1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great (harlot) whore that sitteth upon many waters: 2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.

Identification of The Harlot


The angel calls her the great harlot, I’m going with the NKJV on this word. The word used here in the KJV is translated 8 times as harlot and 4 times with this much harsher word used here. All the times it is translated with this word, it is in Revelation 3 times in this chapter and one time in chapter 19. The word in the Greek is πόρνη pórnē and yes that is the word we derive our word pornography from. Strong’s dictionary says this is, “a woman who sells her body for sexual uses, a prostitute, a harlot, one who yields herself to defilement for the sake of gain.

I think the KJV translators wanted to use the more derogatory and harsher English word here because they were trying to show the disgust God has against what this particular harlot represents.

It is interesting that there are four women in the book of Revelation: (1) 2:20, Jezebel, symbolizing apostasy creeping into the church, (2) Israel, the wife of God, in 12:1; (3) here in 17:1, we see the harlot, and (4) finally in 19:7 we see the bride of the Lamb, the church of Jesus Christ.  

The prostitute of chapter 17 is described in the end of vs. 1 and then in 2, “that sitteth upon many waters: With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.

She sits on many waters.

This symbol is explained for us in Revelation 17: 15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

The symbolism here is that the woman is worldwide, upheld and supported by all the people of the world.

The kings of the earth have committed fornication with her.

The kings and leaders of the world’s nation have through political and economic intercourse partnered with the harlot. They have used her to gain power and appease their people and she has used the kings and leaders to gain power through the state, the power of government.
The inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.

This woman, this harlot has seduced the inhabitants of the earth. Has put them under her control through the wine of fornication. She is the cause, the root, the reason for so many not turning to the Creator and instead turning to the basest, most reprobates elements of the Creators creation.

Romans 1:18-25 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, …