Revelation 17:6

An Exegetical Study of θαυμάσατε θαυμάσια in Habakkuk 1:5 and Revelation 17:6

This exegetical study of An Exegetical Study of θαυμάσατε θαυμάσια in Habakkuk 1:5 and Revelation 17:6 is based on a b-greek discussion from July 10, 2002. The initial observation notes a linguistic parallel between Habakkuk 1:5 (LXX) and Revelation 17:6, specifically the repetition of the θαυμα– root in the phrases θαυμάσατε θαυμάσια and ἐθαύμασα ἰδὼν αὐτὴν θαῦμα μέγα respectively. It suggests that the Septuagint (LXX) translation of Habakkuk 1:5 simplifies, or “disambiguates,” a complex Hebrew verbal sequence. While Daniel 4:17, 19 presents semantic parallels to Revelation 17:6 regarding wonder, it lacks the emphatic repetition of the θαυμα– root found in the other two passages.

The central exegetical issue revolves around the linguistic and thematic connections between Habakkuk 1:5 (LXX) and Revelation 17:6, particularly the emphatic use of the θαυμα– root. A secondary, but related, issue concerns the specific grammatical and lexical analysis of ἀφανισθῆτε in Habakkuk 1:5 LXX, its relationship to the Hebrew Masoretic Text (MT), and its implications for identifying the addressee and agency. The broader question explores the extent to which the author of Revelation consciously or unconsciously echoes Old Testament phrases, and how such allusions shape the theological meaning in the New Testament context, especially concerning divine judgment and human astonishment.

Revelation 17:6 (Nestle 1904)

καὶ εἶδον τὴν γυναῖκα μεθύουσαν ἐκ τοῦ αἵματος τῶν ἁγίων καὶ ἐκ τοῦ αἵματος τῶν μαρτύρων Ἰησοῦ. καὶ ἐθαύμασα ἰδὼν αὐτὴν θαῦμα μέγα.

Habakkuk 1:5 (LXX Rahlfs-Hanhart)

ἴδετε οἱ καταφρονηταὶ καὶ ἐπιβλέψατε καὶ θαυμάσατε θαυμάσια καὶ ἀφανισθῆτε, διότι ἔργον ἐγὼ ἐργάζομαι ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ὑμῶν ὃ οὐ μὴ πιστεύσητε ἐάν τις ἐκδιηγήσηται.

Key differences with SBLGNT (2010):

• For Revelation 17:6, the SBLGNT (2010) text is identical to the Nestle (1904) text provided above. There are no significant textual variants affecting the phrases under discussion.
• The SBLGNT (2010) is a Greek New Testament edition and does not include the Septuagint (LXX) text of Habakkuk 1:5. Therefore, direct comparison for Habakkuk 1:5 is not applicable in this context.

Textual Criticism (NA28), Lexical Notes (KITTEL, BDAG):

For Revelation 17:6, the NA28 (Novum Testamentum Graece, 28th ed.) apparatus indicates no significant textual variants for ἐθαύμασα ἰδὼν αὐτὴν θαῦμα μέγα. The text is consistently attested across major manuscripts, confirming the stability of this striking phrase. For Habakkuk 1:5, as an Old Testament text, NA28 is not directly applicable. However, the LXX text itself presents an interpretive tradition divergent from the Masoretic Text (MT). The phrase καὶ ἀφανισθῆτε (“and be destroyed/vanished”) found in the LXX has no direct equivalent in the MT of Habakkuk 1:5, which focuses solely on the astonishment of the observers. This suggests an interpretive expansion or alternative Hebrew Vorlage for the LXX translation, indicating a significant textual difference between the Greek and Hebrew Old Testament traditions for this verse.

Lexically, the terms θαυμάζω (verb, “to marvel, wonder, be astonished”) and θαῦμα (noun, “a wonder, marvel”) are central. KITTEL (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament) highlights that θαυμάζω often carries connotations of awe and astonishment, particularly in response to divine acts or supernatural phenomena. In prophetic and apocalyptic literature, it can denote a profound, often unsettling, reaction to God’s revelation or judgment. The repetition of the root, as in θαυμάσατε θαυμάσια or θαῦμα μέγα, intensifies this sense of astonishment to the point of utter amazement or bewilderment. BDAG (A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature) defines θαυμάζω as “to be astonished, be amazed, marvel, wonder,” and θαῦμα as “that which causes astonishment, a wonder, marvel.” The cognate accusative construction, such as θαυμάσατε θαυμάσια (“marvel marvelously”) or ἐθαύμασα… θαῦμα μέγα (“I marveled a great marvel”), serves to emphasize the extraordinary nature of the wonder experienced or commanded.

