| 19. Linguistic Exegesis The verse unfolds as a polysyndetic series using repeated kai {καί | kaí} ‘and’ to connect three vivid judgments. The verb egéneto with eis {εἰς | eis} frames the first event, splitting hē megálē pólis {ἡ μεγάλη πόλις | hē megálē pólis} ‘the great city’ into tría mérē {τρία μέρη | tría mérē} ‘three parts.’ The second clause employs epésan {ἔπεσαν | epésan} ‘they fell’ for póleis tōn ethnōn {πόλεις τῶν ἐθνῶν | póleis tōn ethnōn} ‘cities of the nations,’ indicating their collapse. The third clause front-loads Babylon the great and uses the passive emnḗsthē ‘was remembered’ to signify divine action before God (enṓpion toû theoû {ἐνώπιον τοῦ θεοῦ | enṓpion toû theoû}). The infinitive doûnai autḗ tó potḗrion {δοῦναι αὐτῇ τὸ ποτήριον | doûnai autḗ tó potḗrion} expresses purpose ‘to give her the cup,’ followed by a nested genitive chain toû oínou toû thymôu tês orgḗs autoû {τοῦ οἴνου τοῦ θυμοῦ τῆς ὀργῆς αὐτοῦ | toû oínou toû thymôu tês orgḗs autoû} ‘of the wine of the wrath of anger,’ intensifying the metaphor of divine retribution. |