though it fell upon them as a dreadful storm, as if the stones of the city, tossed up into the air, came down upon their heads, like hailstones of a talent weight each, yet they were so far from repenting that they blasphemed that God who thus punished them. Here was a dreadful plague of the heart, a spiritual judgment more dreadful and destructive than all the rest. Observe, 1. The greatest calamities that can befall men will not bring them to repentance without the grace of God working with them. 2. Those that are not made better by the judgments of God are always the worse for them. 3. To be hardened in sin and enmity against God by his righteous judgments is a certain token of utter destruction.

Cross-references: Rev 16:19

Greek interlinear

ἐμνήσθηemnēsthēverb · 3rd · aorist · passive · indic · sing

G2532

καίkaí/kahee/

and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet

Derivation: apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force;

and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words

KJV: and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.

G1096

γίνομαιgínomai/ghin'-om-ahee/

arise, be assembled, be(-come, -fall, -have self), be brought (to pass), (be) come (to pass), continue, be divided, draw, be ended, fall, be finished, follow, be found, be fulfilled, + God forbid, grow, happen, have, be kept, be made, be married, be ordained to be, partake, pass, be performed, be published, require, seem, be showed, X soon as it was, sound, be taken, be turned, use, wax, will, would, be wrought

Derivation: a prolongation and middle voice form of a primary verb;

to cause to be ("gen"-erate), i.e. (reflexively) to become (come into being), used with great latitude (literal, figurative, intensive, etc.)

KJV: arise, be assembled, be(-come, -fall, -have self), be brought (to pass), (be) come (to pass), continue, be divided, draw, be ended, fall, be finished, follow, be found, be fulfilled, + God forbid, grow, happen, have, be kept, be made, be married, be ordained to be, partake, pass, be performed, be published, require, seem, be showed, X soon as it was, sound, be taken, be turned, use, wax, will, would, be wrought.

G3588

ho/ho/

the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc

, including the feminine , and the neuter τό in all their inflections;

Derivation: the definite article;

the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom)

KJV: the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.

G4172

πόλιςpólis/pol'-is/

city

Derivation: probably from the same as G4171, or perhaps from G4183;

a town (properly, with walls, of greater or less size)

KJV: city.

See also: G4183, G4171.

G3173

μέγαςmégas/meg'-as/

(+ fear) exceedingly, great(-est), high, large, loud, mighty, + (be) sore (afraid), strong, X to years

Derivation: (including the prolonged forms, feminine μεγάλη, plural μεγάλοι, etc.; compare also G3176, G3187);

big (literally or figuratively, in a very wide application)

KJV: (+ fear) exceedingly, great(-est), high, large, loud, mighty, + (be) sore (afraid), strong, X to years.

See also: G3176, G3187.

G1519

εἰςeis/ice/

(abundant-)ly, against, among, as, at, (back-)ward, before, by, concerning, + continual, + far more exceeding, for (intent, purpose), fore, + forth, in (among, at, unto, -so much that, -to), to the intent that, + of one mind, + never, of, (up-)on, + perish, + set at one again, (so) that, therefore(-unto), throughout, til, to (be, the end, -ward), (here-)until(-to), …ward, (where-)fore, with

Derivation: a primary preposition;

to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose (result, etc.); also in adverbial phrases

KJV: (abundant-)ly, against, among, as, at, (back-)ward, before, by, concerning, + continual, + far more exceeding, for (intent, purpose), fore, + forth, in (among, at, unto, -so much that, -to), to the intent that, + of one mind, + never, of, (up-)on, + perish, + set at one again, (so) that, therefore(-unto), throughout, til, to (be, the end, -ward), (here-)until(-to), …ward, (where-)fore, with.

Often used in composition with the same general import, but only with verbs (etc.) expressing motion (literally or figuratively).

G5140

τρεῖςtreîs/trice/

three

, or neuter τρία

Derivation: a primary (plural) number;

"three"

KJV: three.

