Revelation 19:2

19:2 true and just (see 15:3; 16:7): In his righteous justice, God kept his promise of judging the great prostitute, who represents moral and spiritual corruption and persecution of God’s people.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Rev 19:2 . ἔφθειρεν , as the first Babylon had been denounced for her depraving influence by Jeremiah (51) Jer 28:25, τὸ ὄρος τὸ διεφθαρμένον τὸ διαφθεῖρον πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν . The impatient cry of Rev 6:10 has now been answered. God “has avenged the blood ( i.e. , the murder) of his servants at her hand ( i.e. , on her),” the LXX rendering ( e.g. , in 2Ki 9:7 , καὶ ἐκδικήσεις τὰ αἵματα τῶν δούλων Κυρίου ἐκ χειρὸς Ἰεζάβελ ) of the Heb. idiom נקם דם מיד = to exact punishment from a murderer. The idea is substantially that of Ps. Son 4:9 , 8:29 31. As ἀληθ . καὶ δικ . are a characteristically ample expression for “equitable,” it is in the context rather than in the language of the passage (Ritschl, Rechtf. und Versöhn . ii. 118, 119) that we must find the thought of God being shown to be the real and righteous Saviour of the saints by his infliction of punishment on their persecutors.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

which did corrupt the earth--Greek, "used to corrupt" continually. "Instead of opposing and lessening, she promoted the sinful life and decay of the world by her own earthliness, allowing the salt to lose its savor" [AUBERLEN].

avenged--Greek, "exacted in retribution." A particular application of the principle (Gen 9:5).

blood of his servants--literally shed by the Old Testament adulterous Church, and by the New Testament apostate Church; also virtually, though not literally, by all who, though called Christians, hate their brother, or love not the brethren of Christ, but shrink from the reproach of the cross, and show unkindness towards those who bear it.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 2. For true and righteous] His judgments displayed in supporting his followers, and punishing his enemies, are true-according to his predictions; and righteous, being all according to infinite justice and equity.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

2. For the joy of the Saints in sympathy with God’s judgement, see on Rev_14:10. There is a passage somewhat like this in Enoch xlvii. 4: “Then were the hearts of the saints full of joy, because the number of righteousness was arrived, the supplication of the saints heard, and the blood of the righteous appreciated by the Lord of Spirits.”

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For true and righteous are his judgments,.... As in See Gill on Rev 15:3; see Gill on Rev 16:7, this is to be understood of God's judgments in general, and is a reason of the attribution of praise and glory to him; which may be said to be true, because, being threatened, are now fulfilled; and to be "righteous", because according to the demerit of sin; and particularly God's judgments on antichrist are intended:

for he hath judged the great whore; Jezebel, Babylon, the Romish antichrist, before spoken of, Rev 17:1 not only by passing a sentence of condemnation on her, but by executing it, putting it into the hearts of the kings to hate and burn her, and utterly destroy her; and which is judging right, since it follows:

which did corrupt the earth with her fornication; drew the kings and inhabitants of the Roman empire into wicked and idolatrous practices, and so corrupted and destroyed them in soul, body, and estate; See Gill on Rev 11:18 for this vision is contemporary with the seventh trumpet:

and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand; shed by her, Rev 18:20 and this being done in righteous judgment, is matter of joy and praise to the saints.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

2 For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.

Ver. 2. Which did corrupt the earth] I read of one, who journeying to Rome, as soon as he came within the city shut his eyes, and so kept them; as resolving to see nothing in that city (which he knew to be very corrupt, and a cotrupter of others) but only the Church of St Peter. (Sphinx Philos. p. 753.) {See Trapp on "Rev 18:4"}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For true and righteous are his judgments - That is, the calamities that come upon the power here referred to are deserved.

For he hath judged the great whore - The power represented by the harlot. See the notes on Rev 17:1.

Which did corrupt the earth with her fornication - See the notes on Rev 14:8; Rev 17:2, Rev 17:4-5; Rev 18:3. Compare the notes on Rev 9:21.

And hath avenged the blood of his servants - See the notes on Rev 18:20, Rev 18:24.

At her hand - Shed by her hand,

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

For true and righteous are his judgments: the Lord’s judgments, in holy writ, sometimes signify his precepts, sometimes his dispensations of providence, either more generally, or more specially; in which last sense it signifies (as here) his punishment of sinners: these are just and righteous, and therefore called judgments.

For he hath judged the great whore, for he hath punished the papacy,

which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, which corrupted a great part of the earth with its idolatry.

And hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand; and by these judicial dispensations God hath also taken vengeance on them for the blood of his saints shed by them. It is remarkable, that all along this book idolatry and persecution are made the beast’s provoking sins.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

2. Hath avenged—In accordance with the prediction of Rev_17:16-17, that she should be destroyed by the ten horns; her flesh be eaten, and her body burned. That was prophecy; this is jubilant history.

At her hand—Quoted from 2Ki_9:7. “That I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the Lord, at the hand of Jezebel.” Jezebel is type of this harlot. Note, Rev_2:20. The preposition at, here, is in the Greek from. Alford well explains it: “The vengeance is considered as a penalty forced out of the reluctant hand.” This is preferable to Stuart’s rendering, “Hath avenged the blood of his servants [shed] by her hand.”

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For true and righteous are his judgments. This reason for the worship of ver. 1 is similar to that in Rev_16:7 and Rev_15:3. For he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. A second reason for the worship of ver. 1. Corrupt the earth; as in Rev_11:18, where a form of the same verb is used. (cf. also Jer_51:25) Her fornication; her unfaithfulness and deceit. (see on Rev_14:4, Rev_14:8) The prayer of Rev_6:10 has now been heard. (cf. also Rev_18:20)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For true and righteous are his judgments - Thus is the cry of the souls under the altar changed into a song of praise.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Observe here, 1. The cause assigned and set down for this their doxology and solemn thanksgivings, namely, the truth and faithfulness, as also the justice and righteousness, of God in the execution of his judgments upon Babylon; his truth appeared in performing the threatening which Babylon despised, and his righteousness in suiting his judgments inflicted upon her, to the sins of idolatry and bloodshed committed by her.

Observe, 2. The title here given to Babylon, she is called the whore, because of her idolatry, which is often in scripture styled spiritual whoredom; and the great whore, because of her universal corrupting the whole earth: she made others to sin, and cruelly murdered those who would not sin.

Hence learn, That idolatry and persecution constantly go together. Babylon’s idolatrous practices were accompanied with bloody cruelties.

Observe, 3. An intimation given of the irreparable ruin and irrecoverable destruction of Babylon,--her smoke rose up for ever and ever, that is, God followed her with a succession of plagues and judgments until she was ruined past recovery.

Observe, 4 That the word Alleluia,as it begins the song, so does it also close the same; to show thereby the raisedness of the church’s affections, and their unweariedness in praising God for this deliverance of Babylon’s destruction.

William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2. For true and righteous are his judgments. This is shown by the judgments on the spiritual Babylon.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

2. ἔφθειρεν. A has ἔκρινεν.

2. For the joy of the Saints in sympathy with God’s judgement see on Rev 14:10. There is a passage somewhat like this in Enoch xlvii. 4: “Then were the hearts of the saints full of joy, because the number of righteousness was arrived, the supplication of the saints heard, and the blood of the righteous appreciated by the Lord of Spirits.”

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

True [αληθιναι] . See on Joh 1:9.

Did corrupt [εφθειρεν] . The imperfect tense denoting habit. Avenged [εξεδικησεν] . Exacted vengeance from [εξ] .

At her hand [εκ] . Lit., "from her hand." See on ch. Rev 2:7; Rev 18:20.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.