SEV Biblia, Chapter 17:12
Y los diez cuernos que has visto, son diez reyes, que aun no han tomado reino; mas tomarn potencia por una hora como reyes con la bestia.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Revelation 17:12
Verse 12. And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.] The meaning of horns has already been defined when speaking of those of the dragon. The meaning is therefore as follows: Though the Latin empire be now in existence, the ten horns refer to ten Latin kingdoms yet in futurity, and consequently they have received no dominion AS YET; for that part of the Latin domination now in power is the sixth head, or imperial government of the heathen Caesars. But the ten states of the Latins receive dominion as monarchies mian wran, one time, (as it may be properly translated,) i.e., at the same time with the beast, or that which ascendeth out of the bottomless pit; consequently, the Latin empire here intended is the one which was in futurity in the apostolic age.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 12. And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings , etc.] Not ten Christian emperors, which are reckoned up by Brightman from Constantine to Theodosius; for these did not reign with the beast, or give their kingdoms to him, and much less did they make war with the Lamb; they are rather the angels of Michael, that fought for him, the Lamb, against the dragon, and his angels, ( Revelation 12:7) nor ten kings that will rise up and divide the Roman empire between them, towards the end of the world, which is a sense devised by Papists to obscure and hide from men the true meaning of the passage; but the ten kingdoms which rose up, and into which the Roman empire was divided upon its being ruined, and torn to pieces by the Goths, Huns, and Vandals. They are the same with the ten toes of Nebuchadnezzar's image, and the ten horns of the fourth beast, or kingdom, in ( Daniel 2:42 7:7,23,24). These are differently reckoned up by interpreters: by Napier thus; Spain, France, Lombardy, England, Scotland, Denmark, Sweden, Hungary, Italy, and the exarchate of Ravenna: by Mr. Mede after this manner; the Britains in Britain, under Vortimer their king; the Saxons in the same place, under Hengist; the Franks in Gallia Belgica, or Celtics, under Childeric; the Burgundians in another part of France, under Gunderic; the Wisigoths in Aquitain, and part of Spain, under Theodoric; the Sueves and Alans in Gallaecia and Portugal, under Riciarius; the Vandals in Spain and Africa, under Genseric; the Almains in that part of Germany called Rhetia, under Sumanus; the Ostrogoths in Pannonia, and after in Italy, under Theodomir; and the Greeks in the rest of the empire, under Marcianus: and by another f405 writer they are accounted for in this way; the Almains in both the Rhetia, and in Pannonia, who rose in the year 356; the Ostrogoths, first in Pannonia, and then in Italy, in 377; the Wisigoths in Pannonia, and then in Italy, afterwards in France, and last of all in Spain, in 378; the Huns in Pannonia, and for some time throughout all Europe, in 378; the Britian Romans in Britain, and afterwards the Saxons, in 406; the Sueves, first in France, and then in Spain, in 407; the Alans, first in France, and then in Spain, in 407; the Vandals, first in France, then in Spain, afterwards in Africa, in 407; the Burgundians in France, in 407; the Franks in France, in 410. And it is generally thought all these ten kingdoms were up by the year 450 at least. Though Dr. Allix makes the epocha of them A. D. 486, when the western empire was taken from the Romans, and fixes them in the following order; the Almains in Rhetia and Pannonia; the Franks in Belgica; the Anglo-Saxons in Britain; the Wisigoths in Gallia Aquitania and Hispania Tarraconensis; the Sueves and Alans in Portugal; the Vandals in Africa; the Burgundians in Gallia Sequanensis; the Ostrogoths in Pannonia, and afterwards in Italy; the Lombards in Pannonia, and the Heruli and Turcilingi, who conquered Augustulus: and though these kingdoms were thrown into different forms and shapes afterwards, yet it is remarkable they were just of this number; as, 1. Italy and Germany; 2. France; 3. Spain; 4. England with Ireland; 5. Scotland; 6. Hungary; 7. Poland with Lithuania; 8. Denmark, with Sweden and Norway, Sweden being since divided; 9. Portugal; 10. The Grecian empire seized by the Ottomans. And as these kings cannot be understood of single persons at the head of these kingdoms, or of so many kings succeeding one another; so neither is it necessary to consider these kingdoms as being in the same state, and made up of the same sort of people always; it is enough that they are in the same place, and within the empire; for we, may observe, that different things, at different times, are ascribed to them, or at least to some. They all are at first of one mind, and give their kingdom to the beast; then they, at least some of them, hate the whore, and burn her with fire; and yet others lament the destruction and burning of Rome, ( Revelation 17:16,17 18:9). Which have received no kingdom as yet : in John's time, when the Pagan empire was in being, and the beast was not risen, with whom they were to reign; hence these horns have no crowns on them, ( Revelation 12:3). But receive power as kings one hour with the beast ; as soon as he was risen; and therefore the horns are represented with crowns upon them, ( Revelation 13:1). Their rise was with the Papal beast, who rose not to his supreme power and dignity until the western emperor, which let and hindered, was removed out of the way; which was done by the barbarous nations, who set up these kingdoms, which made way for the lordly and tyrannical government of the pope of Rome; so that he and they rose up together: and this may he meant by the one hour; namely, that at one and the same hour or season he came to his supreme authority and grandeur, and they received their kingly power with him; or this may denote the time of their continuance in their honour and greatness; it was but for an hour, or a short time, as that phrase sometimes signifies, ( Philemon 1:15) and so the Ethiopic version renders it, for one hour; to which agrees the Arabic version, and their power shall be of one hour : and this shall be as kings; for they only have the title of kings, but not sovereign power; they are vassals to the beast, the pope, who reigns over them, ( Revelation 17:18) and sets up kings in these kingdoms, and deposes them at pleasure; exalting himself above all that is called God, or above all civil magistrates; so that these have only the name, not the thing; they are as kings, and look like such, but are not really so; though what power they have, they receive not from the beast, but from God; the beast receives his power and authority, as well as seat, from the dragon; but civil power and magistracy is from God, who suffers these princes, and gives them up to such stupidity as to give their kingdom to the beast, and to exercise their power as he directs.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 7-14 - The beast on which the woman sat was, and is not, and yet is. It was seat of idolatry and persecution, and is not; not in the ancient form which was pagan: yet it is; it is truly the seat of idolatry an tyranny, though of another sort and form. It would deceive into stupi and blind submission all the inhabitants of the earth within it influence, except the remnant of the elect. This beast was seven heads seven mountains, the seven hills on which Rome stands; and seven kings seven sorts of government. Five were gone by when this prophecy wa written; one was then in being; the other was yet to come. This beast directed by the papacy, makes an eighth governor, and sets up idolatr again. It had ten horns, which are said to be ten kings who had as ye no kingdoms; they should not rise up till the Roman empire was broken but should for a time be very zealous in her interest. Christ mus reign till all enemies be put under his feet. The reason of the victor is, that he is the King of kings, and Lord of lords. He has suprem dominion and power over all things; all the powers of earth and hel are subject to his control. His followers are called to this warfare are fitted for it, and will be faithful in it.
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 τα 3588 δεκα 1176 κερατα 2768 α 3739 ειδες 1492 5627 δεκα 1176 βασιλεις 935 εισιν 1526 5748 οιτινες 3748 βασιλειαν 932 ουπω 3768 ελαβον 2983 5627 αλλ 235 εξουσιαν 1849 ως 5613 βασιλεις 935 μιαν 1520 ωραν 5610 λαμβανουσιν 2983 5719 μετα 3326 του 3588 θηριου 2342
Vincent's NT Word Studies
12. Kings which ( oitinev). The compound relative classifying: "of the kind which."
