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Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

Revelation 18:9-20

Revelation 18:9-20 : the wailing on earth, by kings (Revelation 18:9-10), merchants (at length, 11 16), and seafaring men (Revelation 18:17-20), imitated from the finer and more elaborate passages in Ezekiel 26-28, where kings (Ezekiel 26:15-18), traders (very briefly and indirectly, Ezekiel 27:36), and mariners (Ezekiel 27:29-36) are all introduced in the lament over Tyre's downfall. Contrast the joy of the three classes in Revelation 18:20. A triple rhythm pervades (cf. Revelation 18:2-3; Revelation 18:6; Revelation 18:8; Revelation 18:14; Revelation 18:16; Revelation 18:19) but does not dominate this grim doom-song, somewhat after the well-known structure of the Semitic elegy. But the three laments are all characteristic. The kings are saddened by the swift overthrow of power (10), and the reverse of fortune; the merchants (Revelation 18:11; Revelation 18:16) by the loss of a profitable market, the mariners by the sudden blow inflicted on the shipping trade (Revelation 18:19).

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See also Revelation 18:9-20 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Revelation 18:9. _THE KINGS OF THE EARTH_] Those who copied her superstitions and adopted her idolatries....

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    AND THE KINGS OF THE EARTH - This verse commences the description of the lamentation over the fall of the mystical Babylon (see the Analysis of the chapter). WHO HAVE COMMITTED FORNICATION - That is,...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 18 Revelation 18:1 . Babylon is now seen under another aspect. In the former chapter we have the religious center of Rome and her wicked idolatries, in the present chapter it includes also th...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    REVELATION 18:1. ANOTHER ANGEL: we have no means of identifying this angel of doom. Revelation 18:2. habitation. bird: _ cf_. Isaiah 13:21 f;...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    THE DOOM OF ROME (Revelation 18:1-3)...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    The kings of the earth, who committed fornication with her and who shared in her wantonness, will weep and lament over her, when they will see the smoke of her burning, while they stand afar off becau...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    HAVE. Omit. FOR. over. App-104. SHALL. Omit. SEE. App-133. BURNING. Greek. _purosis._ Only here, Revelation 18:18, and 1 Peter 4:12....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    The Lamentation over them on Earth, Revelation 18:9-19 9. _the kings of the earth_ Who bore a more or less immediately active part in her destruction, Revelation 17:16: see note there. _shall bewail...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    ΚΛΑΎΣΟΥΣΙΝ. So Lach[652] Treg[653] W. H[654] (text) and Weiss with B2CP; Text. Rec[655] and Tisch[656] (note) read κλαύσονται with אA. [652] Lachmann’s larger edition. [653] Tregelles. [654] H. Westc...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    THE LAMENTATION OVER HER ON EARTH...

  • Charles Box Commentaries

    _A GREAT LAMENTATION BY KINGS AND MERCHANTS REVELATION 18:9-16:_ The rulers and leaders of the earth that had joined Rome in her worldliness wept and lamented. They wept because they had enjoyed the s...

