A.T. Robertson Commentary Revelation 12:6

"And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that there they may nourish her a thousand two hundred and threescore days." — Revelation 12:6 (ASV)

Fled into the wilderness (εφυγεν εις την ερημον). Second aorist active indicative of φευγω. Here, of course, not Mary, but "the ideal woman" (God's people) of the preceding verses, who fled under persecution of the dragon. God's people do not at once share the rapture of Christ, but the dragon is unable to destroy them completely. The phrases used here seem to be reminiscent of De 8:2ff. (wanderings of Israel in the wilderness), 1 Kings 17:2f. and 19:3f. (Elijah's flight), I Macc. 2:29 (flight of the Jews from Antiochus Epiphanes), Matthew 2:13 (flight of Joseph and Mary to Egypt), Mr 13:14 (the flight of Christians at the destruction of Jerusalem).

Where (οπου--εκε). Hebrew redundancy (where--there) as in 3:8; 8:9,9; 13:8,12; 17:9; 20:8.

Prepared (ητοιμασμενον). Perfect passive predicate participle of ετοιμαζω, for which verb see Mt 20:23; Revelation 8:6; 9:7,15; 16:12; 19:7; 21:2, and for its use with τοποςJohn 14:2f. and for the kind of fellowship meant by it (Psalms 31:21; 2 Corinthians 13:13; Colossians 3:3; 1 John 1:3).

Of God (απο του θεου). "From (by) God," marking the source as God (9:18; James 1:13). This anticipatory symbolism is repeated in 12:13f.

That there they may nourish her (ινα εκε τρεφωσιν αυτην). Purpose clause with ινα and the present for continued action: active subjunctive according to A P though C reads τρεφουσιν, present active indicative, as is possible also in 13:17 and certainly so in 1 John 5:20 (Robertson, Grammar, p. 984), a solecism in late vernacular Greek. The plural is indefinite "they" as in 10:11; 11:9. One MSS. has τρεφετα (is nourished). The stereotyped phrase occurs here, as in 11:2f. , for the length of the dragon's power, repeated in 12:14 in more general terms and again in 13:5.