Revelation 16-18
Complete Jewish Bible
16 I heard a loud voice from the sanctuary say to the seven angels, “Go, and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of God’s fury!”
2 So the first one went and poured his bowl onto the earth, and disgusting and painful sores appeared on all the people who had the mark of the beast and worshipped its image.
3 The second one poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became like the blood of a dead person, and every living thing in the sea died.
4 The third one poured out his bowl into the rivers and springs of water, and they turned to blood. 5 Then I heard the angel of the waters say,
“O HaKadosh, the One who is and was,
you are just in these judgments of yours.
6 They poured out the blood of your people and your prophets,
so you have made them drink blood. They deserve it!”
7 Then I heard the altar say,
“Yes, Adonai, God of heaven’s armies,[a]
your judgments are true and just!”
8 The fourth one poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was permitted to burn people with fire. 9 People were burned by the intense heat; yet they cursed the name of God, who had the authority over these plagues, instead of turning from their sins to give him glory.
10 The fifth one poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom grew dark. People gnawed on their tongues from the pain, 11 yet they cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and sores, and did not turn from their sinful deeds.
12 The sixth one poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water dried up, in order to prepare the way for the kings from the east. 13 And I saw three unclean spirits that looked like frogs; they came from the mouth of the dragon, from the mouth of the beast and from the mouth of the false prophet. 14 They are miracle-working demonic spirits which go out to the kings of the whole inhabited world to assemble them for the War of the Great Day of Adonai-Tzva’ot. 15 (“Look! I am coming like a thief! How blessed are those who stay alert and keep their clothes clean, so that they won’t be walking naked and be publicly put to shame!”) 16 And they gathered the kings to the place which in Hebrew is called Har Megiddo.
17 The seventh one poured out his bowl on the air, and a loud voice came out of the Temple from the throne, saying, “It is done!” 18 There were flashes of lightning, voices and peals of thunder; and there was a massive earthquake, such as has never occurred since mankind has been on earth, so violent was the earthquake. 19 The great city was split into three parts, the cities of the nations fell, and God remembered Bavel the Great and made her drink the wine from the cup of his raging fury. 20 Every island fled, and no mountains were to be found. 21 And huge seventy-pound hailstones fell on people from the sky. But the people cursed God for the plague of hail, that it was such a terrible plague.
17 Then came one of the angels with the seven bowls; and he said to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great whore who is sitting by many waters. 2 The kings of the earth went whoring with her, and the people living on earth have become drunk from the wine of her whoring.” 3 He carried me off in the Spirit to a desert, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast filled with blasphemous names and having seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet and glittered with gold, precious stones and pearls. In her hand was a gold cup filled with the obscene and filthy things produced by her whoring. 5 On her forehead was written a name with a hidden meaning,
BAVEL THE GREAT
MOTHER OF WHORES AND OF
THE EARTH’S OBSCENITIES
6 I saw the woman drunk from the blood of God’s people, that is, from the blood of the people who testify about Yeshua.
On seeing her, I was altogether astounded. 7 Then the angel said to me, “Why are you astounded? I will tell you the hidden meaning of the woman and of the beast with seven heads and ten horns that was carrying her. 8 The beast you saw once was, now is not, and will come up from the Abyss; but it is on its way to destruction. The people living on earth whose names have not been written in the Book of Life since the founding of the world will be astounded to see the beast that once was, now is not, but is to appear. 9 This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven heads are seven hills on which the woman is sitting; also they are seven kings — 10 five have fallen, one is living now and the other is yet to come; and when he does come, he must remain only a little while. 11 The beast which once was and now is not is an eighth king; it comes from the seven and is on its way to destruction. 12 The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet begun to rule, but they receive power as kings for one hour, along with the beast. 13 They have one mind, and they hand over their power and authority to the beast. 14 They will go to war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will defeat them, because he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are called, chosen and faithful will overcome along with him.”
15 Then he said to me, “The waters that you saw, where the whore is sitting, are peoples, crowds, nations and languages. 16 As for the ten horns that you saw and the beast, they will hate the whore, bring her to ruin, leave her naked, eat her flesh and consume her with fire. 17 For God put it in their hearts to do what will fulfill his purpose, that is, to be of one mind and give their kingdom to the beast until God’s words have accomplished their intent. 18 And the woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.”
18 After these things, I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, the earth was lit up by his splendor. 2 He cried out in a strong voice,
“She has fallen! She has fallen!
Bavel the Great![b]
She has become a home for demons,
a prison for every unclean spirit,
a prison for every unclean, hated bird.
