TRV
Translation
King James Version
And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!
Complete Jewish Bible
and cried out when they saw the smoke as she burned, “What city was like the great city?”
Berean Standard Bible
and cry out at the sight of the smoke rising from the fire that consumes her. “What city was ever like this great city?” they will exclaim.
American Standard Version
and cried out as they looked upon the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like the great city?
World English Bible Messianic
and cried out as they looked at the smoke of her burning, saying, ‘What is like the great city?’
Geneva Bible (1599)
And crie, when they see that smoke of that her burning, saying, What citie was like vnto this great citie?
Young's Literal Translation
and were crying, seeing the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like to the great city?
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In the KJVVerse 31,012 of 31,102
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Commentary on Revelation 18 verses 9–24
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 off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.
11 And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:
12 The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble,
13 And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.
14 And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.
15 The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,
16 And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!
17 For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,
18 And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!
19 And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.
20 Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.
21 And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.
22 And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee;
23 And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.
24 And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.
I. II. Main points1. 2. Sub-points
Here we have,
I. A doleful lamentation made by Babylon's friends for her fall; and here observe,
1.Who are the mourners, namely, those who had been bewitched by her fornication, those who had been sharers in her sensual pleasures, and those who had been gainers by her wealth and trade - the kings and the merchants of the earth: the kings of the earth, whom she had flattered into idolatry by allowing them to be arbitrary and tyrannical over their subjects, while they were obsequious to her; and the merchants, that is, those who trafficked with her for indulgences, pardons, dispensations, and preferments; these will mourn, because by this craft they got their wealth.
2.What was the manner of their mourning. (1.) They stood afar off, they durst not come nigh her. Even Babylon's friends will stand at a distance from her fall. Though they had been partakers with her in her sins, and in her sinful pleasures and profits, they were not willing to bear a share in her plagues. (2.) They made a grievous outcry: Alas! alas! that great city, Babylon, that mighty city! (3.) They wept, and cast dust upon their heads, Rev 18:19. The pleasures of sin are but for a season, and they will end in dismal sorrow. All those who rejoice in the success of the church's enemies will share with them in their downfall; and those who have most indulged themselves in pride and pleasure are the least able to bear calamities; their sorrows will be as excessive as their pleasure and jollity were before.
3.What was the cause of their mourning; not their sin, but their punishment. They did not lament their fall into idolatry, and luxury, and persecution, but their fall into ruin - the loss of their traffic and of their wealth and power. The spirit of antichrist is a worldly spirit, and their sorrow is a mere worldly sorrow; they did not lament for the anger of God, that had now fallen upon them, but for the loss of their outward comfort. We have a large schedule and inventory of the wealth and merchandise of this city, all which was suddenly lost (Rev 18:12, Rev 18:13), and lost irrecoverably (Rev 18:14): All things which were dainty and goodly have departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all. The church of God may fall for a time, but she shall rise again; but the fall of Babylon will be an utter overthrow, like that of Sodom and Gomorrah. Godly sorrow is some support under affliction, but mere worldly sorrow adds to the calamity.
II. An account of the joy and triumph there was both in heaven and earth at the irrecoverable fall of Babylon: while her own people were bewailing her, the servants of God were called to rejoice over her, Rev 18:20. Here observe, 1. How universal this joy would be: heaven and earth, angels and saints, would join in it; that which is matter of rejoicing to the servants of God in this world is matter of rejoicing to the angels in heaven. 2. How just and reasonable; and that, (1.) Because the fall of Babylon was an act of God's vindictive justice. God was then avenging his people's cause. They had committed their cause to him to whom vengeance belongs, and now the year of recompence had come for the controversies of Zion; and, though they did not take pleasure in the miseries of any, yet they had reason to rejoice in the discoveries of the glorious justice of God. (2.) Because it was an irrecoverable ruin. This enemy should never molest them any more, and of this they were assured by a remarkable token (Rev 18:21): An angel from heaven took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, "Thus shall Babylon be thrown down with violence, and be found no more at all; the place shall be no longer habitable by man, no work shall be done there, no comfort enjoyed, no light seen there, but utter darkness and desolation, as the reward of her great wickedness, first in deceiving the nations with her sorceries, and secondly in destroying and murdering those whom she could not deceive," Rev 18:24. Such abominable sins deserved so great a ruin.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 9–24. Public domain.
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Caesarius of ArlesAD 542
EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 18:15-17, HOMILY 16
Whenever the Spirit says that they were made rich from her, he is indicating the abundance of their sins.… Can a city be dressed in fine linen and purple, rather than people? They lament for themselves, since they are despoiled of those riches mentioned here.… Can all those who are merchants and sailors and who work upon the sea be present to see the burning of a single city? Rather, it says that all who loved the world and were the workers of iniquity fear for themselves when they see the ruin of their own hope.
