{Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great} (epesen, epesen
Babul(936e) h(8820)megal(885c)). The very words of 14:8 : "Did fall, did
fall Babylon the great." Prophetic aorists of pipt(935c) repeated
like a solemn dirge of the damned. {Is become} (egeneto).
Prophetic aorist middle. {A habitation of devils}
(katoik(8874)(8872)ion). Late word (from katoike(935c), to dwell), in N.T.
only here and Eph 2:22 . Devils should be demons, of course. So
Isaiah prophesied of Babylon ( Isa 12:21f. ) and also Jeremiah
( Jer 50:39 ) and Zephaniah of Nineveh ( Zep 2:14 ). Both Babylon
and Nineveh are ruins. {A hold of every unclean spirit} (phulak(880a)pantos pneumatos akathartou). Phulak(885c) is garrison or
watch-tower as in Hab 2:1 , rather than a prison ( 20:7 ). {A
hold of every unclean and hateful bird} (phulak(8820)pantos orneou
akathartou kai memis(886d)enou). Orneou is old word for bird, in
N.T. only Re 18:2 19:17,21 . "The evil spirits, watching over
fallen Rome like night-birds or harpies that wait for their prey,
build their eyries in the broken towers which rise from the ashes
of the city" (Swete). Long ago true of Babylon and Nineveh, some
day to be true of Rome.
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