3 “For all the nations have drunk of the wine
of God’s fury caused by her whoring —
yes, the kings of the earth went whoring with her,
and from her unrestrained love of luxury
the world’s businessmen have grown rich.”
4 Then I heard another voice out of heaven say:
“My people, come out of her!
so that you will not share in her sins,
so that you will not be infected by her plagues,
5 for her sins are a sticky mass piled up to heaven,
and God has remembered her crimes.
6 “Render to her as she rendered to others!
Pay her back double for what she has done!
Use the cup in which she has brewed
to brew her a double-sized drink!
7 “Give her as much torment and sorrow
as the glory and luxury she gave herself!
For in her heart she says, ‘I sit a queen —
I am not a widow, I will never see sorrow.’
8 “Therefore, her plagues will come in a single day —
death, sorrow and famine;
and she will be burned with fire,
because Adonai, God, her Judge, is mighty”
9 The kings of the earth who went whoring with her and shared her luxury will sob and wail over her when they see the smoke as she burns. 10 Standing at a distance, for fear of her torment, they will say,
“Oh no! The great city!
Bavel, the mighty city!
In a single hour
your judgment has come!”
11 The world’s businessmen weep and mourn over her, because no one is buying their merchandise any more — 12 stocks of gold and silver, gems and pearls, fine linen and purple, silk and scarlet, all rare woods, all ivory goods, all kinds of things made of scented wood, brass, iron and marble; 13 cinnamon, cardamom, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, oil, flour, grain, cattle, sheep, horses, chariots — and bodies — and people’s souls.
14 The fruits you lusted for with all your heart have gone!
All the luxury and flashiness have been destroyed, never to return!
15 The sellers of these things, who got rich from her, will stand at a distance, for fear of her torment, weeping and mourning, 16 and saying,
“Oh no! The great city used to wear fine linen, purple and scarlet!
She glittered with gold, precious stones and pearls!
17 Such great wealth —
in a single hour, ruined!”
All the ship masters, passengers, sailors and everyone making his living from the sea stood at a distance 18 and cried out when they saw the smoke as she burned, “What city was like the great city?” 19 And they threw dust on their heads as they wept and mourned, saying,
“Oh no! The great city!
The abundance of her wealth
made all the ship owners rich!
In a single hour she is ruined!”
20 Rejoice over her, heaven!
Rejoice, people of God,
emissaries and prophets!
For in judging her, God has vindicated you.
21 Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a great millstone, and hurled it into the sea, saying,
“With violence like this
will the great city Bavel
be hurled down,
never to be found again!
22 “The sound of harpists and musicians,
flute-players and trumpeters
will never again be heard in you.
No worker of any trade
will ever again be found in you,
the sound of a mill
will never again be heard in you,
23 the light of a lamp
will never again shine in you,
the voice of bridegroom and bride
will never again be heard in you.
“For your businessmen were the most powerful on earth,
all the nations were deceived by your magic spell.
24 “In her was found the blood of prophets and of God’s people,
indeed, of all who have ever been slaughtered on earth!”
Footnotes
- Revelation 16:7 Amos 3:13; 4:13
- Revelation 18:2 Isaiah 21:9
Hisgalus 16-18
Orthodox Jewish Bible
16 And I heard a kol gadol (loud voice) out of Heikhal saying to the shiva malachim (seven angels), “Go and pour out the sheva ke’arot (seven bowls) of the Charon Af of Hashem (the burning wrath of Hashem) onto ha’aretz (the earth).” [TEHILLIM 79:6; TZEFANYAH 3:8]
2 And harishon (the first [malach]) departed and poured out his ke’ara (bowl) onto ha’aretz (the earth), and a bad and rah (evil) sore came on the Bnei Adam having the mark of the Chayyah (Beast, Anti-Moshiach) and the ones worshiping its Atzav (idol, image). [SHEMOT 9:9-11; DEVARIM 28:35]
3 And hasheyni (the second [malach]) poured out his ke’ara (bowl) onto the yam (sea). It became like the dahm of a niftar (deceased person), and every living thing in the yam (sea) died. [SHEMOT 7:17- 21]
4 And hashlishi (the third [malach]) poured out his ke’ara (bowl) onto the neharot (rivers) and the ma’ayonot (springs) of mayim (water), and the mayim became dahm. [SHEMOT 7:7-21]
5 And I heard the malach (angel) of the mayim (waters) saying, “Tzaddik are You, the One who is, the One who was, HaKadosh (the Holy One), because You have judged these things,
6 "Because they (those of Anti-Moshiach) shed the dahm of the Kadoshim and because the dahm of the Nevi’im they poured out, and You have given them dahm to drink! They are deserving of it!" [YESHAYAH 49:26]
7 And I heard the Mizbe’ach (altar) crying out, saying, "Ken, Hashem, Adonoi Tzva’ot, Emes and Tzedek are Your Mishpatim (Judgments)."
