Revelation 17:16
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.
Study Note
Study Note
'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' — the remarkable reversal in which Babylon's own political allies turn against and destroy her is presented as divinely purposed (verse 17: 'God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will'). The imagery of allies devouring an unfaithful city echoes Ezekiel 23:29's judgment on Oholibah and the covenant-curse language of Deuteronomy 28:26 and Jeremiah 34:20. Theologically, the passage illustrates the principle that empires built on exploitation contain within themselves the seeds of their own destruction — a theme resonant with every subsequent imperial collapse in world history.
Other Translations
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.
and the ten horns that thou didst see upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and shall burn her in fire,
And the ten horns which you saw, and the beast, these will be turned against the evil woman, and will make her waste and uncovered, and will take her flesh for food, and will have her burned with fire.
Cross References
If the men of my tabernacle said not, Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied.
Their bows also shall dash the young men to pieces; and they shall have no pity on the fruit of …
Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, which shall not regard silver; and as for gold, they shall …
They shall hold the bow and the lance: they are cruel, and will not shew mercy: their voice shall roar …
Behold, a people shall come from the north, and a great nation, and many kings shall be raised up from …
And they shall recompense your lewdness upon you, and ye shall bear the sins of your idols: and ye shall …
And the righteous men, they shall judge them after the manner of adulteresses, and after the manner of women that …
Behold, every one that useth proverbs shall use this proverb against thee, saying, As is the mother, so is her …
Behold, therefore I will gather all thy lovers, with whom thou hast taken pleasure, and all them that thou hast …
And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it …