  • Charles Rose Commentaries

    ΚΛΑΎΣΟΥΣΙΝ _fut. ind. act. от_ ΚΛΑΊΩ (G2799) плакать, рыдать, ΚΌΨΟΝΤΑΙ _fut. ind. med. от_ ΚΌΠΤΩ (G2875) бить, резать, _med._ бить себя в грудь в знак скорби, скорбеть по кому-л. (BAGD). ΠΟΡΝΕΎΣΑΝΤΕ...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    AND THE KINGS OF THE EARTH, &C.— In the very solemn manner described in the verses before us, by an angel, and by a voice from heaven, is declared the fall of Rome, and her destruction by fire; and th...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    Strauss-' Comments SECTION 59 Text Revelation 18:1-20 After these things I saw another angel coming down out of heaven, having great authority; and the earth was lightened with his glory. 2 And he cr...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    _TOMLINSON'S COMMENTS_ CHAPTER XVIII BABYLON IS FALLEN _Text (Revelation 18:1-24)_ 1 After these things I saw another angel coming down out of heaven, having great authority; and the earth was light...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, LIVED DELICIOUSLY - lu...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE FALL OF BABYLON In the last c., the fall of Rome, and the manner of its fall, were prophetically announced. In this c., the greatness of the tragedy is shown by songs of thanksgiving and of lamen...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    DELICIOUSLY] RV 'wantonly.' 11. Rome was not a trading city, but must have been a great buyer of luxuries....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    FROM NOW TO THE END OF TIME REVELATION _IAN MACKERVOY_ CHAPTER 18 THE FUNERAL OF BABYLON - REVELATION 18:1-24 V1 Then I saw another *angel come down from heaven. This *angel had great power. The...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    AND THE KINGS OF THE EARTH.... — Read, _And there shall weep and mourn over her the kings of the earth, who with her committed fornication and luxuriated, when they see the smoke of her burning, stand...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    (4-20) The voice out of heaven warns the faithful to leave her, and describes her fall....

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER XIV. THE FALL OF BABYLON. Revelation 18:1. BABYLON has fallen. We have now the Divine proclamation of her fate, and the lamentation of the world over the doom to which she has been consigne...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    “HER SINS HAVE REACHED UNTO HEAVEN” Revelation 18:1 We have seen that the scarlet woman represents the false religion of human wit and fashion. It is found in every age. There is not a city, town, or...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The vision of the destruction of Babylon as directly resulting from the government of God is now given. It is announced, "Fallen is Babylon." Her condition is described as that of a habitation of demo...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    -10 Even though they killed her (Revelation 17:16-17), the kings cry loudly and beat the breasts in grief, or bewail and lament. Their sorrow is for their own loss, it would seem, more than the harlot...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    And (8) the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, (8) The circumstances...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (9) And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, (10) Standing afar of...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    It is necessary that we should all bear in mind, if we have not observed it before, that Revelation 17:1-18 does not pursue the chronological course of the prophecy. It is a description, and not one o...

  • John Brown Commentaries Selected Books of the Bible

    Babylon Has Fallen Psalms 13:2...How long will my enemy be exalted over me? (NKJV) Psalms 35:17 Lord, how long will You look on?... (NKJV) Psalms 74:10 O God, how long will the adversary reproach? Wil...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    Chapter 18 announces the judgment. The one difficulty here is Verse 4 (Revelation 18:4), coming where it is; but, as every difficulty in scripture, it leads into further light. The destruction of Baby...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND THE KINGS OF THE EARTH, WHO HAVE COMMITTED FORNICATION,.... Idolatry, Revelation 17:2 AND LIVED DELICIOUSLY WITH HER; Revelation 18:3 joining with her in her sensual, as well as in her idolatrous...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, Ver. 9. _Shall bewail he...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _And the kings of the earth_, &c. Even the chief rulers and great powers of the world, who were formerly in league with her, and supported her in her corruptions, practised her idolatries, _and lived...

  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

    This description of the articles in which Babylon trafficked with the nations, and the lamentation of the kings and merchants of the earth over her fall, agrees in many respects with the prophecy of t...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    AND THE KINGS OF THE EARTH, WHO HAVE COMMITTED FORNICATION AND LIVED DELICIOUSLY WITH HER, SHALL BEWAIL HER AND LAMENT FOR HER WHEN THEY SHALL SEE THE SMOKE OF HER BURNING,...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    The description of the desolation:...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    GOD'S JUDGMENT OF GREAT BABYLON In Revelation 17:1 we have seen that the destruction of Great Babylon is by the hand of the Beast and his ten horns. Now, in Revelation 18:1, the judgment is seen to be...