8 And harevi’i (the fourth [malach, angel]) poured out his ke’ara (bowl) onto the shemesh (sun), and it was given to the shemesh (sun) to scorch Bnei Adam with eish (fire).
9 And Bnei Adam were scorched with khom gadol (great heat), and they spoke Chillul Hashem gidufim (blasphemies) against ha-Shem of G-d‖the One having the shilton (authority) over these makkot (plagues)‖and they did not make teshuva so as to give Hashem kavod (glory).
10 And hachamishi (the fifth [malach, angel]) poured out his ke’ara (bowl) on the kes (throne) of the Chayyah [Beast, Anti-Moshiach]; and the Malchut (Kingdom) of the Chayyah (Beast, Anti-Moshiach) became darkened, and in agony they were gnawing their tongues. [Ex 10:21-23; Isa 8:22]
11 And they spoke Chillul Hashem gidufim (blasphemies) against Elohei HaShomayim (the G-d of Heaven) because of their agony and because of their sores, and they did not make teshuva from their ma’asim (deeds).
12 And hashishi (the sixth [malach]) poured out his ke’ara (bowl) on the nahar hagadol (the great river), the Euphrates, and the mayim (water) of it was dried up, that the derech (way) of the melachim (kings) from the rising of the shemesh (sun) might be prepared. [Isa 11:15,16; 41:2; 46:11]
13 And I saw coming out of the PEH (mouth) of the Dragon NACHASH and out of the PEH of the Chayyah (Beast, Anti-Moshiach) and out of the PEH of the Navi Sheker (False Prophet) shalosh ruchot teme’ot (three unclean spirits) like tzfarde’im (frogs), [SHEMOT 8:6]
14 For they are ruchot (spirits) of shedim (demons) performing otot (miraculous signs), which go forth to the melachim (kings) of kol ha’aretz (all the earth) to gather them to the sadeh krav (battlefield) of the Yom HaGadol (Great Day) of Hashem Adonoi Tzva’ot.
15 Hinei, I am coming as unexpectantly as a ganav. Ashrey is the one watching and keeping his kittel, lest he walk naked and they see his bushah (shame).
16 And they assembled them into the place being called in Ivrit, Har Megiddo. [Ex 5:19; 2Kgs 23:29,30; Zech 12:11]
17 And hashevi’i (malach [angel]) poured out his ke’ara (bowl) on the air, and there came a kol gadol (loud voice) out of the Heikhal from the Kes (Throne) saying, "It is a thing of derfilung (fulfillment), it is finished!"
18 And there were flashes of lightning and sounds and re’amim (thunder), and a horrendous earthquake occurred such as never did occur vi-bahlt (since) Bnei Adam were on ha’aretz (the earth), so mighty an earthquake, so violent. [DANIEL 12:1]
19 And Ir HaGedolah (the Great City) became split into thirds and the cities of the Goyim (Nations) fell. And Hashem remembered Babel HaGedolah (Babylon the Great), to give her the kos (cup) of the yayin (wine) of his Charon Af (burning wrath).
20 And every island fled, and mountains were not found.
21 And great seventypound hailstones of barad (hail) come down from Shomayim, on Bnei Adam, and Bnei Adam spoke Chillul Hashem gidufim (blasphemies) against Hashem, because of the makkah (plague) of the hailstones, because the makkah (plague) of it is gedolah me’od.[Ezek 13:13; 38:22; Ex 9:23-25]
17 And one of the shiva malachim (seven angels) having the sheva hamakkot (seven plagues) came and spoke with me saying, "Bo! (Come!) I will show you the mishpat (judgment) of the Zonah HaGedolah (the Great Prostitute) sitting on rabbim mayim, [Isa 23:17; Jer 51:12-13]
2 With whom the melachim (kings) of kol ha’aretz (all the earth) have committed zenut (fornication) and with the yayin of whose zenut (fornication) kol ha’aretz (all the earth) has fallen into shichrut (drunkenness).”
3 And he carried me away into the midbar (wilderness) in the Ruach Hakodesh, and I saw an Isha sitting on a scarlet Chayyah (Beast, Anti-Moshiach) being filled with names of Chillul Hashem gidufim, having sheva (seven) heads and eser (ten) horns.
