Then I saw
The phrase "Then I saw" indicates a continuation of John's visionary experience. The Greek word for "saw" is "εἶδον" (eidon), which implies not just a physical sight but a deeper, spiritual insight. This vision is part of the apocalyptic revelation given to John, emphasizing the divine origin and authority of the message. It serves as a reminder that the events described are not mere human speculation but are divinely revealed truths meant to prepare and warn the faithful.

a beast
The term "beast" in Greek is "θηρίον" (thērion), often used to describe a wild, dangerous animal. In the context of Revelation, the beast symbolizes a powerful, malevolent force or empire that opposes God and His people. Historically, this has been interpreted as representing oppressive political systems or leaders that embody evil and rebellion against divine authority. The imagery of a beast conveys the ferocity and destructive nature of these entities.

with ten horns
The "ten horns" are symbolic of power and authority. In biblical symbolism, horns often represent strength and kingship. The number ten can signify completeness or the fullness of human power. This imagery is reminiscent of the visions in Daniel 7, where horns represent kings or kingdoms. The ten horns suggest a coalition of powers or a confederation of rulers united in opposition to God's kingdom.

and seven heads
The "seven heads" further emphasize the complexity and multifaceted nature of the beast's power. The number seven in biblical literature often signifies completeness or perfection, though in this context, it is a perverse or counterfeit form of completeness. The heads may represent successive empires or leaders that have historically opposed God's purposes. This imagery underscores the persistent and pervasive nature of evil throughout history.

rising out of the sea
The "sea" in biblical symbolism often represents chaos, danger, and the realm of the unknown. In ancient Near Eastern thought, the sea was seen as a place of disorder and evil. The beast's emergence from the sea suggests that it arises from a place of turmoil and rebellion against God's order. This imagery aligns with the biblical theme of God bringing order out of chaos, highlighting the ultimate triumph of divine sovereignty over evil.

There were ten royal crowns on its horns
The "ten royal crowns" (Greek: "διαδήματα," diadēmata) signify authority and dominion. Crowns are symbols of rulership and victory. The presence of crowns on the horns indicates that these powers have been granted authority, albeit temporarily, to rule and exert influence. This serves as a reminder that while evil may have its moment of apparent triumph, its power is ultimately limited and subject to God's sovereign plan.

and blasphemous names on its heads
The "blasphemous names" indicate a direct challenge to God's authority and holiness. In biblical terms, blasphemy involves speaking or acting in a way that shows irreverence or contempt for God. The presence of blasphemous names on the heads of the beast suggests that these powers not only oppose God but also seek to usurp His place and claim divine status for themselves. This is a stark warning against idolatry and the elevation of human or demonic authority above God.

(1) And I . . .--Better, And he (not "I stood," as in English version, but he, i.e., the dragon) stood upon the sand of the sea. Some make this sentence a separate verse, and insert it as the closing verse of Revelation 12. It is true that the sentence has a connection with that chapter, but it is also closely linked with what follows. The way in which the dragon carries out his plan of war is described. Like Milton's "superior fiend," he stands upon the shore and summons his legions (Par. Lost, Book I.) to another form of war. Two monsters, one distinguished by more brutal, the other by more subtle power, rise at his bidding.

And saw . . .--Translate, And I saw a wild beast rising out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and upon his horns ten diadems, and upon his heads names of blasphemy.--The wild beast rises out of the sea. In the vision of Daniel (Revelation 7) the beasts rose out of the sea upon which the four winds strove. The sea represents the great, restless mass of human kind; or, as it is expressed in Revelation 17:15, "peoples and multitudes." St. James represented an undecided man as a wave driven by the wind (James 1:6). The individuals, like larger and smaller waves, make up this great ocean-like mass of men, swayed by impulse or passion. Out of the sea rises a wild beast. The word is not the same as that used in Revelation 4:7 (see Note there), but is a word which implies the predominance of the beast nature. Whatever power rises is one which rules not by love or right, but by fear and wilfulness. It is the great force of the world-power, which in every age has been antagonistic to the power of right. The wild beast is always the figure of the kingdoms of this world--i.e., the kingdoms which are founded on passion or selfishness. They are seven in number, as the beast had seven heads. We read afterwards of seven mountains. These world-powers are spoken of as mountains for their strength and stability; as heads of the wild beast because, though separate, they are inspired by the dragon spirit, the spirit of utter enmity to the rule of the Righteous King. The seven kingdoms, or heads of the wild beast, are more distinctly explained in Revelation 17:10. There we read that five are fallen, one was in possession of power, and the seventh had not yet arisen. The key is thus placed in our hands. The sixth head is imperial Rome, the successor of those great world-powers which were, one and all, founded in unrighteousness--i.e., in violation of the law of brotherly kindness and faith. The heads carry the names of blasphemy. The spirit of arrogant self-sufficiency characterised all the world-powers. Illustrations would be too numerous for our space. It is enough to refer to the spirit in Babylon: "Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?" The words were Nebuchadnezzar's (Daniel 4:30). He became a beast in uttering them; but the spirit of them went through all the world-powers, from the days of Lamech (Genesis 4:23-24) and Babel (Genesis 11:4) to the days when Roman poets prostituted their pens in abject flattery of emperors, and a degraded people welcomed them as gods, and put those to death who refused to offer frankincense and wine to the images of those who wore the purple. . . .

