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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 18:11

And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over over her ,.... Who these are; see Gill on Revelation 18:3 and, what their lamentation, Revelation 18:16 the reason of their weeping and mourning follows: for no man buyeth their merchandise any more; what their merchandise is, is expressed in the two next verses; and this shows that it is not to be understood merely in a literal sense; for such commodities in general as are there mentioned, if they do not sell at one place, they... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 18:12

The merchandise of gold and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls ,.... Things for treasure and ornament, and with which the great whore is said to be decked, Revelation 17:4 and, literally understood, may denote the vast riches which these spiritual merchants, or factors for Rome, cardinals, archbishops, bishops, priests, monks, and friars, bring into their own coffers and the pope's, by the trade they drive in her wares with the souls of men; and may have also a regard to what their... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 18:13

And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense ,.... Things for delight and pleasure, for the gratifying of the senses; cinnamon, and odours were used for perfuming, Proverbs 7:17 anointing with oil was used at feasts, Psalm 23:5 and "frankincense", or censings, at banquets, and for the regaling of persons after food F11 Misn. Beracot, c. 6. sect. 6. : these customs obtained among the eastern people. Tyre had its merchants for these things, Ezekiel 27:19 and Mr.... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 18:11

The merchants of the earth - These are represented as mourning over her, because their traffic with her was at an end. Bishop Bale, who applies all these things to the Church of Rome, thus paraphrases the principal passages: - The mighty kinges and potentates of the earth, not havinge afore their eyes the love and feare of God, have committed with this whore moste vile filthynesse; abusinge themselves by many straunge or uncommaunded worshippings, and bynding themselves by othe to... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 18:12

The merchandise of gold, and silver, etc. - The same author, Bishop Bale, who was once a priest of the Romish Church, goes on to apply all these things to that Church; and whether the text have this meaning or not, they will show us something of the religious usages of his time, and the real mockery of this intolerant and superstitious Church. Speaking in reference to the Reformation, and the general light that had been diffused abroad by the word of God, which was then translated into the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 18:13

And cinnamon - " By the sinamon is ment all maner of costly spyces, wherewith they bury their byshops and founders, lest they shoulde stinke when they translate them agayne to make them saintes for advauntage. "By the smellynge odours, the swete herbes that they strewe abrode at theyr dedications and burials; besydes the damaske waters, bawmes, muskes, pomaunder, civet, and other curious confections they yet bestow upon theyr owne precious bodyes. "The oyntments are such oyles as they... 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

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