New King James Version
Revelation 18:9
9“The kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her will weep and lament for her, when they see the smoke of her burning,
Revelation 18:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,
- New International Version (NIV)“When the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her and shared her luxury see the smoke of her burning, they will weep and mourn over her.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And the kings of the earth, who committed sexual immorality and lived in luxury with her, will weep and wail over her when they see the smoke of her burning.
- New Living Translation (NLT)And the kings of the world who committed adultery with her and enjoyed her great luxury will mourn for her as they see the smoke rising from her charred remains.
Context of Revelation 18:9
7In the measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow; for she says in her heart, ‘I sit as queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow.’ 8Therefore her plagues will come in one day—death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judges her. “The kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her will weep and lament for her, when they see the smoke of her burning, 10standing at a distance for fear of her torment, saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour your judgment has come.’ 11“And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, for no one buys their merchandise anymore:
Read all of Revelation 18Revelation 18:9 word by word
Καὶ κλαύσουσιν καὶ κόψονται ἐπ᾽ αὐτὴν οἱ βασιλεῖς τῆς γῆς οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτῆς πορνεύσαντες καὶ στρηνιάσαντες, ὅταν βλέπωσιν τὸν καπνὸν τῆς πυρώσεως αὐτῆςRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- the kingsὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the kingsβασιλεύςbasileus · kingG935
- of the earthγῆgē · earth: planetG1093
- have committed fornicationπορνεύωporneuō · to sin sexuallyG4203
- lived deliciouslyστρηνιάωstrēniaō · to revelG4763
- withμετάmeta · with/afterG3326
- herαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- shall bewailκλαίωklaiō · to weepG2799
- lamentκόπτωkoptō · to cut/mournG2875
- forἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
- whenὅτανhotan · when(-ever)G3752
- they shall seeβλέπωblepō · to seeG991
- the smokeκαπνόςkapnos · smokeG2586
- burningπύρωσιςpurōsis · burningG4451
Cross-references for Revelation 18:9
- Revelation 18:3For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury.”
- Revelation 17:2with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.”
- Revelation 18:20“Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets, for God has avenged you on her!”
- Psalms 58:10The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance; He shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked,
- Jeremiah 50:46At the noise of the taking of Babylon The earth trembles, And the cry is heard among the nations.
- Ezekiel 26:16Then all the princes of the sea will come down from their thrones, lay aside their robes, and take off their embroidered garments; they will clothe themselves with trembling; they will sit on the ground, tremble every moment, and be astonished at you.
- Ezekiel 32:9‘I will also trouble the hearts of many peoples, when I bring your destruction among the nations, into the countries which you have not known.
- Daniel 4:14He cried aloud and said thus: ‘Chop down the tree and cut off its branches, Strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts get out from under it, And the birds from its branches.
- Zechariah 11:2Wail, O cypress, for the cedar has fallen, Because the mighty trees are ruined. Wail, O oaks of Bashan, For the thick forest has come down.
- Revelation 18:18and cried out when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, ‘What is like this great city?’
- Revelation 14:11And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”
- Revelation 19:3Again they said, “Alleluia! Her smoke rises up forever and ever!”
- Genesis 19:28Then he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain; and he saw, and behold, the smoke of the land which went up like the smoke of a furnace.
- Deuteronomy 29:23‘The whole land is brimstone, salt, and burning; it is not sown, nor does it bear, nor does any grass grow there, like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, which the Lord overthrew in His anger and His wrath.’
- Isaiah 13:19And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, The beauty of the Chaldeans’ pride, Will be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.
- Isaiah 30:33For Tophet was established of old, Yes, for the king it is prepared. He has made it deep and large; Its pyre is fire with much wood; The breath of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone, Kindles it.
Commentaries on Revelation 18:9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9The kings of the earth - Those who copied her superstitions and adopted her idolatries.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9And the kings of the earth - This verse commences the description of the lamentation over the fall of the mystical Babylon (see the Analysis of the chapter). Who have committed fornication - That is, who have been seduced by her from the true God, and have been led into practical idolatry. See the notes on Revelation 14:8. The kings of the earth seem to be represented as among the chief mourners, because they had derived important aid from the power which…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. 9-10The kings of the world mourn the loss of the luxury they gained from their alliance with the wicked city.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. lived deliciously--Greek, "luxuriated." The faithless Church, instead of reproving, connived at the self-indulgent luxury of the great men of this world, and sanctioned it by her own practice. Contrast the world's rejoicing over the dead bodies of the two witnesses (Re 11:10) who had tormented it by their faithfulness, with its lamentations over the harlot who had made the way to heaven smooth, and had been found a useful tool in keeping subjects in…Read the comment
Topics related to Revelation 18:9
In the dictionaries
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries