independentparticipialrelativepurposecausecomparativecontentphrase modifierdashed = verbless / suspended
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The fourfold Hallelujah 19:1–8
vv. 1–3 — the first two hallelujahs: the harlot judged, her smoke forever
1
Μετὰ ταῦτα ἤκουσα ὡς φωνὴν μεγάλην ὄχλου πολλοῦ ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷindependent — the scene-shift formula — after Babylon's fall (ch. 18), heaven answers; ὡς hedges: 'as it were' a voice
λεγόντων·participial — constructio ad sensum — genitive plural λεγόντων with the collective ὄχλου: the many behind the one voice
Ἁλληλουϊά·content — the first Ἁλληλουϊά — the Psalter's call (Ps 104:35 etc.) transliterated; the NT's only hallelujahs are this chapter's four
ἡ σωτηρία καὶ ἡ δόξα καὶ ἡ δύναμις τοῦ θεοῦ ἡμῶν,content — verbless acclamation — the triad of 4:11; 7:10, 12; the bare genitive τοῦ θεοῦ: they are his
2
ὅτι ἀληθιναὶ καὶ δίκαιαι αἱ κρίσεις αὐτοῦ·cause — first ground — the altar's cry of 16:7 taken up by heaven, itself verbless
ὅτι ἔκρινεν τὴν πόρνην τὴν μεγάληνcause — the second ὅτι grounds the first — the general verdict proved by the particular case: Babylon
ἥτις ἔφθειρεν τὴν γῆν ἐν τῇ πορνείᾳ αὐτῆς,relative — qualitative ἥτις — the charge sheet of 17:2; 18:3: she was the earth's corrupter
καὶ ἐξεδίκησεν τὸ αἷμα τῶν δούλων αὐτοῦ ἐκ χειρὸς αὐτῆς.cause — 2 Kgs 9:7 — Jezebel's sentence-formula; the ἕως πότε of 6:10 finally answered (18:20, 24)
3
καὶ δεύτερον εἴρηκαν·independent — perfect εἴρηκαν used aoristically — the Apocalypse's loose perfects (cf. 5:7)
Ἁλληλουϊά·content — the second — this time over the smoke
καὶ ὁ καπνὸς αὐτῆς ἀναβαίνει εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων.content — Isa 34:10 — Edom's unquenchable smoke transferred to Babylon (18:9, 18); present ἀναβαίνει: it never stops rising
vv. 4–5 — the elders' Amen; the throne-voice's call to praise
4
καὶ ἔπεσαν οἱ πρεσβύτεροι οἱ εἴκοσι τέσσαρες καὶ τὰ τέσσαρα ζῷαindependent — the inner court of chs. 4–5, making their last appearance in the book
καὶ προσεκύνησαν τῷ θεῷ τῷ καθημένῳ ἐπὶ τῷ θρόνῳindependent — προσκύνησις rightly aimed — contrast v. 10; the throne-title of 4:2 kept to the end
λέγοντες·participial — λέγοντες carries the assent
Ἀμήν, Ἁλληλουϊά.content — Ps 106:48 — the doxology that seals Book IV of the Psalter, quoted verbatim; the third hallelujah
5
καὶ φωνὴ ἀπὸ τοῦ θρόνου ἐξῆλθενindependent — from the throne, yet saying 'our God' — a voice near the throne, not God's own
λέγουσα·participial — feminine λέγουσα — for once the participle agrees with φωνή
Αἰνεῖτε τῷ θεῷ ἡμῶνcontent — αἰνεῖτε + dative — a Septuagintalism (Hebrew hallelu le-); classical Greek takes the accusative: the hallelujah translated into Greek syntax
πάντες οἱ δοῦλοι αὐτοῦ,phrase modifier — nominative for vocative — the book's habit (cf. 18:20)
οἱ φοβούμενοι αὐτόν,phrase modifier — apposition — Ps 115:13's God-fearers
οἱ μικροὶ καὶ οἱ μεγάλοι.phrase modifier — Ps 115:13 completed — the pair the great supper will darkly echo (v. 18)
vv. 6–8 — the fourth hallelujah: the Lord reigns, the marriage has come
6
καὶ ἤκουσαindependent — ἤκουσα again — the throne-voice's call is answered at once
ὡς φωνὴν ὄχλου πολλοῦcomparative — the triple ὡς-comparison begins — v. 1's multitude returns
καὶ ὡς φωνὴν ὑδάτων πολλῶνcomparative — the risen one's own voice-comparison (1:15; Ezek 43:2)
καὶ ὡς φωνὴν βροντῶν ἰσχυρῶνcomparative — the throne-storm (4:5) — multitude, ocean, thunder: the loudest sound in the book
λεγόντων·participial — genitive plural ad sensum again — reaching back through all three ὡς-phrases to the ὄχλου πολλοῦ: it is the multitude that speaks
Ἁλληλουϊά,content — the fourth and climactic hallelujah
