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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

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

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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 18:1-24

The overthrow of wickedness. This, in symbolic form, is the real subject of this chapter. Wickedness shall be utterly and forever destroyed. I. A GLORIOUS ANGEL PROCLAIMS THIS . (Cf. Revelation 18:1 as to this angel.) Then such overthrow must be: 1 . Righteous. 2 . Blessed. 3 . Divine. Had it been possible for men to affect this, it would have been done long since. II. GOD 'S PEOPLE RECEIVE COMMAND . 1 . To separate themselves from sin. From... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 18:9-24

Lamentations over the fall of Babylon. In our previous study of "Babylon the great," we had occasion to remark that there were three forms under which a great Babylon might be recognized. 1 . In that worldwide spirit of alienation from God which has corrupted every form of human life everywhere. 2 . In any Church which, allying itself with the world power, fornicates therewith, and puts itself on the throne instead of God. 3 . Most manifestly of all in the papal Church, where... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 18:9-24

The fall of the corrupt in human life. "And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her," etc. All along through my remarks on the Apocalyptic visions of this book I have not only discarded any attempt at a literal interpretation, but have affirmed that, as a rule, such interpretations of dreams or visions can seldom, if ever, from the nature of the case, be correct; and more especially so with the visions and dreams recorded in this book. The... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 18:16

And saying, Alas, alas that great city! Most authorities omit "and." Woe, woe, the great city! (nominative case); exactly as in Revelation 18:10 . That was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls. She that was clothed, etc. Decked; "gilded," as in the Revised Version margin, as in Revelation 17:4 . The identity of description of the woman and Babylon is another proof of the essentially identical nature of the two (see... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Revelation 18:16

And saying, Alas, alas ... - notes on Revelation 18:10.That was clothed in fine linen - In the previous description Revelation 18:12-13, these are mentioned as articles of traffic; here the city, under the image of a female, is represented as clothed in the most rich and frivolous of these articles.And purple, and scarlet - See the notes on Revelation 17:3-4. Compare Revelation 18:12 of this chapter.And decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls - notes on Revelation 17:4. read more

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