G3313

μέροςméros/mer'-os/

behalf, course, coast, craft, particular (+ -ly), part (+ -ly), piece, portion, respect, side, some sort(-what)

Derivation: from an obsolete but more primary form of μείρομαι (to get as a section or allotment);

a division or share (literally or figuratively, in a wide application)

KJV: behalf, course, coast, craft, particular (+ -ly), part (+ -ly), piece, portion, respect, side, some sort(-what).

G1484

ἔθνοςéthnos/eth'-nos/

Gentile, heathen, nation, people

Derivation: probably from G1486;

a race (as of the same habit), i.e. a tribe; specially, a foreign (non-Jewish) one (usually, by implication, pagan)

KJV: Gentile, heathen, nation, people.

See also: G1486.

G4098

πίπτωpíptō/pip'-to/

fail, fall (down), light on

, a reduplicated and contracted form of πέτω ; (which occurs only as an alternate in certain tenses);

Derivation: probably akin to G4072 through the idea of alighting;

to fall (literally or figuratively)

KJV: fail, fall (down), light on.

See also: G4072.

G897

ΒαβυλώνBabylṓn/bab-oo-lone'/

Babylon

Derivation: of Hebrew origin (H894);

Babylon, the capitol of Chaldæa (literally or figuratively (as a type of tyranny))

KJV: Babylon.

See also: H894.

G1799

ἐνώπιονenṓpion/en-o'-pee-on/

before, in the presence (sight) of, to

Derivation: neuter of a compound of G1722 and a derivative of G3700;

in the face of (literally or figuratively)

KJV: before, in the presence (sight) of, to.

See also: G1722, G3700.

G2316

θεόςtheós/theh'-os/

X exceeding, God, god(-ly, -ward)

Derivation: of uncertain affinity; a deity, especially (with G3588) the supreme Divinity;

figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very

KJV: X exceeding, God, god(-ly, -ward).

See also: G3588.

G1325

δίδωμιdídōmi/did'-o-mee/

adventure, bestow, bring forth, commit, deliver (up), give, grant, hinder, make, minister, number, offer, have power, put, receive, set, shew, smite (+ with the hand), strike (+ with the palm of the hand), suffer, take, utter, yield

Derivation: a prolonged form of a primary verb (which is used as an alternative in most of the tenses);

to give (used in a very wide application, properly, or by implication, literally or figuratively; greatly modified by the connection)

KJV: adventure, bestow, bring forth, commit, deliver (up), give, grant, hinder, make, minister, number, offer, have power, put, receive, set, shew, smite (+ with the hand), strike (+ with the palm of the hand), suffer, take, utter, yield.

G846

αὐτόςautós/ow-tos'/

her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which

Derivation: from the particle αὖ (perhaps akin to the base of G109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward);

the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative G1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons

KJV: her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.

Compare G848.

See also: G109, G1438, G848.

G4221

ποτήριονpotḗrion/pot-ay'-ree-on/

cup

Derivation: neuter of a derivative of the alternate of G4095;

a drinking-vessel; by extension, the contents thereof, i.e. a cupful (draught); figuratively, a lot or fate

KJV: cup.

See also: G4095.

G3631

οἶνοςoînos/oy'-nos/

wine

Derivation: a primary word (or perhaps of Hebrew origin (H3196));

"wine" (literally or figuratively)

KJV: wine.

See also: H3196.

G2372

θυμόςthymós/thoo-mos'/

fierceness, indignation, wrath

Derivation: from G2380;

passion (as if breathing hard)

KJV: fierceness, indignation, wrath.

Compare G5590.

See also: G2380, G5590.

G3709

ὀργήorgḗ/or-gay'/

anger, indignation, vengeance, wrath

Derivation: from G3713;

properly, desire (as a reaching forth or excitement of the mind), i.e. (by analogy), violent passion (ire, or (justifiable) abhorrence); by implication punishment

KJV: anger, indignation, vengeance, wrath.

See also: G3713.

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