Verse 1. - And I stood upon the sand of the sea. The Revised Version, agreeing with א, A, C, Vulgate, Syriac, AEthiopic, Armenian, Victorinus, reads ἐστάθη, "he stood." The Authorized Version follows the reading ἐστάθην, "I stood," which is found in B, P, Coptic, Andreas, Arethas. Fortunately, the point is not important. Whether St. John or the dragon stood on the edge of the sea is not material, since we are distinctly told that the ten-horned beast rose from the sea. Wordsworth aptly contrasts this station on the unstable sand in proximity to the sea, the clement of commotion, with the vision of the Lamb on Mount Zion (Revelation 14:1-5). The imagery which follows is founded upon the vision of Daniel 7. The phrase should probably be joined on to the preceding passage, as in the Revised Version. The new vision then opens in the customary manner with εῖδον, "I saw," as in Revelation 4, 5, 6, 7, etc. And saw a beast rise up out of the sea. Supply "I," and make this the beginning of the fresh paragraph (see above). The one beast here takes the place of the four beasts of Daniel 7, and is distinguished by the characteristics of the first three (see on ver. 2). This beast arises from the sea, the second beast from the earth (see ver. 11). They are the instruments of the woe which is denounced against the earth and the sea in Revelation 12:12. The sea, again, is the type of instability, confusion, and commotion, frequently signifying the ungovernable nations of the earth in opposition to the Church of God (cf. Revelation 17:15; Revelation 21:1). Probably this is the beast referred to in Revelation 11:7, and (more fully) in Revelation 17. It is the power of the world which is directed towards the persecution of Christians. Having seven heads and ten horns. Nearly every manuscript has, having ten horns and seven heads. The order is reversed in Revelation 12:3 and Revelation 17:3; possibly the horns are mentioned first in this passage, because they are first seen as the beast rises from the sea. The essential identity of this beast with the dragon of Revelation 12:3 is plainly shown. There Satan is described in his personal character; here he is described under the aspect of the persecuting power of the world. The symbolism is analogous to that found in Daniel 7, where we may find the key to the interpretation. First, the heads signify dominion. The head is naturally looked upon as the chief, the controlling and guiding part of the body; that part to which all the members of the body are subject. This is the idea conveyed in Daniel 7:6. The third beast there is distinguished by the possession of four heads, and (we are immediately told) "dominion was given to it." Seven, as we have repeatedly seen, is the number typical of universality (cf. Revelation 1:4; Revelation 5:1, etc.). The seven, heads, therefore, are symbolical of universal dominion. In the second place, horns are the type of power. Thus, in Daniel 7:7, the beast which is distinguished by the possession of the horns is described as being "diverse from all the beasts that were before it." It was "dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it" (cf. Deuteronomy 33:17; Psalm 132:17; Jeremiah 48:25, etc.). The number ten is the sign of completeness; not of universality or totality, but of sufficiency and abundancy for the purpose in view (cf. Genesis 18:32, the ten righteous wanting at Sodom; Exodus 27:12, the ten pillars of the tabernacle; the ten commandments; the tithe; Psalm 33:2, etc.). The ten horns, therefore, denote plenitude of power. The words of this passage thus signify that the beast should possess worldwide dominion and ample power. These are the qualities ascribed to the power which Satan now directs against the "seed of the woman." At the time of the writing of the Apocalypse, this power was evidently heathen Rome; but the meaning may be extended to embrace all the forms which this world opposition has assumed, whether Roman, Mohammedan, or Gothic, etc. It is consequently unnecessary, as it certainly seems fruitless, to attempt to interpret the heads and horns of individual nations and kings. In endeavouring to do so, many writers have imported into the description here given other details from Daniel, or deduced by themselves, for which there is no warrant in the narrative here supplied. For the same reason, it is useless to inquire into the disposition of the ten horns and seven heads; since the whole is a figure intended to convey certain ideas, and is not a description of an actual bodily form. And upon his horns ten crowns. "Ten crowns;" διαδήματα, crowns denoting sovereignty; not στέφανος, the victor's wreath. The crowns upon the horns denote the sovereign nature of the power with which the beast is invested. The nations of the world who have persecuted the Church of God have the chief rule in this world. And upon his heads the name of blasphemy. The plural ὀνόματα, "names," adopted by the Revised Version, is found in A, B, Vulgate, Coptic, Andreas, Primasius. Alford reads the singular ὄνομα, with א, C, P, Coptic, Andreas, Primasius. There is no article. Possibly each head bore a name, which was the same in each case, and which might therefore with equal propriety be described as name or names. "Upon his heads" (ἐπὶ κεφαλάς); the accusative being used (as Afford suggests) because the action of inscription carries with it a tinge of motion. In the preceding clause we have the genitive Or; ἐπὶ κεράτων, where the preposition denotes rest. We have no hint given as to what the name was; the nature only is indicated. St. John very possibly had in his mind the mitre of the high priest, upon the plate of which was inscribed, "Holiness to the Lord" (Exodus 28:36). It is a "name of blasphemy;" that is, the worldly power, typified by this beast, denies the Divinity and might of the true God, and exalts itself above him. Bede, Hengstenberg, etc., see the fulfilment in the assumption by the Roman emperors of titles which belong rightly only to Christ - King of kings, Divus, etc. But the application is wider. As partial fulfilments of that which will never be completely fulfilled until the end of the world, we may mention Pharaoh, when he said, "Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice?" (Exodus 5:2); Sennacherib (2 Kings 18.); Herod Agrippa (Acts 12:22); as well as those since St. John's time who have blasphemed by denying the existence or omnipotence of Christ.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Then
Καὶ (Kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

