Rev 17:1 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 whore that sitteth upon many waters:

The judgement was going to be against the whore. To be a whore you first must have a relationship with someone. We know that Rome did not have a relationship with God, but Jerusalem did. What are these many waters that the whore sits on. This is told in verse Rev 17:15 of this chapter. It was peoples, nations and tongues. It wasn't literaly water, which some use as their argument to point to Rome. How do we know the whore is Jerusalem? Skip down to Rev 17:18 or put your cursur over the link. We see that it is called the great city. If you read earlier Rev 11:8 we will see that the great city is where Jesus was crucified, Jerusalem. The judgement on the woman (Jerusalem) spoken in of this verse was soon to take place in 70AD when many would be killed over a million according to Josephus.

Rev 17:2 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.

Jerusalem was committing sexual immorality with Rome is the way I am understanding this. I hope to have more expalnation on this in the future Lord willing. Read Ezekiel 16 & 23 also.

Rev 17:3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
Rev 17:4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
Rev 17:5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

The woman (Jerusalem) rode the beast of Rome and their worship system. Jerusalem started to follow Romes worshipping system and the woman was adorned with colors of the Roman worship system. The woman was called Mystery, Babylon The Great, The Mother of Harlots and Abominations Of The Earth.

Rev 17:6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Yahushua: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
Rev 17:7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.
Rev 17:8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
Rev 17:9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.

Jerusalem sat on seven mountains.

The seven hills of Jerusalem are easy to identify. If one starts with the Mount of Olives, just to the east of the main City of Jerusalem (but still reckoned to be located within the environs of Jerusalem), there are three summits to that Mount of Olives. The northern summit (hill) is called Scopus [Hill One], the middle summit (hill) was called Nob [Hill Two], the highest point of Olivet itself, and the southern summit (hill) was called in the Holy Scriptures the 'Mount of Corruption' or 'Mount of Offence' [Hill Three] (2Kings 23:13). On the middle ridge between the Kedron and the Tyropoeon Valleys there was (formerly) in the south 'Mount Zion' [Hill Four] (the original 'Mount Zion' and not the later southwest hill that was later called by that name), then the 'Ophel Mount' [Hill Five], and then to the north of that the 'Rock' around which 'Fort Antonia' was built [Hill Six]. And finally, there was the southwest hill itself [Hill Seven], that finally became known in the time of Simon the Hasmonean as the new 'Mount Zion'. This makes seven hills in all. - Source BibleStudy.org

Rev 17:10 And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.
Rev 17:11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.

The video below explains Revelation 17:9-11. However if you don't want to watch the video, basically Augustus was the first king of Rome. "And one is" from Rev 17:10; refers to a king who is currently ruling. This shows that Revelation was written sometime during Vespasian's rule. Revelation is foretelling of the events that were to happen in 70AD, written in Daniel 9.

1) Augustus 27BC - 14AD
2) Tiberius 14AD - 37AD
3) Caligula 37AD - 41AD
4) Claudius 41AD - 54AD
5) Nero 54AD - 68AD
.................a) Nero is the beast that was and is not. He is the eighth as Domitian persecuted the christians like Nero.

Galba June 68 AD – January 69 AD Otho January 69 AD – April 69 AD Vitellius April 69 AD – December 69 AD

Were not considered Kings in Yah's eyes as they were plucked up before they could become rooted and considered kings. Dan 7:8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.

6) Vespasian 69AD - 79AD (Revelation 17:10 "and one is")
7) Titus 79AD - 81AD
8) Domitian - 81AD -96AD Is son of Vespasian and brother of Titus, that is why he is of the seven.

Rev 17:12 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.

Rome reached it's greatest physical height under these ten kings. Check under the Area Column. I'm not sure when the Kingdom of Rome officialy started, but according to the Word their Kingdom hat not been yet setup. Makes me wonder if this is referring to the Catholic Kingdom, but I can not say with all certainy at this point and time.

Rev 17:13 These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.
Rev 17:14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Master of masters, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

The Kings made war with the Lamb in the Jewish Roman wars. See the Study on Daniel 7 to understand more. Rome tried to destroy those who followed Jesus. Even though Rome succeeded in detroying Jerusalem, the faith of those who followed Jesus prevailed and his Kingdom is forever.

Rev 17:15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.
Rev 17:16 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.

Rome's kings had many killed, over a million says Josephus. The temple was burnt down with fire in 70AD.

Rev 17:17 For YHWH hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of YHWH shall be fulfilled.
Rev 17:18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.