  • Manly Luscombe Commentary on New Testament

    _ 9 “The kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her will weep and lament for her, when they see the smoke of her burning,_ A. The kings (civil governments) lived in l...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    9-19 The mourners had shared Babylon's sensual pleasures, and gained by her wealth and trade. The kings of the earth, whom she flattered into idolatry, allowing them to be tyrannical over their subje...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    Not all of them, for some of them shall help to burn her, REVELATION 17:16; but such as God had left to their hardness of heart, that they still live in her fellowship and communion: or, if others als...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Revelation 18:9 G2532 kings G935 earth G1093 who G3588 fornication G4203 (G5660) and G2532 luxuriously G4763 ...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    LAMENTATION OVER BABYLON THE GREAT BY THE SELF-SEEKERS (REVELATION 18:9). We have witnessed the fall of Babylon the Great, now we witness the ‘grief' of her ‘friends'. The kings, the merchants and the...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘And the kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived wantonly with her, will weep and wail over her when they look on the smoke of her burning, standing far off for fear of her torment, say...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    Revelation 18:9-10. In these verses we have the lamentation of the KINGS OF THE EARTH over the disaster which they have been instrumental in accomplishing. The deeds of the wicked, even when effecting...

  • Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament

    SHALL WEEP (κλαυσουσιν). Future active of κλαιω, middle κλαυσοντα in Attic, as in John 16:20.AND WAIL OVER HER (κα κοψοντα επ' αυτην). Future direct middle of κοπτω, old verb, to beat, to cut, mid...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Last form of apostate Christendom and the warning to God's people. The human and the angelic views of Babylon. CONCLUSION: As there is to be an ecclesiastical Babylon («confusion») heading u...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Revelation 18:1. _Another angel came down from heaven and the earth was lightened with his glory._ This was an angel of the highest order, _having great power._ It may be the Lord himself, the mission...

  • The Bible Study New Testament

    THE KINGS OF THE EARTH. The kings (men of influence) cry and weep when they see her destroyed. They shared her immorality and enjoyed her luxuries. Notice they stand _a long way off_ because they are...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    REVELATION—NOTE ON REVELATION 18:1 Several speakers explain how the beast and the kings desert the prostitute. ⇐...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    REVELATION—NOTE ON REVELATION 18:9 Laments come from kings, merchants, and sailors who profited from Babylon’s power and wealth. ⇐...

  • The Message from Patmos by David Scott Clark

    Another voice from heaven bids the people of God to come out of her, for her sins have reached unto heaven. God's people must ever be a separate people, not conformed to the world, but transformed. Th...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    FOR the reasons given at the foot of page 553, no suggestions for exegetical or homiletical treatment are given in connection with chap. 18...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION REVELATION 18:1 AND AFTER THESE THINGS I SAW ANOTHER ANGEL COME DOWN FROM HEAVEN; _after _[omitting "and"]… _coming down, _etc. The usual form of introduction to a new vision (cf. Revelat...

  • The Revelation of Jesus Christ Through the Ages by Donald A. Koenig

    _9  AND THE KINGS OF THE EARTH, WHO HAVE COMMITTED FORNICATION AND LIVED DELICIOUSLY WITH HER, SHALL BEWAIL HER, AND LAMENT FOR HER, WHEN THEY SHALL SEE THE SMOKE OF HER BURNING,_ _ 10  STANDING AFAR...

  • The Revelation of Jesus Christ Through the Ages by Donald A. Koenig

    CHAPTER 18 - BABYLON THE GREAT EXPLAINED The focus of the previous chapter was about the judgment of the harlot religious system that rode the Beast. The main focus of this chapter will be about the j...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Now after these things I saw another angel (Revelation 18:1) It may be one of the seven. It doesn't really declare or it could be outside of the seven. It is just another angel as far as we know. com...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Daniel 4:14; Deuteronomy 29:23; Ezekiel 26:16; Ezekiel 26:17;...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    MYSTIC AND COMMERCIAL BABYLON Revelation 17:1 _and Revelation 18:1_ INTRODUCTORY WORDS The seventeenth chapter of Revelation discusses what we call mystic Babylon; and the eighteenth presents commer...

  • William Burkitt's Expository Notes

    The Spirit of God having in the former part of the chapter set forth the certainty and severity of those judgments which should come upon mystical BABYLON, he next declares what wailings and bitter la...

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Old Testament