Revelation 18:2 (KJV)

What does Revelation 18:2 mean?

Revelation 18:2 announces that Babylon the great has been brought down from its power and splendor. The angel’s description turns a once impressive city into a ruined place associated with evil spirits and unclean birds.

The angel from verse 1 cries out loudly, making the announcement impossible to miss. The repeated “is fallen” gives the declaration force, while the picture of creatures occupying the city suggests abandonment and desolation.

The Greek behind Revelation 18:2

• “devils” — δαιμόνιον (daimonion): The word refers to an evil spirit or demon. The KJV’s “devils” here describes beings inhabiting the fallen city.
• “hold” — φυλακή (phylakē): This word can mean a place of confinement or a place where something is kept. The same Greek word stands behind “cage” later in the verse, linking the two images.
• “foul” — ἀκάθαρτος (akathartos): The word carries the sense of unclean. The same Greek word appears as “unclean” before “bird,” tying the spirits and birds together in the picture.

Why Revelation 18:2 matters

• Babylon’s fall has consequences beyond the city itself. Revelation 18:3 connects Babylon with the nations, kings, and merchants who shared in its luxury.
• The angel’s words present Babylon as more than an ordinary abandoned city. “Devils” and “foul spirit” add a frightening sense of evil to the image of its ruin.
• The announcement draws on older pictures of ruined cities. Isaiah 13:19–22 describes fallen Babylon as a deserted place where wild creatures live.