Revelation 18:19

Revelation 18:19 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)They will throw dust on their heads, and with weeping and mourning cry out: “ ‘Woe! Woe to you, great city, where all who had ships on the sea became rich through her wealth! In one hour she has been brought to ruin!’
• English Standard Version (ESV)And they threw dust on their heads as they wept and mourned, crying out, "Alas, alas, for the great city where all who had ships at sea grew rich by her wealth! For in a single hour she has been laid waste.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“They threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and wailing, and saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city, in which all who had ships on the sea became rich by her wealth! For in one hour she is made desolate.’

Context of Revelation 18:19

17because in a single hour such great wealth has been destroyed!” And every ship’s captain, and all who sail along the coast – seamen, and all who make their living from the sea, stood a long way off 18and began to shout when they saw the smoke from the fire that burned her up, “Who is like the great city?” And they threw dust on their heads and were shouting with weeping and mourning, “Woe, Woe, O great city – in which all those who had ships on the sea got rich from her wealth – because in a single hour she has been destroyed!” 20(Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, for God has pronounced judgment against her on your behalf!) 21Then one powerful angel picked up a stone like a huge millstone, threw it into the sea, and said, “With this kind of sudden violent force Babylon the great city will be thrown down and it will never be found again!

Revelation 18:19 word by word

καὶ ἔβαλον χοῦν ἐπὶ τὰς κεφαλὰς αὐτῶν καὶ ἔκραζον κλαίοντες καὶ πενθοῦντες λέγοντες· οὐαὶ οὐαὶ ἡ πόλις ἡ μεγάλη, ἐν ᾗ ἐπλούτησαν πάντες οἱ ἔχοντες τὰ πλοῖα ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ ἐκ τῆς τιμιότητος αὐτῆς, ὅτι μιᾷ ὥρᾳ ἠρημώθη.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• they castβάλλωballō · to throw: throwG906
• dustχόοςchoos · dustG5522
• onἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• theirαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• headsκεφαλήkephalē · headG2776
• criedκράζωkrazō · to cryG2896
• weepingκλαίωklaiō · to weepG2799
• wailingπενθέωpentheō · to mournG3996
• sayingλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• Alasοὐαίouai · woe!G3759
• thatὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• greatμέγαςmegas · greatG3173
• cityπόλιςpolis · cityG4172
• whereinἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• were made richπλουτέωplouteō · be richG4147
• allπᾶςpas · allG3956
• hadἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• shipsπλοῖονploion · boatG4143
• the seaθάλασσαthalassa · seaG2281
• by reason ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• costlinessτιμιότηςtimiotēs · wealthG5094
• forὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
• in oneεἷςheis · oneG1520
• hourὥραhōra · hourG5610
• is she made desolateἐρημόωerēmoō · to lay wasteG2049

Cross-references for Revelation 18:19

• Joshua 7:6Joshua tore his clothes; he and the leaders of Israel lay face down on the ground before the ark of the Lord until evening and threw dirt on their heads.
• 1 Samuel 4:12On that day a Benjaminite ran from the battle lines and came to Shiloh. His clothes were torn and dirt was on his head.
• 2 Samuel 13:19Then Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the long robe she was wearing. She put her hands on her head and went on her way, wailing as she went.
• Nehemiah 9:1On the twenty-fourth day of this same month the Israelites assembled; they were fasting and wearing sackcloth, their heads covered with dust.
• Job 2:12But when they gazed intently from a distance but did not recognize him, they began to weep loudly. Each of them tore his robes, and they threw dust into the air over their heads.
• Ezekiel 27:30They will lament loudly over you and cry bitterly. They will throw dust on their heads and roll in the ashes;
• Revelation 18:10They will stand a long way off because they are afraid of her torment, and will say, “Woe, woe, O great city, Babylon the powerful city! For in a single hour your doom has come!”
• Revelation 18:8For this reason, she will experience her plagues in a single day: disease, mourning, and famine, and she will be burned down with fire, because the Lord God who judges her is powerful!”

Commentaries on Revelation 18:19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19They cast dust on their heads - They showed every sign of the sincerest grief. The lamentation over this great ruined city, Revelation 18:9-19, is exceedingly strong and well drawn. Here is no dissembled sorrow; all is real to the mourners, and affecting to the spectators.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19And they cast dust on their heads - A common sign of lamentation and mourning among the Orientals. See the notes on Job 2:12. By reason of her costliness - The word rendered “costliness” - ́ timiotētos- means, properly, “preciousness, costliness”; their magnificence, costly merchandise. The luxury of a great city enriches many individuals, however much it may impoverish itself. For in one hour is she made desolate - So it seemed to them. See the notes on…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-19Verses 9-19 The mourners had shared Babylon's sensual pleasures, and gained by her wealth and trade. The kings of the earth, whom she flattered into idolatry, allowing them to be tyrannical over their subjects, while obedient to her; and the merchants, those who trafficked for her indulgences, pardons, and honours; these mourn. Babylon's friends partook her sinful pleasures and profits, but are not willing to share her plagues. The spirit of antichrist is…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17-19every shipmaster: Seafarers sing the third lament (see study note on Revelation 18:9–19). They mourn the breakdown of communication and transportation. During Julius Caesar's reign, the Mediterranean was cleared of pirates, and trade flourished under Roman law enforcement. The quick loss of Roman authority would disrupt the trade system.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1919. wailing--"mourning." that had ships--A, B, and C read, "that had their ships": literally, "the ships." costliness--her costly treasures: abstract for concrete.Read the comment

Topics related to Revelation 18:19

• Commerce

In the dictionaries

• the sea, the Great Sea, the western sea
• Costliness
• Fill
• Foul
• Mighty
• Thy
• Ass
• Babylon in the New Testament
• Dust
• Israel, History of

Commentaries on Revelation 18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings