Revelation 18:17-24 NIV

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 18:17-19

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

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Revelation 18:20

18:20 Rejoice over her, O Heaven, and you dedicated ones of God, and you apostles, and you prophets, because God has given judgment for you against her. Amidst all the lamenting comes the voice of joy, the voice of those who are glad to see the vengeance of God upon his enemies and their persecutors. This is a note which we find more than once in Scripture. "Praise his people, O you nations; for he avenges the blood of his servants, and takes vengeance on his adversaries, and makes... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Revelation 18:21-24

18:21-24 And a strong angel lifted a stone like a great mill-stone, and cast it into the sea. "Thus," he said, "with a rush Babylon the great city will be cast down, and will never again be found. The sound of harpers and minstrels and flute-players and trumpeters will never again be heard in you. No craftsman of any craft will ever again be found in you. No more will the sound of the mill be heard in you. No more will the light of the lamp shine in you. No more will the voice of the... 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

John Gill

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

And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning ,.... See Gill on Revelation 18:9 . saying, what city is like unto this great city ? as before for magnificence and grandeur, so now for sorrow, desolation, and ruin; nor was any city like it for power and authority, for pride and luxury, for idolatry and superstition, blasphemy and impenitence; the like the sailors say of Tyre, Ezekiel 27:30 from whence this and other expressions are borrowed in this lamentation. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 18:19

And they cast dust on their heads ,.... As the seafaring men on account of Tyre, Ezekiel 27:30 this was a gesture used in mourning when persons were in afflicted and distressed circumstances, denoting disorder, confusion, and debasement; see Joshua 7:6 and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, alas, alas! that great city ; as in Revelation 18:10 so it was once, though now in flames: wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea ; not only the merchants of the earth, as in ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 18:20

Rejoice over her, thou heaven ,.... This is said by the voice from heaven, Revelation 18:4 which having called upon the saints to come out of Babylon, and to take vengeance on her, now calls upon all good men to rejoice at her ruin, while others were weeping and wailing; not at that, simply considered, but as the justice of God is displayed therein: heaven may be literally understood, which sometimes is addressed when anything of very considerable note and moment is done or spoken of,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 18:21

And a mighty angel ,.... Not Christ, nor one of the ministering spirits, but some man or set of men, perhaps the same with him in Revelation 18:1 took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea ; just as Jeremiah took a stone and bound it to his book after he had read it, and cast it into the river Euphrates, as a sign and token of the destruction of old Babylon, Jeremiah 51:63 saying, thus with violence shall that great city be thrown down, and shall be found no... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 18:22

And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers and trumpeters ,.... Which were for mirth, delight, and pleasure: shall be heard no more at all in thee : the words seem to be taken from Isaiah 24:8 and may not only regard the loss of every thing that was delightful and pleasant to the ear in private houses, at festivals, and nuptials, and the like, but the ceasing of church music; there will be no more bells, nor organs, or any other instruments of music; no more chanters, and... read more

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

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

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Revelation 18:20

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Revelation 18:21-24

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

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

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 18:19

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 18:20

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 18:21

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 18:22

Group of Brands