1034. Verse 2. With whom the kings of the earth committed whoredom, signifies that they have falsified all the truths of the church. This is evident from the signification of "committing whoredom," as being to falsify (See n. 141, 161, 817, 881); also from the signification of "the kings of the earth," as being the truths of the church, "kings" being truths, and the "earth" the church. "Kings" are mentioned in many places in the Word, and it is supposed that kings or their kingdoms are thereby meant; but in the Word "kings" mean all who are in truths from good from the Lord, and in an abstract sense, in which is the spiritual sense, they mean truths from good. That this is the meaning of "kings" may be seen above (n. 29, 31, 553, 624, 625). This can be further seen from the following in Revelation:

Jesus Christ, the Prince of the kings of the earth, who hath made us kings and priests (Revelation 1:5-6).

Again:

The Lamb made us kings and priests, that we might reign upon the earth (Revelation 5:10; likewise Revelation 16:12, 14).

[2] Because "kings" signify truths from good, they also signify in the contrary sense falsities from evil. For most expressions in the Word have also a contrary sense. Such is the signification of "kings" in the following passages in this chapter:

The seven heads of the beast are seven kings; the five are fallen, and the one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he is come he must continue a little while (Revelation 17:10).

Also:

The ten horns that thou sawest are ten kings (Revelation 17:12).

Again:

The woman is the great city which hath kingship over the kings of the earth (Revelation 17:18).

So, too, in a subsequent passage, where it is said:

That the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, made war with Him that sat on the white horse (Revelation 19:19).

All this makes clear the signification of the words "the kings of the earth committed whoredom with the harlot that sitteth upon many waters," namely, that the truths of the church have been falsified by those who are of Babylon. So again in a subsequent passage, where it is said that:

The kings of the earth committed whoredom with that woman, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich from the abundance of her delicacies. The kings of the earth, who have committed whoredom and lived deliciously with her, shall weep and lament over her (Revelation 18:3, (Revelation 18:9)Revelation 18:11).

"Kings" have a like signification in Daniel:

As for the ten horns of the fourth beast, out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise; and another shall arise after them, and he shall be diverse from the former, and he shall put down three kings (Daniel 7:24).

[3] "Kings" signify those who are in truths from good, and in an abstract sense truths from good, because the Lord is called "king" from Divine truth, and "priest" from Divine good; and therefore the heaven where Divine truth reigns is called "His throne." For the same reason angels in the heavens and men on earth who are in truths from good from the Lord are called "sons of the king," also "sons of the kingdom" and "heirs;" consequently such are meant by "kings" where the Lord is called "King of kings" (as in the fourteenth verse of this chapter, and in chapter 19 Revelation 17:17; and elsewhere (Revelation 19:16).

314. In the spiritual sense committing adultery means adulterating the various kinds of good in the Word and falsifying its truths. These meanings of committing adultery have until now been unknown, because the spiritual sense of the Word has until now been hidden. It is perfectly plain from the following passages that this and nothing else is meant in the Word by 'committing fornication, committing adultery, and whoring.'

Run up and down the streets of Jerusalem, and seek to find a man who acts righteously and seeks the truth; when I gave them plenty, they went after whores, Jeremiah 5:1, 7.

Among the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen horrible obstinacy, in committing adultery and going about lying, Jeremiah 23:14.

They acted foolishly in Israel, they went after whores, and spoke my Word untruthfully, Jeremiah 29:23.

They went after whores, because they have abandoned Jehovah, Hosea 4:10.

I will cut off the soul which pays attention to soothsayers and fortunetellers, to go whoring after them, Leviticus 20:6.

No treaty is to be made with the inhabitants of the land, for fear the people should go whoring after their gods, Exodus 34:15.

Since Babylon stands pre-eminent in adulterating and falsifying the Word, that is why she is called the great prostitute, and the following things are said about her in Revelation:

Babylon has given all nations to drink from the wine of anger of her whoring, Revelation 14:8.

The angel said, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute, with whom the kings of the earth have gone whoring, Revelation 17:1-2.

He has judged the great prostitute, who corrupted the earth with her whoring, Revelation 19:2.

It was because the Jewish nation falsified the Word that it was called by the Lord 'an adulterous generation' (Matthew 12:39; 16:4; Mark 8:38) and 'the seed of an adulterer' (Isaiah 57:3). In many other passages too adulteries and whoring are to be understood as meaning adulteration and falsification of the Word: e.g, Jeremiah 3:6, 8; 13:27; Ezekiel 16:15-16, 26, 28-29, 32-33; 23:2-3, 5, 7, 11, 14, 17; Hosea 5:3; 6:10; Nahum 3:4.