Rome takes place; first the crime in this verse; then the judicial sentence; lastly, the picture of its execution.

The merchants of the earth are brought in here, because they have pandered to the luxury and vice of Rome, and they will be involved in her ruin, and will witness it (R. xviii. 11).

4. Καὶ ἤκουσα ἄλλην φωνὴν ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ λέγουσαν. Ἐξέλθατε, ἐξ αὐτῆς, ὁ λαός μου, ἵνα μὴ συγκοινωνήσητε ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις αὐτῆς, καὶ ἐκ τῶν πληγῶν αὐτῆς ἵνα μὴ λάβητε.

4. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Go out from her, my people, that you be not partakers of her sins, and that you receive not of her plagues.

As the Nazarene Church was warned to leave Jerusalem at the time of its destruction, so now the Church at Rome is warned. "Another voice from heaven" is apparently that of our Saviour, for it says, "my people "—"ó aos pov." We are reminded of the warnings of the O.T. regarding the destruction of Babylon.

Compare Isaias xlviii. 20: "Come forth out of Babylon." Jer. 1. 8: "Remove out of the midst of Babylon." See also Jer. li. 45: "Go out of the midst of her, my people; that every man may save his life from the fierce wrath of the Lord."

There are some indications that the warning was heeded at Rome. At the time of Alaric's sacking of Rome in 414, many Christians fled away to S. Jerome, who was then at Bethlehem, in Judæa; others took refuge in other parts. S. Jerome says (Ep. vi.) that S. Paula, and several illustrious Christian families, had left Rome, as if by particular inspiration, and retired into Judæa. "The holy Pope Innocent was drawn by a particular providence out of the city, as Lot out of Sodom, that he might not see the ruin of a guilty people" (Orosius, Lib. vii. c. xxxix.). We read likewise that Melania, a friend of S. Jerome, as if she foresaw the approaching catastrophe, prevailed upon many Christians to retire with her from a city doomed to destruction (Histor. Laus. c. cxviii.).

Melania left Rome in the year 408, with Rufinus. For the sacking of Rome by Alaric, see Gibbon (" D. and F.,” c. xxxi.).

5. Οτι ἐκολλήθησαν αὐτῆς αἱ ἁμαρτίαι ἄχρι τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ ἐμνημόνευσεν ὁ Θεὸς τὰ ἀδικήματα αὐτῆς.

5. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and the Lord hath remembered her iniquities.

The accusation is resumed. Her sins have reached to heaven. This refers to R. xvii. 6, "I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs. of Jesus." Which again refers to R. vi. 10, "How long, O Lord, dost thou not judge and revenge our blood." Their blood has reached heaven, like the cry of Abel's blood (Gen. iv. 10), and the Lord "remembered" the iniquities of Rome. So the judgment of Babylon "reached even to the heavens" (Jer. li. 9).

6. Απόδοτε αὐτῇ ὡς καὶ αὐτὴ ἀπέδωκεν, καὶ διπλώσατε διπλᾶ κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτῆς, ἐν τῷ ποτηρίῳ ᾧ ἐκέρασεν κεράσατε αὐτῇ διπλοῦν.

6. Render to her as she also hath rendered to you, and double unto her double, according to her works; in the cup wherein she hath mingled, mingle unto her, double.

(S. = (τὰ διπλά.)

This is the judicial sentence, pronounced by the last voice heard at R. xviii. 4, addressed to "ó λaós μov." It is a command to the angels of vengeance, "Double unto her double, according to her works." See R. xvi. 6, and xvii. 6, for "her works." The cup in her hand is seen at R. xvii. 4. The punishment of the cup is symbolised at R. xiv. 20. And at R. xvi. 19, "Great Babylon came in remembrance before God to give her the cup of the wine of the indignation of his wrath." Of Babylon of old the sentence ran, "Pay her according to her work; according to all that she hath done, do ye to her' (Jer. 1. 29). But to Rome the Jewish law of restitution is applied, as laid down in Exodus xxii. 4 and 7. We may recall the tableau of vengeance on the Empire at R. xiv. 20, where blood filled 1,600 stadia, up to the level of horses' bridles. The meaning of mingling unto her double, in the cup, is developed as we go on.