The verb ἀφανίζω (passive: ἀφανίζομαι), from which ἀφανισθῆτε is derived, generally means “to make disappear, destroy, put out of sight.” BDAG defines it as “to cause to disappear, destroy, wipe out.” KITTEL notes its usage in contexts of destruction and vanishing. In Habakkuk 1:5 LXX, the passive imperative ἀφανισθῆτε (“be destroyed!” or “vanish!”) is noteworthy. Given its absence in the MT, its presence in the LXX transforms the prophetic utterance. The post suggests this imperative functions as a declaration of what is about to take place rather than a direct command to the observers. This interpretation aligns with Habakkuk 1:6, where God declares He is raising up the Chaldeans to bring about devastation, implying divine agency for the “vanishing.”

Translation Variants

Habakkuk 1:5 (LXX):

The phrase θαυμάσατε θαυμάσια καὶ ἀφανισθῆτε presents a command to observe and be astonished, followed by an imperative that significantly deviates from the MT. The repetition of θαυμα– through the verb θαυμάσατε (aorist active imperative) and the cognate noun θαυμάσια (accusative plural) creates an intense emphasis. Grammatically, this is a cognate accusative construction, serving to express the action with great force and totality. Rhetorically, it underscores the profound, almost unbelievable, nature of the divine work. The subsequent καὶ ἀφανισθῆτε (aorist passive imperative) acts as a declarative command or prophetic pronouncement. The original discussion notes that the implied agent of this passive imperative is not the addressee (the scorners), but rather God (through the Chaldeans in v. 6), indicating a divine act of destruction or causing to vanish.

Revelation 17:6:

The phrase καὶ ἐθαύμασα ἰδὼν αὐτὴν θαῦμα μέγα similarly uses the θαυμα– root in an emphatic manner. Here, ἐθαύμασα is an aorist active indicative verb, expressing the narrator’s direct experience of wonder. The participial phrase ἰδὼν αὐτὴν (“having seen her”) specifies the cause of the wonder, the sight of the woman. The object of the wonder is intensified by the cognate accusative noun phrase θαῦμα μέγα (“a great wonder”). This construction highlights the immense and overwhelming nature of the narrator’s astonishment. Rhetorically, this profound reaction sets the stage for the subsequent divine explanation (Rev 17:7ff.), indicating that what has been seen is beyond ordinary comprehension and requires divine elucidation. The semantic parallel to Daniel 4:17,19, noted in the initial post, indicates that such expressions of great wonder are found in apocalyptic literature, but the double emphasis on θαυμα– distinguishes this passage.

Conclusions and Translation Suggestions

The linguistic parallel between Habakkuk 1:5 (LXX) and Revelation 17:6, particularly the emphatic use of the θαυμα– root, strongly suggests a deliberate or culturally ingrained echoing of prophetic Old Testament language in the New Testament apocalyptic context. While the precise textual relationship for ἀφανισθῆτε differs between the MT and LXX of Habakkuk 1:5, the overall theme of witnessing an astonishing, divinely ordained event leading to either destruction or profound revelation remains. The use of cognate accusatives and repeated roots powerfully conveys the intensity of the wonder and judgment. The narrator’s astonishment in Revelation 17:6 serves to magnify the significance of the vision and prepare the reader for its interpretation.

1. “Be utterly astonished with wonders and be swept away!” (This translation for Habakkuk 1:5 LXX emphasizes both the intense wonder and the passive destruction, reflecting the declarative nature of `ἀφανισθῆτε` as suggested in the discussion.)
2. “I gazed upon her and was utterly amazed by a profound marvel.” (This translation for Revelation 17:6 captures the narrator’s deep astonishment, emphasizing the scale of the “great marvel” through “profound” and “utterly amazed.”)
3. “See, scorners, look, and be utterly astonished by astounding wonders, and be brought to nothing! For I am performing a work in your days which you will not believe, though someone tells it.” (This combines Habakkuk 1:5 LXX with the emphasis on both amazement and destruction, highlighting the divine agency and the disbelief of the observers, providing a fuller contextual translation.)