A.T. Robertson Commentary Revelation 13:1

"and he stood upon the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns, and seven heads, and on his horns ten diadems, and upon his heads names of blasphemy." — Revelation 13:1 (ASV)

He stood (εσταθη). First aorist passive indicative of ιστημ (intransitive), as in 8:3. "He stopped" on his way to war with the rest of the woman's seed. P Q read here εσταθην (I stood) when it has to be connected with chapter Re 13.

Upon the sand (επ την αμμον). The accusative case as in 7:1; 8:3, etc. Αμμος is an old word for sand, for innumerable multitude in 20:8.

Out of the sea (εκ της θαλασσης). See 11:7 for "the beast coming up out of the abyss." The imagery comes from Da 7:3. See also Re 17:8. This "wild beast from the sea," as in Da 7:17,23, is a vast empire used in the interest of brute force. This beast, like the dragon (12:3), has ten horns and seven heads, but the horns are crowned, not the heads. The Roman Empire seems to be meant here (17:9,12). On "diadems" (διαδηματα) see 12:3, only ten here, not seven as there.

Names of blasphemy (ονοματα βλασφημιας). See 17:3 for this same phrase. The meaning is made plain by the blasphemous titles assumed by the Roman emperors in the first and second centuries, as shown by the inscriptions in Ephesus, which have θεος constantly applied to them.