Albert Barnes Commentary Revelation 17:12

"And the ten horns that thou sawest are ten kings, who have received no kingdom as yet; but they receive authority as kings, with the beast, for one hour." — Revelation 17:12 (ASV)

And the ten horns which you saw. These are on the scarlet-colored beast (Revelation 17:3).

Are ten kings. This means they represent or denote ten kings—that is, kingdoms or powers. See the notes on Daniel 7:24.

Which have received no kingdom as yet. This means they were not in existence when John wrote. It is implied that during the period under review they would arise and would become connected, in an important sense, with the power represented here by the "beast." For a full illustration concerning the ten "kings," or kingdoms referred to here, see the notes on Daniel 7, at the close of that chapter, section II, point (2).

But receive power. It is not said from what source this power is received, but it is simply implied that it would in fact be conferred on them.

As kings. That is, the power would be that which is usually exercised by kings.

One hour. It cannot be supposed that this is to be taken literally. The meaning clearly is that this period would be brief and temporary; that is, it was a form of administration that would be succeeded by one more fixed and permanent.

Anyone can see that, in fact, this is strictly applicable to the governments that sprang up after the incursion of the Northern barbarians, and which were finally succeeded by the permanent forms of government in Europe. Most of them were very brief in their duration, and they were soon remodeled into more permanent forms of administration.

For example, consider the arrangement proposed by Sir Isaac Newton:

1. The kingdom of the Vandals and Alans in Spain and Africa
2. The kingdom of the Suevians in Spain
3. The kingdom of the Visigoths
4. The kingdom of the Alans in Gaul
5. The kingdom of the Burgundians
6. The kingdom of the Franks
7. The kingdom of the Britons
8. The kingdom of the Huns
9. The kingdom of the Lombards
10. The kingdom of Ravenna

How temporary most of these were, and how soon they passed into the more permanent forms of administration that succeeded them in Europe!

With the beast. That is, with that rising Papal power. They would exercise their authority in connection with it and under its influence.