ὅτι ἐβασίλευσεν κύριος ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν ὁ παντοκράτωρ.cause — ingressive aorist ἐβασίλευσεν — the enthronement shout of Pss 93:1; 97:1; 99:1 (cf. 11:17); παντοκράτωρ for YHWH Sebaoth
7
χαίρωμεν καὶ ἀγαλλιῶμενcontent — hortatory subjunctives — the joy-pair of Ps 118:24; Matt 5:12
καὶ δώσομεν τὴν δόξαν αὐτῷ,content — solecism — future δώσομεν yoked to the subjunctives, left standing
ὅτι ἦλθεν ὁ γάμος τοῦ ἀρνίου,cause — the ground of the triple call — ἦλθεν: after the harlot's funeral, the bride's wedding, one liturgy apart
καὶ ἡ γυνὴ αὐτοῦ ἡτοίμασεν ἑαυτήν,cause — coordinate ground — ἡτοίμασεν ἑαυτήν: her one active verb, against the harlot's passive ruin
8
καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτῇcause — divine passive — even her readiness is gift; the ground continues
ἵνα περιβάληται βύσσινον λαμπρὸν καθαρόν·content — ἵνα-complement of ἐδόθη, not purpose — βύσσινον λαμπρόν against the harlot's purple and scarlet (17:4; 18:16)
τὸ γὰρ βύσσινον τὰ δικαιώματα τῶν ἁγίων ἐστίν.independent — the seer's own aside — explanatory γάρ: the layout sets it OUTSIDE the hymn, back at the margin (a contested call); plural δικαιώματα: righteous deeds, not imputed status
The beatitude and the misdirected worship 19:9–10
v. 9 — write the beatitude
9
καὶ λέγει μοι·independent — historic present — the speaker read as the bowl-angel guide of 17:1, still at John's side
Γράψον·content — the dictation command (cf. 1:19; 14:13; 21:5)
Μακάριοι οἱ εἰς τὸ δεῖπνον τοῦ γάμου τοῦ ἀρνίου κεκλημένοι.content — the fourth of the book's seven beatitudes — verbless; perfect κεκλημένοι: the invitation stands
καὶ λέγει μοι·independent — the formula repeated — a second, solemn utterance
Οὗτοι οἱ λόγοι ἀληθινοὶ τοῦ θεοῦ εἰσιν.content — the authentication — its scope debated: the beatitude, or the whole Babylon-cycle (cf. 21:5; 22:6)
v. 10 — the seer falls at the wrong feet
10
καὶ ἔπεσα ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ποδῶν αὐτοῦindependent — the seer's error — the prostration of v. 4, misdirected at the messenger
προσκυνῆσαι αὐτῷ.purpose — purpose infinitive — the very verb of vv. 4 and 20; the error repeated at 22:8–9
καὶ λέγει μοι·independent — the same λέγει μοι — now a rebuke
Ὅρα μή·content — the ellipsis — the forbidden verb (προσκυνήσῃς) never spoken: the prohibition breaks off
σύνδουλός σού εἰμι καὶ τῶν ἀδελφῶν σουcontent — σύνδουλος — angel and prophet stand in one and the same service
τῶν ἐχόντων τὴν μαρτυρίαν Ἰησοῦ·participial — attributive participle — the family mark of 12:17
τῷ θεῷ προσκύνησον.content — the fronted dative carries the whole point — God, and no one else (Deut 6:13)
ἡ γὰρ μαρτυρία Ἰησοῦ ἐστιν τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς προφητείας.cause — whose line? — taken here as the angel's own ground, not a narrator aside like v. 8b: prophecy's animating spirit is Jesus' testimony (Ἰησοῦ read as subjective genitive), so prophet and angel alike are only its bearers
The Rider on the white horse 19:11–16
vv. 11–13 — the Rider: his names, his eyes, his diadems, his robe
11
Καὶ εἶδον τὸν οὐρανὸν ἠνεῳγμένον,independent — not a door now (4:1) but heaven itself standing open — the last εἶδον-cycle of the book begins
καὶ ἰδοὺ ἵππος λευκός,independent — ἰδού + nominative tableau — the counter-image of 6:2's white horse and its crowned archer
καὶ ὁ καθήμενος ἐπ’ αὐτὸν καλούμενος πιστὸς καὶ ἀληθινός,independent — still verbless — καλούμενος: the first of the Rider's four names (cf. 3:14); the portrait opens
καὶ ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ κρίνει καὶ πολεμεῖ.independent — Isa 11:4; Ps 96:13 — finite presents break through the tableau: his war IS a just judgment
12
οἱ δὲ ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτοῦ φλὸξ πυρός,independent — δέ breaks the καί-chain — ch. 1's portrait returns (1:14); the features stand flush left as independent verbless sentences, not hung as in ch. 1
καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ διαδήματα πολλά,independent — διαδήματα πολλά — against the dragon's seven (12:3) and the beast's ten (13:1): royalty without number
ἔχων ὄνομα γεγραμμένονparticipial — solecism — hanging nominative ἔχων (as at 1:16), loosely on the portrait's αὐτοῦ
ὃ οὐδεὶς οἶδεν εἰ μὴ αὐτός,relative — the second name — secret (cf. 2:17): the one who names all is mastered by no namer
13
καὶ περιβεβλημένος ἱμάτιον βεβαμμένον αἵματι,participial — Isa 63:1–3 — the Edom-treader's spattered garments: read as his enemies' blood, staining the robe before the battle even begins; coordinate with ἔχων
καὶ κέκληται τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ὁ λόγος τοῦ θεοῦ.independent — the third name, revealed — ὁ λόγος τοῦ θεοῦ (Wis 18:15–16: the warrior Word leaping from heaven); perfect κέκληται
v. 14 — the armies in the bride's linen
14
καὶ τὰ στρατεύματα τὰ ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ ἠκολούθει αὐτῷ ἐφ’ ἵπποις λευκοῖς,independent — imperfect ἠκολούθει, singular with the neuter plural — the following already under way
ἐνδεδυμένοι βύσσινον λευκὸν καθαρόν.participial — masculine ἐνδεδυμένοι with neuter στρατεύματα, ad sensum — and the fabric is the bride's (v. 8): the armies are the saints, and they carry no weapon
vv. 15–16 — sword, rod, winepress; the name on the thigh
15
καὶ ἐκ τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ ἐκπορεύεται ῥομφαία ὀξεῖα,independent — the mouth-sword of 1:16; 2:12 — his only weapon is his word (Isa 49:2)
ἵνα ἐν αὐτῇ πατάξῃ τὰ ἔθνη,purpose — Isa 11:4 — he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth
καὶ αὐτὸς ποιμανεῖ αὐτοὺς ἐν ῥάβδῳ σιδηρᾷ·independent — Ps 2:9 LXX — ποιμανεῖ, the promise of 2:27; 12:5 now exercised; αὐτός emphatic: he himself
καὶ αὐτὸς πατεῖ τὴν ληνὸν τοῦ οἴνου τοῦ θυμοῦ τῆς ὀργῆς τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ παντοκράτορος.independent — Isa 63:3 — the winepress of 14:19–20 resumed; the genitives stack five deep, wrath distilled
16
καὶ ἔχει ἐπὶ τὸ ἱμάτιον καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν μηρὸν αὐτοῦ ὄνομα γεγραμμένον·independent — the fourth name — on the robe where it falls across the thigh, where a sword would hang
Βασιλεὺς βασιλέων καὶ κύριος κυρίων.content — the inscription itself, a verbless line — Dan 4:37 LXX; 17:14's title in reverse order, over every βασιλεύς mustered below (v. 18)
The great supper of God 19:17–18
17
Καὶ εἶδον ἕνα ἄγγελον ἑστῶτα ἐν τῷ ἡλίῳ,independent — εἷς as indefinite article, Semitic — posted in the sun, where every carrion bird can see him
καὶ ἔκραξεν ἐν φωνῇ μεγάλῃindependent — the herald's cry — as at 18:2
λέγων πᾶσιν τοῖς ὀρνέοιςparticipial — λέγων carries the summons; the addressees are vultures
τοῖς πετομένοις ἐν μεσουρανήματι·participial — attributive — the eagle's station of 8:13; 14:6
Δεῦτε συνάχθητε εἰς τὸ δεῖπνον τὸ μέγα τοῦ θεοῦ,content — Ezek 39:17 — the Gog-slaughter summons; the grisly counter-feast to the marriage supper of v. 9: two invitations, two suppers
18
ἵνα φάγητε σάρκας βασιλέωνpurpose — the flesh-catalogue opens — Ezek 39:18–20; the kings first
καὶ σάρκας χιλιάρχωνphrase modifier — the military ladder descends — the tribunes
καὶ σάρκας ἰσχυρῶνphrase modifier — the strong men
καὶ σάρκας ἵππων καὶ τῶν καθημένων ἐπ’ αὐτῶνphrase modifier — cavalry and riders together — τῶν καθημένων: the dark parody of the Rider
καὶ σάρκας πάντων ἐλευθέρων τε καὶ δούλων καὶ μικρῶν καὶ μεγάλων.phrase modifier — the catalogue closes on πάντων — the small-and-great of the praise call (v. 5) now on the menu; τε, rare in the Apocalypse
The beast seized, the rest slain 19:19–21
v. 19 — the muster
19
Καὶ εἶδον τὸ θηρίον καὶ τοὺς βασιλεῖς τῆς γῆς καὶ τὰ στρατεύματα αὐτῶνindependent — the third εἶδον of the movement — the enemy coalition of 16:14, 16; 17:12–14