7. Οσα ἐδόξασεν αὐτὴν καὶ ἐστρηνίασεν, τοσοῦτον δότε αὐτῇ βασανισμὸν καὶ πένθος. ὅτι ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτῆς λέγει ὅτι Κάθημαι βασίλισσα, καὶ χήρα οὐκ εἰμὶ καὶ πένθος οὐ μὴ ἴδω.

7. As much as she hath glorified herself and lived in delicacies, so much torment and sorrow give unto her; because she saith in her heart, I sit a queen and am no widow, and sorrow I shall not see.

The general principle is laid down in Luke xiv. 11, “Because everyone that exalteth himself shall be humbled." It is found in the Ο.Τ. (Isa. iii. 16). The prophet Isaias warns Babylon of her punishment, "Thou hast said I shall be a lady for ever, ... I shall not sit as a widow" (xlvii. 7, 8). This is a continuation of the judgment, still on the lines of the Jewish laws in Exodus.

8. Διὰ τοῦτο ἐν μιᾷ ἡμέρᾳ ἤξουσιν αἱ πληγαὶ αὐτῆς, θάνατος καὶ πένθος καὶ λιμός, καὶ ἐν πυρὶ κατακαυθήσεται· ὅτι ἰσχυρὸς ὁ Θεὸς ὁ κρίνας αὐτήν.

8. Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death and mourning and famine, and she shall be burnt with fire, because God is strong, who shall judge her.

Because of these things, enumerated at verses 3, 5, and 7 above, her plagues shall come in one day. The afflictions of Babylon are called " plagues" to preserve the symbolism connecting her with the Empire. "One day" does not mean a day of twenty-four hours. It means, as in Genesis, an indefinite period.

Rome is delivered up to the white horse, death; and the black horse, famine ; and the red horse of war and conflagration. Ὁ Θεὸς ὁ κρίνας αὐτήν connects with κρίνεις at R. vi. 1o. The martyrs' cry is heard. Judgment is pronounced.

9. Καὶ κλαύσουσιν καὶ κόψονται ἐπ ̓ αὐτὴν οἱ βασιλεῖς τῆς γῆς οἱ μετ ̓ αὐτῆς πορνεύσαντες καὶ στρηνιάσαντες, ὅταν βλέπωσιν τὸν καπνὸν τῆς πυρώσεως αὐτῆς.

9. And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication, and lived in delicacies with her, shall weep and bewail themselves over her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning.

The result of the judgment is seen in the widespread lamentations of all those who are dependent on Rome. First the kings of the earth, τῆς γῆς, who have worshipped her Cæsars,

and lived dissolute lives. They are not the barbarian kingsτοὺς βασιλεῖς τῆς οἰκουμένης ὅλης-of R. xvi. 14, who are allied to the Beast for a time, and then turn and rend her-Alaric, and the rest-Arian kings who were the instruments of God in desolating Rome, and stripping her naked, and burning her with fire (R. xvii. 16). These are friendly kings who have joined in Cæsar worship, and who have much to lose by the ruin of the city. They bewail themselves when they see the smoke of her burning. Their lament is very similar to that of the son of man over the fall of Tyre, in Ezechiel, chapter xxvii.

10. ̓Απὸ μακρόθεν ἑστηκότες διὰ τὸν φόβον τοῦ βασα νισμοῦ αὐτῆς, λέγοντες, Οὐαὶ οὐαὶ, ἡ πόλις ἡ μεγάλη Βαβυλών, ἡ πόλις ἡ ἰσχυρά, ὅτι μιᾷ ὥρᾳ ἦλθεν ἡ κρίσις σου.

ή

10. Standing afar off for fear of her torments, saying, Woe, woe, that great city Babylon, that mighty city, for in one hour is thy judgment come.