4 And the Isha had been clothed in purple and scarlet, and gilded with zahav (gold) and precious stone and pearls, having a golden kos (cup) in her hand and the kos was full of the abominations and the uncleannesses of her zenut. [Ezek 28:13; Jer 51:7]
5 And on her metsakh (forehead) a name had been written: SOD BAVEL HAGEDOLAH EM L’ZONOT V’SHIKKUTZEI HA’ARETZ (“Mystery of Babylon the Great, the Mother of Prostitutes and of the Abominations and Idols of the Earth”).
6 And I saw the Isha being drunk, intoxicated from the dahm of the Kadoshim and from the dahm of the edim (witnesses) of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach. And when I saw her, I was struck with astonishment.
7 And the malach (angel), said to me, "Why did you marvel? I will tell you the Sod HaIsha (the mystery, raz of the woman) and of the Chayyah (Anti-Moshiach) having the sheva heads and the eser (ten) horns carrying her. (Rv.13:1)
8 "The Chayyah (Anti-Moshiach), which you saw, was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the Tehom (Abyss) and goes to destruction. And the ones dwelling on ha’aretz will be astonished, those whose names have not been found written in the Sefer HaChayyim (Book of Life) from the hivvased tevel (foundation of the world), when they see the Chayyah (Anti-Moshiach) that was, and is not, and is to come.
9 "This calls for a mind having chochmah (wisdom). The sheva (seven) heads are sheva (seven) mountains. On these the Isha is sitting also, they are shiva (seven) melachim (kings);
10 "Five of whom have fallen, one is living, and the other did not yet come; and when he comes, it is necessary for him to remain a little zman (time).
11 "And the Chayyah which was and is not, even he is an Eighth, but belongs to HaShivah (The Seven) and goes to Avaddon (Destruction).
12 "And the eser (ten) horns which you saw are asarah melachim (ten kings) who have not yet recieved a malchut, but they are to recieve samchut (authority) as melachim (kings), for one hour, together with the Chayyah (Anti-Moshiach).
13 "These are united in yielding their ko’ach (power) and samchut (authority) to the Chayyah (Anti-Moshiach).
14 "These with the SEH (Lamb, SHEMOT 12:3; YESHAYAH 53:7 Moshiach) will make milkhamah (war), and the SEH (Lamb, SHEMOT 12:3; YESHAYAH 53:7 Moshiach) will conquer them, because He is Adon HaAdonim and Melech HaMelachim; and the ones with him are the Keru’im v’Nivcharim v’Ne’emanim (Called and Chosen and Faithful)."
15 And he says to me, "The mayim (Rv.17:1) which you saw, where the zonah (prostitute) sits, are amim (peoples) and multitudes and Goyim (Nations) and leshonot (languages). [YESHAYAH 8:7; YIRMEYAH 47:2]
16 "And the eser (ten) horns which you saw and the Chayyah (Anti-Moshiach)‖these will have sin’ah (hatred) for the zonah (prostitute), and they will make her desolate and naked and will eat her basar and will burn her up in eish. [YECHEZKEL 16:37,39]
17 "For Hashem has put it into the levavot (hearts) of them to accomplish his purpose by their acting with one mind and by giving their malchut (kingdom) to the Chayyah (Anti-Mosiach) until will be fulfilled the divrei Hashem. [YIRMEYAH 39:16]
18 "And the Isha whom you saw is the Ir Hagedolah (Great City) that rules over the melachim (kings) of ha’aretz."