Primasius of HadrumetumAD 560
COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 18:17-19
“They threw dust on their heads.” This means that they reproached their leaders by whom they were led astray and so were lost.… “They wept and mourned.” … To be sure, we know that many are often stricken by such contrition, and so it is not false to refer to the person these distances from which they are removed. That is, they will stand afar off and cry out when they see the smoke of its burning, since to stand afar off is not to fall with those who are lost but rather to acquire a stability from submitting to conversion. For “before one’s own master does one stand or fall.” One ought not understand this standing in a bodily sense but as the conversion of a firm soul in faith, so that when they are said to weep over others who are perishing, they are themselves understood to be making a fruitful penance. For this reason the apostle says, “When you were dead through trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience, among whom we all once lived in the passions of the flesh, following the desires of the flesh and mind, and so we were by nature children of wrath like the rest,” or things like this. According to these words of the apostle, I think that this passage can be rightly referred to the persons who convert. For no one can be found to be good who was not formerly evil. Therefore, the psalm says, “I have reckoned all the sinners of the earth as transgressors.”
Andreas of CaesareaAD 614
COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 18:15-19, 22
He leads before our eyes the sufferings of this Babylon, and through the laments made over her he depicts the greatness of her misfortune that she, who previously boasted of her royal majesty, will suffer.… He speaks figuratively of the present life as a “sea,” since it is heaving with waves. Those who make commerce upon [the sea] swim in the turbulence of this life as though they were fishes. However, perhaps that city that suffers these things lies beside a physical sea and receives these misfortunes from those who sail upon it and receive from it an opportunity to loot it of its wealth. But it is necessary to add that the merchants of this universal Babylon, that is, Confusion, will suffer the same thing at the conclusion of the visible world and will sob inconsolably, since they are unwillingly deprived of the pleasures of this life and are reproached by their conscience because of their deeds.… But against this opinion is that of the ancient teachers of the church, which supposes that these things are prophesied against the Babylon of the Romans. They refer to the vision in which the ten horns are on the fourth beast, that is, upon the Roman rule, and from it another one comes that roots out three of the ten and subdues the others. And when this king of the Romans comes in the pretense of assisting and helping their rule, he in fact comes to effect their complete ruin. Therefore, as we said, whoever interprets this kingdom as though it were one body that from the beginning until now exercised power and which truly has shed the blood of apostles, prophets and martyrs, such a one would not be mistaken concerning the present passage. For even as it is said that there is one chorus and one army and one city, although those who populate each of these might change, so also there is one kingdom, although it is divided into many times and places.
BedeAD 735
Commentary on Revelation
Saying: Who is like this great city? That is, the world cannot be restored to its entirety.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Revelation 18:18 powerfully depicts the visceral reaction of those who had profited from "Babylon the Great" as they witness her catastrophic and fiery destruction. Overwhelmed by the sight of the smoke rising from her burning, they cry out in despair and disbelief, lamenting the unparalleled downfall of what was once the epitome of worldly power and commercial splendor, highlighting the sudden and irreversible nature of divine judgment.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Revelation 18:18 is situated within a sweeping prophetic vision detailing the complete destruction of "Babylon the Great," a symbolic entity representing a global system of economic, political, and spiritual corruption opposed to God. This chapter follows the declaration of Babylon's fall in Revelation 14:8 and Revelation 18:2, expanding upon the reasons for her judgment and the reactions to it. The preceding verses (18:9-17) describe the lamentations of the "kings of the earth," "merchants," and "shipmasters" who mourn not out of repentance, but out of profound economic loss. Verse 18:18 specifically captures the immediate, shocked outcry of these observers as they see the physical manifestation of Babylon's demise. The "smoke of her burning" serves as the concrete evidence of the judgment, leading to their desperate question, which underscores the unprecedented nature of this destruction. The narrative then continues with further lamentations and a call for rejoicing from heaven.
Historical & Cultural Context: While "Babylon" in Revelation is primarily symbolic, it draws heavily on the historical imagery of ancient Babylon, the opulent empire that oppressed Israel and was famously destroyed (e.g., Isaiah 13, Jeremiah 50-51). In John's time, Rome was the dominant imperial power, known for its wealth, military might, and pervasive idolatry, often seen as a contemporary "Babylon" by early Christians facing persecution. The language of a "great city" and its burning destruction would evoke images of real-world sieges and urban conflagrations, familiar to ancient readers. The lamentations of kings and merchants reflect the economic interdependencies of the Roman Empire, where trade and luxury goods flowed from all corners of the known world to its center. The shock expressed in the verse highlights the perceived invincibility of such empires and the devastating impact their fall would have on those whose livelihoods were intertwined with them.
