New Living Translation
Revelation 18:19
19And they will weep and throw dust on their heads to show their grief. And they will cry out, “How terrible, how terrible for that great city! The shipowners became wealthy by transporting her great wealth on the seas. In a single moment it is all gone.”
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
17In a single moment all the wealth of the city is gone!” And all the captains of the merchant ships and their passengers and sailors and crews will stand at a distance. 18They will cry out as they watch the smoke ascend, and they will say, “Where is there another city as great as this?” And they will weep and throw dust on their heads to show their grief. And they will cry out, “How terrible, how terrible for that great city! The shipowners became wealthy by transporting her great wealth on the seas. In a single moment it is all gone.” 20Rejoice over her fate, O heaven and people of God and apostles and prophets! For at last God has judged her for your sakes. 21Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a huge millstone. He threw it into the ocean and shouted, “Just like this, the great city Babylon will be thrown down with violence and will never be found again.
Read all of Revelation 18Revelation 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 and the elders of Israel tore their clothing in dismay, threw dust on their heads, and bowed face down to the ground before the Ark of the Lord until evening.
- 1 Samuel 4:12A man from the tribe of Benjamin ran from the battlefield and arrived at Shiloh later that same day. He had torn his clothes and put dust on his head to show his grief.
- 2 Samuel 13:19But now Tamar tore her robe and put ashes on her head. And then, with her face in her hands, she went away crying.
- Nehemiah 9:1On October 31 the people assembled again, and this time they fasted and dressed in burlap and sprinkled dust on their heads.
- Job 2:12When they saw Job from a distance, they scarcely recognized him. Wailing loudly, they tore their robes and threw dust into the air over their heads to show their grief.
- Ezekiel 27:30They cry aloud over you and weep bitterly. They throw dust on their heads and roll in ashes.
- Revelation 18:10They will stand at a distance, terrified by her great torment. They will cry out, “How terrible, how terrible for you, O Babylon, you great city! In a single moment God’s judgment came on you.”
- Revelation 18:8Therefore, these plagues will overtake her in a single day— death and mourning and famine. She will be completely consumed by fire, for the Lord God who judges her is mighty.”
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
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
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