18 After these things I saw another malach (angel) coming down out of Shomayim having great samchut (authority); and ha’aretz (the earth) was illuminated by the splendor of him. [YECHEZKEL 43:2]
2 And he cried in a kol gadol, saying, "Fallen, fallen is Bavel Hagedolah. It has become a habitation of shedim (demons) and a beit hasohar of every ruach temei’ah (unclean spirit) and beit hasohar of every unclean bird and a beit hasohar of every unclean beast. And has become detestable, [YESHAYAH 13:21, 22; 34:11,13-15; YIRMEYAH 50:39; 51:37; TZEFANYAH 2:14,15]
3 Because of the yayin (wine) of the wrath of her zenut (fornication) all the Goyim (Nations) have drunk, and the melachim (kings) of ha’aretz committed zenut with her, and the merchants of ha’aretz by the resources of her luxury became rich." [YECHEZKEL 27:9-25]
4 And I heard another kol (voice) out of Shomayim saying, "Come out of her, my people, so that you may not participate in the chatta’im (sins) of her, and some of her makkot (plagues) you may not receive, [YESHAYAH 48:20; YIRMEYAH 50:8; 51:6,9,45; BERESHIS 19:15],
5 “Because her chatta’im (sins) have piled up reaching up to Shomayim, and Hashem has remembered the unrighteousnesses of her. [2Ch 28:9; Ezra 9:6; Jer 51:9]
6 “Render to her as also she herself rendered; serve up double according to her ma’asim, in the kos (cup) which she mixed. [Ps 137:8; Jer 50:15,29; Isa 40:2]
7 “As she gave kavod (glory) to herself and lived in luxury, so give her an equal measure of torment and agmat nefesh (grief), because in her lev (heart) she says, ‘I sit as a malkah (queen) and not an almanah (widow), and I will never see agmat nefesh (grief).’ [Ezek 28:2- 8; Ps 10:6; Isa 47:7,8; Zeph 2:15]
8 “Therefore in one day will come the makkot (plagues) on her, Mavet (Death) and Avel (Mourning) and Ra’av (Famine), and with eish (fire) she will be burned up, because Chazak is Hashem Adonoi, the Shofet of her. YESHAYAH 9:14; 47:9; YIRMEYAH 50:31,32]
9 “And the melachim (kings) of ha’aretz, the ones having committed zenut (fornication) with her and having lived in luxury, when they see the smoke of her burning, will weep and wail over her. [YIRMEYAH 51:8; YECHEZKEL 26:17,18]
10 “They will stand afar off, because of the fear of her torment, saying ‘Oy, oy to the Ir Hagedolah, Bavel the strong city, because in one hour came the mishpat of you.’
11 “And the merchants of ha’aretz (the earth) cry and have agmat nefesh (grief) over her, because the cargo of them no one buys any more; [YECHEZKEL 27:27, 31]
12 “Cargo of gold and of silver and of precious stone and of pearls and of fine linen and of purple and of silk and of scarlet, and every kind of scented wood and every kind of ivory article and every kind of article of valuable wood and of bronze and of iron and of marble [YECHEZKEL 27:12-22]
13 “And cinnamon and spice and incense and myrrh and frankincense and yayin (wine) and oil and fine flour and wheat and cattle and kevasim (sheep), and of susim (horses) and of chariots and of slaves and nefashot (souls) of men. [YECHEZKEL 27:13]
14 “And the p’ri (fruit) for which your nefesh longed has departed from you, and all the luxurious things and the splendorous things have become lost for you, and never again shall they be found!
15 “And the merchants of these things, the ones having become rich from her, will stand afar off because of the fear of her torment, and they will be weeping and wailing, [YECHEZKEL 27:31]
16 “Saying, ‘Oy, oy, the Ir Hagedolah, the one having clothed herself with fine linen and purple and scarlet and having been gilded with gold and precious stone and pearl,
17 ‘Because in one hour such great wealth, was laid waste.’ “And there stood afar off every steersman, and everyone sailing the sea, and sailors and all who commerce on the sea. [YECHEZKEL 27:28-30]
18 “And they were crying out, seeing the smoke of her burning, saying, ‘What Ir (City) is like the Ir Hagedolah?’ [YECHEZKEL 27:32]
19 “And they threw dust on their heads and were crying out, weeping and wailing, saying, ‘Oy, oy, the Ir Hagedolah, by which from her wealth, all the ones having ships in the sea became rich, because in one hour she was laid waste.’ [YEHOSHUA 7:6; EKHAH 2:10; YECHEZKEL 27:30,31]
20 "Have lev same’ach over her, O Shomayim! You Kadoshim and Shlichim and Nevi’im, for Hashem has given mishpat for you against her." [YIRMEYAH 51:48]
21 And a malach chazak (strong angel) lifted up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, “Thus will Bavel the Ir Hagedolah be violently thrown down, and never would it be found any longer. [YIRMEYAH 51:63]
22 “And the sound of harpers, those playing the nevel (harp), and of musicians and of flutists and of trumpeters will be heard in you no more and every oman (artist) of every craft will be found in you no more, and the sound of a mill, would be heard in you no more. [YESHAYAH 24:8; YECHEZKEL 26:13; YIRMEYAH 25:10]
23 “And the ohr of a menorah would shine in you no more, and the kol (voice) of a choson (bridegroom) and of a kallah (bride) would be heard in you no more; because your merchants were the gedolim (the great) of ha’aretz (the earth), because by your kashefanut (sorcery) were all the Goyim deceived, [YIRMEYAH 7:34; 16:9; 25:10; YESHAYAH 23:8; NACHUM 3:4]
24 "And in her were found the dahm of Nevi’im (prophets) and of Kadoshim and of all the ones having been slain al Kiddush ha-Shem on ha’aretz." [YIRMEYAH 51:49]
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.
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