Key Themes: Revelation 18:18 powerfully contributes to several overarching themes within Revelation and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it underscores the theme of Divine Judgment and Justice, demonstrating God's sovereign and decisive wrath against all forms of wickedness, rebellion, and systems that prioritize worldly gain and idolatry over righteousness. The "burning" signifies a final, irreversible judgment, a theme echoed in Revelation 19:3, where the smoke of her torment rises forever. Secondly, it highlights the Fleeting Nature of Worldly Power and Wealth. The lament of those who profited from Babylon's opulence reveals the transient nature of material riches and earthly empires. Their sorrow is for lost profits, not for lost souls or the pervasive injustice Babylon perpetuated, serving as a stark warning against placing ultimate trust in earthly prosperity, a concept found throughout wisdom literature like Proverbs 23:5. Lastly, the exclamation "What [city is] like unto this great city!" emphasizes the Uniqueness of Babylon's Fall, signifying a judgment so complete and devastating that it stands alone in its magnitude, a testament to the severity of her sins and the absolute power of God's reckoning.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Revelation 18:18 employs several powerful literary devices. Imagery is central, with "the smoke of her burning" creating a vivid, sensory picture of utter destruction and desolation. This image is a common biblical motif for divine judgment (e.g., Genesis 19:28). The rhetorical question, "What [city is] like unto this great city!", functions as a form of hyperbole and lament, emphasizing the unparalleled nature of Babylon's fall. It expresses the profound shock and disbelief of the onlookers, highlighting the magnitude of the catastrophe. The repetition of "great city" throughout Revelation (e.g., Revelation 17:18) and specifically in this verse contributes to emphasis, solidifying Babylon's identity as a powerful, yet ultimately vulnerable, entity destined for judgment.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Revelation 18:18 serves as a stark reminder of the certainty and totality of God's judgment against all forms of human rebellion, idolatry, and economic systems built on injustice and exploitation. The lament of the onlookers, though born of self-interest rather than repentance, underscores the ultimate futility of placing trust in worldly power and material wealth. God's justice is not only inevitable but also comprehensive, leaving no stone unturned in its righteous reckoning. This verse affirms that no earthly power, no matter how "great" or seemingly invincible, can withstand the divine wrath when its measure of iniquity is full. It is a powerful declaration that God is sovereign over all nations and economies, and His kingdom will ultimately prevail over all opposing forces.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Revelation 18:18 compels us to critically examine our own allegiances and the foundations upon which we build our lives. The despair of those who mourn Babylon's fall, not for its wickedness but for their lost profits, serves as a sobering warning against the seductive power of materialism and worldly security. Are we investing our primary energy, time, and affections in perishable earthly treasures and systems, or in the eternal and unfading kingdom of God? This verse challenges us to cultivate a heavenly perspective, recognizing that all human achievements, empires, and economic gains, when pursued apart from God, are ultimately transient and subject to divine judgment. It calls us to detach our hearts from the fleeting allure of this world and to anchor our hope firmly in Christ, whose kingdom is unshakable and eternal.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "Babylon the Great" symbolize in Revelation?
Answer: "Babylon the Great" is a multifaceted symbol in Revelation, representing a global system of spiritual apostasy, economic exploitation, and political oppression that stands in opposition to God and His people. While it draws on the historical city of Babylon, which oppressed ancient Israel, it broadly symbolizes any powerful, idolatrous, and commercially dominant entity or system that embodies the world's rebellion against God. Many scholars interpret it as representing Rome in John's time, but its characteristics extend to any future or present system characterized by luxury, injustice, and persecution of believers, as described in Revelation 17 and Revelation 18.
Why do the kings and merchants lament Babylon's destruction?
Answer: The kings and merchants lament Babylon's destruction not out of repentance for her sins or concern for justice, but purely out of self-interest and economic loss. Babylon was the source of their wealth, luxury, and power, as detailed in Revelation 18:11-17. Her sudden and complete destruction means the end of their lucrative trade, their opulent lifestyles, and their political influence. Their cry in Revelation 18:18 is a lament over lost profits and a shattered economic system, highlighting the transient nature of worldly riches and the ultimate futility of placing one's hope in them.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Revelation 18:18 describes the judgment of a worldly system, its ultimate significance points to the triumph of Christ and the establishment of His eternal kingdom. The "smoke of her burning" is the visible sign of the complete overthrow of all powers that oppose God, a necessary precursor to the full revelation of Christ's reign. Just as Babylon represents the epitome of human rebellion and self-exaltation, Christ embodies divine humility, sacrifice, and perfect righteousness. His death on the cross was the decisive blow against the spiritual powers of darkness that fuel such worldly systems (Colossians 2:15). The judgment on Babylon, therefore, clears the way for the Lamb's wedding feast (Revelation 19:7-9) and the establishment of the New Jerusalem, where Christ reigns supreme and there is no more curse, sorrow, or pain (Revelation 21:1-4). The despair of those who mourn Babylon contrasts sharply with the eternal joy of those who find their hope and salvation in Christ, the true King over all creation, whose kingdom is not of this world and will never be destroyed (John 18:36).