συνηγμέναparticipial — predicate participle on all three objects — the Armageddon muster (16:16, the same verb) finally met
ποιῆσαι τὸν πόλεμον μετὰ τοῦ καθημένου ἐπὶ τοῦ ἵππου καὶ μετὰ τοῦ στρατεύματος αὐτοῦ.purpose — purpose infinitive — τὸν πόλεμον, THE war (16:14); singular στρατεύματος: his one army against their many
vv. 20–21 — seizure, the lake of fire, the birds gorged
20
καὶ ἐπιάσθη τὸ θηρίονindependent — no battle is narrated — only the arrest: ἐπιάσθη, the war over in a word
καὶ μετ’ αὐτοῦ ὁ ψευδοπροφήτηςphrase modifier — elliptical — the verb unrepeated; the second beast (13:11) under its name from 16:13
ὁ ποιήσας τὰ σημεῖα ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ,participial — the dossier — 13:13–14: the sign-worker identified by his crimes
ἐν οἷς ἐπλάνησεν τοὺς λαβόντας τὸ χάραγμα τοῦ θηρίου καὶ τοὺς προσκυνοῦντας τῇ εἰκόνι αὐτοῦ·relative — the deceived in two classes — mark-takers and image-worshipers (13:15–17; 14:9–11)
ζῶντες ἐβλήθησαν οἱ δύο εἰς τὴν λίμνην τοῦ πυρὸς τῆς καιομένης ἐν θείῳ.independent — asyndeton — the sentence slams shut without καί; ζῶντες fronted: alive (cf. Num 16:33; Dan 7:11); the lake of fire's first appearance (20:10, 14–15)
21
καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ ἀπεκτάνθησαν ἐν τῇ ῥομφαίᾳ τοῦ καθημένου ἐπὶ τοῦ ἵππουindependent — οἱ λοιποί — the mustered armies of v. 19; no siege, no melee
τῇ ἐξελθούσῃ ἐκ τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ,participial — attributive — the only weapon used in the whole battle is the word of his mouth (v. 15)
καὶ πάντα τὰ ὄρνεα ἐχορτάσθησαν ἐκ τῶν σαρκῶν αὐτῶν.independent — the coda — the summons of v. 17 kept to the letter: ἐχορτάσθησαν, sated (Ezek 39:20)
Analysis. The chapter splits at v. 11: before it, heaven's liturgy over fallen Babylon; after it, the Rider's war. The fourfold Ἁλληλουϊά (vv. 1–8) reads as four blue quoted columns hanging from four speech verbs — the multitude's λεγόντων (genitive plural ad sensum with the collective ὄχλου) with its double ὅτι-ground (true judgments; the harlot judged, the blood avenged), the perfect εἴρηκαν with Isa 34:10's unquenchable smoke, the elders' Ἀμήν, Ἁλληλουϊά (Ps 106:48 verbatim), and, after the throne-voice's Αἰνεῖτε with its Septuagintal dative, the triple ὡς-comparison whose λεγόντων carries the longest hymn: the enthronement aorist ἐβασίλευσεν, the χαίρωμεν-pair with the solecistic future δώσομεν, and the marriage grounds stacked as a red ὅτι-chain down to the granted linen. The layout's contested calls, named honestly: τὸ γὰρ βύσσινον (v. 8b) is set OUTSIDE the hymn, back at the margin, as the seer's own decoding aside, while ἡ γὰρ μαρτυρία Ἰησοῦ (v. 10b) is kept INSIDE the angel's speech as his own ground for refusing worship, Ἰησοῦ read as subjective genitive; the Ὅρα μή prohibition stands as its own dashed ellipsis, its forbidden verb never spoken. In the war half the Rider's portrait (vv. 12–13) is deliberately NOT hung as ch. 1's indented column: there the features were accusatives governed by εἶδον, here they are independent nominative sentences (οἱ δὲ ὀφθαλμοὶ…), so they stand flush-left as dashed tableaux in the ch. 4 manner, with only the hanging nominative ἔχων and the coordinated περιβεβλημένος indented under the portrait's αὐτοῦ — and the blood on the robe is read with Isa 63:1–3 as his enemies', already shed before the battle begins. The thigh-name ΒΑΣΙΛΕΥΣ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΝ hangs as its own dashed inscription-line under γεγραμμένον, the Ezek 39 flesh-catalogue as a dashed column under σάρκας; and the capture (vv. 19–21) shows what the shape has been saying all along — εἶδον, ἐπιάσθη, ἐβλήθησαν, ἀπεκτάνθησαν: a war with no battle narrated, its only weapon the sword from the Rider's mouth.