A.T. Robertson Commentary Revelation 17:16

"And the ten horns which thou sawest, and the beast, these shall hate the harlot, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and shall burn her utterly with fire." — Revelation 17:16 (ASV)

These shall hate the harlot (ουτο μισησουσιν την πορνην). Future active of μισεω. Hουτο is resumptive demonstrative pronoun (masculine) referring to the ten horns and the beast (neuter); construction according to sense. The downfall of Rome will come from the sudden change in subject peoples.

Shall make her desolate and naked (ηρημωμενην ποιησουσιν αυτην κα γυμνην). Future active of ποιεω and perfect passive predicate accusative participle of ερημοω, old verb (from ερημος desolate), again in 18:16,19. Γυμνην (naked) is predicate adjective.

Shall eat her flesh (τας σαρκας αυτης φαγοντα). Future middle of the defective verb εσθιω, to eat. Note plural σαρκας, portions of flesh (James 5:3) as in Ps 27:2; Micah 3:3.

Shall burn her utterly with fire (αυτην κατακαυσουσιν εν πυρ). Future active of κατακαιω, to burn down (perfective use of καιω). John wrote before the days of Alaric, Genseric, Ricimer, Totila, with their hordes which devastated Rome and the west in the fifth and sixth centuries. "No reader of the Decline and Fall can be at a loss for materials which will at once illustrate and justify the general trend of St. John's prophecy" (Swete).