When the kings of the earth lament over the fate of "that great city Babylon, that mighty city," any lingering doubt there may be in the mind of the reader that Babylon means Rome is dispelled. The lament is repeated at R. xviii. 16 and 19. Prof. Stuart holds that Oval ovaì should be translated Alas, alas! since the kings are sorrowfully witnessing, not predicting, or imprecating woe (op. cit. II., p. 333).

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One hour," "a pa," means the hour of judgment.

II. Καὶ οἱ ἔμποροι τῆς γῆς κλαίουσιν καὶ πενθοῦσιν ἐπ ̓ αὐτήν, ὅτι τὸν νόμον αὐτῶν οὐδεὶς ἀγοράζει οὐκέτι.

11. And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her, for no man shall buy their merchandise any more.

The merchants' lament carries still further the idea of the desolation of Rome. No one is left to buy their merchandise. This picture also is like that of the fall of Tyre in Ezechiel, chapters xxvii. and xxviii. The merchants lament the downfall of Rome, only in so far as it affects themselves. For this cause they weep and mourn.

Tov yóuov is put for a ship's cargo in the Acts (xxi. 3). Rome had oversea commerce with the West, as well as with Africa and the East.

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12. Γόμον χρυσοῦ καὶ ἀργύρου καὶ λίθου τιμίου καὶ μαργαρίτου και βυσσίνου καὶ πορφύρας καὶ σιρικοῦ καὶ κοκκίνου, καὶ πᾶν ξύλον θύϊνον καὶ πᾶν σκεῦος ἐλεφαντινον καὶ πᾶν σκεῦος ἐκ ξύλου τιμιωτάτου καὶ χαλκοῦ καὶ σιδήρου καὶ μαρμάρου.

12. Merchandise of gold and silver and precious stones and pearls, and of fine linen and purple and silk and scarlet, and all thyine-wood, and all manner of vessels of ivory, and all manner of vessels of precious stone, and of brass, and of iron and of marble.

(S. = μαργαριτών.)

When this enumeration of articles of luxury was made the teaching of Christ regarding poverty was still observed. Ephesus, the first age of the Church, was warned. "But this I have against thee that thou hast left thy first charity" (R. ii. 4). Hence the scandal of this luxury was great at that time. S. John's followers at Ephesus were well acquainted with the traffic of the East with Rome, including slaves and the "souls of men." Much of it was shipped from the port of Ephesus. Thyine-wood, probably the Thuia Articulata of botany, was used for making polished inlaid tables, according to Dr. Swete (op. cit., p. 233).

Σκεύος, translated vessels, means also an implement of any kind.

13. Καὶ κιννάμωμον καὶ θυμιάματα καὶ μύρον καὶ λίβανον καὶ οἶνον καὶ ἔλαιον καὶ σεμίδαλιν καὶ σῖτον καὶ κτήνη καὶ πρόβατα, καὶ ἵππων καὶ ῥεδῶν καὶ σωμάτων, καὶ ψυχὰς ἀνθρώπων.

13. And cinnamon and odours and ointment and frankincense, and wine and oil and fine flour and wheat, and beasts and sheep and horses and chariots, and slaves and souls of men.

(S. has καὶ ἄμωμον after κιννάμωμον, " a perfume familiar to Roman writers." Bd. omits it. It is not in the Vulgate.)

Cinnamon oil was used in the perfumed unction with which the tabernacle and the ark and the candlesticks and the priests of the Temple were anointed (Exod. xxx. 23-30). The Romans anointed their persons with it, when preparing for banquets. Θυμίαμα is the word used to express incense at R. v. 8 and R. viii. 3, though translated "odours" at R. v. 8. It was used in Casar worship. " Σωμάτων,” “ slaves,” were bought and sold in the slave market of Rome-the emporium of immorality.

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Gibbon refers to a special class of slave merchandise very common in the markets of decadent Rome. He says: "The eastern imports of the Empire included eunuchs, whose value