I saw
εἶδον (eidon)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 3708: Properly, to stare at, i.e. to discern clearly; by extension, to attend to; by Hebraism, to experience; passively, to appear.

a beast
θηρίον (thērion)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 2342: Properly: a wild beast, hence: any animal; met: a brute. Diminutive from the same as thera; a dangerous animal.

with
ἔχον (echon)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 2192: To have, hold, possess. Including an alternate form scheo skheh'-o; a primary verb; to hold.

ten
δέκα (deka)
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 1176: Ten. A primary number; ten.

horns
κέρατα (kerata)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 2768: From a primary kar; a horn.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

seven
ἑπτά (hepta)
Adjective - Accusative Feminine Plural
Strong's 2033: Seven. A primary number; seven.

heads
κεφαλὰς (kephalas)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural
Strong's 2776: From the primary kapto; the head, literally or figuratively.

rising
ἀναβαῖνον (anabainon)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 305: To go up, mount, ascend; of things: I rise, spring up, come up. From ana and the base of basis; to go up.

out of
ἐκ (ek)
Preposition
Strong's 1537: From out, out from among, from, suggesting from the interior outwards. A primary preposition denoting origin, from, out.

the
τῆς (tēs)
Article - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

sea.
θαλάσσης (thalassēs)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 2281: Probably prolonged from hals; the sea.

[There were]
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

ten
δέκα (deka)
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 1176: Ten. A primary number; ten.

royal crowns
διαδήματα (diadēmata)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 1238: A head-wreath, crown, diadem. From a compound of dia and deo; a 'diadem'.

on
ἐπὶ (epi)
Preposition
Strong's 1909: On, to, against, on the basis of, at.

its
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Neuter 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

horns
κεράτων (keratōn)
Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural
Strong's 2768: From a primary kar; a horn.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

blasphemous
βλασφημίας (blasphēmias)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 988: Abusive or scurrilous language, blasphemy. From blasphemos; vilification.

names
ὀνόματα (onomata)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 3686: Name, character, fame, reputation. From a presumed derivative of the base of ginosko; a 'name'.

on
ἐπὶ (epi)
Preposition
Strong's 1909: On, to, against, on the basis of, at.

its
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Neuter 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

heads.
κεφαλὰς (kephalas)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural
Strong's 2776: From the primary kapto; the head, literally or figuratively.


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NT Prophecy: Revelation 13:1 Then I stood on the sand (Rev. Re Apocalypse)