Revelation 18 2

Revelation 18:2 kjv

And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.

Revelation 18:2 nkjv

And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, "Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird!

Revelation 18:2 niv

With a mighty voice he shouted: "?'Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!' She has become a dwelling for demons and a haunt for every impure spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal.

Revelation 18:2 esv

And he called out with a mighty voice, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable beast.

Revelation 18:2 nlt

He gave a mighty shout: "Babylon is fallen ? that great city is fallen!
She has become a home for demons.
She is a hideout for every foul spirit,
a hideout for every foul vulture
and every foul and dreadful animal.

Revelation 18 verses

Revelation 18 2 Meaning

Revelation 18:2 describes the irreversible downfall and complete spiritual corruption of Babylon the Great. An angelic voice powerfully proclaims its immediate and certain collapse, declaring that what was once a center of worldly power and glory has been utterly transformed into a desolate habitation for every kind of evil – a dwelling place for demons, a confine for unclean spirits, and a haunting ground for defiled and repulsive birds. This signifies its total abandonment by God, its absolute spiritual contamination, and its judgment as a place fit only for malevolent spiritual entities and symbols of ultimate desolation.

Revelation 18 2 Context

Revelation chapter 18 details the complete and final judgment upon Babylon the Great, following the pronouncements of judgment earlier in the book (e.g., Rev 14:8, Rev 16:19). This chapter elaborates on the fall, lamentations over its destruction, and the praise from heaven. The immediate context of verse 2 is the powerful descent of "another angel" with great authority and radiance (Rev 18:1), illuminating the earth with his glory before making this earth-shaking declaration. This angel's pronouncement serves as an emphatic announcement of a cosmic event, confirming the prophetic utterance made in Revelation 14:8, and signaling the irrevocable nature of Babylon's demise. Historically and prophetically, Babylon represents the epitome of worldly rebellion against God – a composite of economic power, political might, and spiritual idolatry. For John's original audience facing Roman imperial power and its demands for emperor worship, Babylon symbolized Rome and, more broadly, any worldly system that stands in opposition to God and persecutes His people. The declaration of its fall provides assurance of divine justice and hope for God's persecuted saints.

Revelation 18 2 Word analysis

• And he cried out: The "he" refers to the mighty angel introduced in Rev 18:1. The Greek word ekraxen (ἔκραξεν) implies a loud, sudden, and vehement cry, an emphatic announcement. It signifies a public and authoritative declaration, not a mere whisper.
• with a mighty voice: Phonē megalē (φωνῇ μεγάλῃ) means a great, powerful, or loud voice. This underscores the significance and universal impact of the message, echoing the declarations of God, angels, and heavenly throngs throughout Revelation.
• saying, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!": The Greek epesen epesen (ἔπεσεν ἔπεσεν) is a reduplicated verb, signifying certainty, completion, and utter devastation. It's a prophetic perfect tense, meaning the event is so certain it's spoken of as if it has already happened. This directly echoes Isaiah 21:9 concerning ancient Babylon. "Babylon the great" (Babylōn hē megalē) is a symbolic name for a global system (economic, political, spiritual) hostile to God and His people, often associated with Rome but representing all such anti-God power throughout history, culminating in the end times.
• She has become: The Greek egeneto (ἐγένετο), derived from ginomai, indicates a coming into being or becoming. Here, in the perfect tense, it means she "has come to be" or "has become," signifying a completed transformation with ongoing effects.
• a dwelling place: Katoikētērion (κατοικητήριον) refers to a permanent habitation or abode. The choice of this word emphasizes a stable and established dwelling, rather than a temporary shelter. It implies that these evil entities have taken permanent residence.
• for demons: Daimoniōn (δαιμονίων) refers to evil spirits or devils, as commonly understood in the New Testament. This signifies a profound spiritual corruption.
• a prison: Phylakē (φυλακή) can mean a guard-house, place of confinement, or custody. It suggests a place where things are kept, either forcibly restrained or, ironically, a natural habitat where they are gathered. In this context, it implies that Babylon has become the appointed and inescapable haunt for these malevolent beings, perhaps even confining them within its desolation, thus bringing a strange form of judgment upon them.
• for every unclean spirit: Pantos pneumatos akathartou (παντὸς πνεύματος ἀκαθάρτου) refers to evil spirits, frequently mentioned in the Gospels, and denotes spirits that are ceremonially, morally, and spiritually defiled, and agents of spiritual impurity. "Every" emphasizes the totality of this defilement.
• and a prison for every unclean and hateful bird: The repeated "prison" reinforces the idea of containment within this corrupted state. "Every" again emphasizes totality. "Unclean bird" (ornithou akathartou) refers to birds considered defiling under Mosaic Law (Leviticus 11:13-19) – typically scavengers and birds of prey. These birds often symbolize desolation and corruption in biblical prophecy (Isaiah 13:21; Jeremiah 50:39). "Hateful" (memisēmenou, perfect passive participle from miseō) means something abhorrent, detested, or disgusting, implying these birds are themselves symbols of what is reviled and condemned by God, signifying Babylon's complete spiritual degradation and utter rejection.

Revelation 18 2 Bonus section

The imagery of a grand city becoming a haunt for unclean spirits and repulsive creatures is a recurring theme in Old Testament prophetic literature concerning the downfall of nations (e.g., Tyre, Edom, actual Babylon). This shows John drawing deeply from established biblical apocalyptic and prophetic symbolism, not inventing new imagery, but applying it to the ultimate adversary of God in the end times. The purity/impurity distinction is vital: everything associated with the fallen Babylon becomes unequivocally unclean in God's sight, emphasizing its absolute condemnation and its stark contrast to the purity and holiness of the New Jerusalem. The sheer weight of its economic and spiritual sin described in Revelation 18 means its desolation must be absolute, a cosmic reversal from a perceived center of order and wealth to a place of chaos and defilement.

Revelation 18 2 Commentary

Revelation 18:2 serves as a pivotal announcement, powerfully declared by an angel whose radiance highlights the divine judgment unfolding. The doubled "Fallen, fallen" acts as a Hebrew prophetic device, signifying not only the certainty and immediacy of Babylon's collapse but also its irreversible and comprehensive nature. This is a divine verdict, fully executed. Babylon the Great, a symbol encapsulating the entire anti-God world system of false religion, economic oppression, and political power, is shown to have undergone a complete metamorphosis. It has not merely ceased to exist as a thriving center but has transformed into the absolute opposite of what it once represented. What was once magnificent and coveted becomes a desolate, horrifying wasteland, fit only as a "dwelling place" and "prison" for the vilest spiritual entities and repulsive creatures.

This vivid imagery underscores the spiritual reality of its destruction: its spiritual influence has become so corrupt that it literally embodies the demonic realm. The presence of "demons," "unclean spirits," and "unclean and hateful birds" signifies utter spiritual desolation and impurity, illustrating a reversal of divine order and the fulfillment of God's wrath. It suggests that all that is detestable and morally bankrupt congregates within the spiritual husk of fallen Babylon, a final state of ultimate corruption. The term "prison" is particularly potent; it suggests that these malevolent forces, once operating through Babylon's systems, now find their "habitat" there, paradoxically implying a form of confinement within its judgment, preventing them from extending their destructive reach beyond its bounds once it's completely overthrown. This ultimate desecration solidifies Babylon's destiny as a monument to divine justice against all rebellion.