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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Revelation 18:9-24

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... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Revelation 18:11-16

18:11-16 And the merchants of the earth will weep and lament over her, for no one buys their cargo any more, the cargo of gold and of silver and of precious stones and of pearls, of fine linen and of purple and of silk and of scarlet, all kinds of thyine wood, all kinds of articles of ivory, all kinds of articles of costly wood, and of bronze and of iron and of marble, and cinnamon and perfume and incense, and myrrh, and frankincense and wine and oil, and fine flour, and wheat and cattle and... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Revelation 18:11-16

Fine linen came mainly from Egypt. It was the clothing of priests and kings. It was very expensive; a priest's robe, for instance, would cost between 40 and 50 British pounds. Purple came mainly from Phoenicia. The very word Phoenicia is probably derived from phoinos, which means blood-red, and the Phoenicians may have been known as "the purple men," because they dealt in purple. Ancient purple was much redder than modern purple. It was the royal colour and the garment of wealth. The purple... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Revelation 18:17-19

18:17-19 And every shipmaster and everyone who sails the sea, and sailors who gain their living from the sea, stood afar off and cried, when they saw the smoke of her burning. "What city was like the great city!" they said, and they flung dust upon their heads, and cried weeping and lamenting: "Alas! Alas! for the great city, in which all who had ships on the sea grew rich from her wealth, because in one hour she has been desolated." First, the kings uttered their lament over Rome; then,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 18:15

The merchants of these things ,.... Before mentioned, who have traded in them for themselves and for Rome: which were made rich by her , see Revelation 18:3 shall stand afar off for fear of her torment ; as the kings of the earth before, Revelation 18:10 being conscious to themselves of their being partners in her crimes, and so might justly fear they should share in her punishment; and it may be, they will outwardly deny they are now of her religion, and will externally embrace... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 18:16

And saying, alas, alas! that great city ,..... Using the same words the kings of the earth do, Revelation 18:10 only adding, suitable to their characters as merchants, and the things they traded in with her, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls ; See Gill on Revelation 18:12 , Revelation 17:4 , see also Ezekiel 27:32 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 18:17

For in one hour so great riches is come to nought ,.... That is, in a very short time, expressing the suddenness and speediness of Rome's destruction, the quick dispatch and expedition that will be made in it, by the instruments of it, as in Revelation 18:10 . Rome was always famous for its great wealth and riches; the Jews have a saying F12 T. Bab. Kiddushin, fol. 49. 2. , that if ten kabs of riches descend into the world, the ancient Romans take nine of them, and the other the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 18:16

Clothed in fine linen, and purple, etc. - The verb περιβαλλεσθαι , which we here translate clothed, signifies often to abound, be enriched, laden with, and is so used by the best Greek writers; see many examples in Kypke. These articles are not to be considered here as personal ornaments, but as articles of trade or merchandise, in which this city trafficked. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 18:17

Every shipmaster - Captains of vessels; some think pilots are meant, and this is most likely to be the meaning of the original word κυβερνητης . This description appears to be at least partly taken from Ezekiel 27:26-28 . And all the company in ships - Και πας επι των πλοιων ὁ ὁμιλος· The crowd or passengers aboard. But the best MSS, and versions have και πας ὁ επι τοπον πλεων , those who sail from place to place, or such as stop at particular places on the coast, without... read more

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