10 They are seven kings. Five have fallen, the one is, the other is not yet come. When he comes, he must continue a little while.
and they are seven kings – the earliest manuscripts support the translation “they are seven kings.” Later manuscripts, like that used to translate the King James version, have the reading “there are seven kings.” The King James Version led us to believe that the seven mountains were the seven hills of Rome. However, this is not correct. There may be a comparison to the seven hills of Rome, but the mountains are seven kings, which we shall describe.
five have fallen – from John’s time, looking backwards, there were five kingdoms against the saints: Greece (the leopard), Persia (the bear), Babylon (the lion), Assyria and Egypt.
one is – Rome (the dragon).
the other is yet to come – which is described in verse 12, “ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom” – the seventh kingdom is the conglomeration of these ten kings.
he must remain a little while – described in verse 12 as “one hour.”