Revelation 18:20
Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.
Study Note
Study Note
'Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her' — heaven is commanded to celebrate Babylon's fall as the vindication of those she martyred. The call for heaven to rejoice over judgment is jarring to modern ears but stands in the tradition of Deuteronomy 32:43, Isaiah 44:23, and Psalm 96:11-12, where creation rejoices at divine justice. The verse reflects the apocalyptic insistence that history's injustices are not forgotten — the blood of prophets and saints (18:24) generates a claim that the sovereign God will ultimately honor.
Other Translations
Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye saints, and ye apostles, and ye prophets; for God hath judged your judgment on her.
`Be glad over her, O heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets, because God did judge your judgment of her!'
Be glad over her, heaven, and you saints, and Apostles, and prophets; because she has been judged by God on your account.
Cross References
I will make mine arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh; and that with the blood of …
So let all thine enemies perish, O Lord: but let them that love him be as the sun when he …
It is God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me.
Let mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of thy judgments.
The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.
O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongeth; O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thyself.
Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof.
Before the Lord: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, …
The righteous shall see it, and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her mouth.
Let them curse, but bless thou: when they arise, let them be ashamed; but let thy servant rejoice.