This chapter gives an account of the fall of Babylon, and of the lamentation of many, and of the joy of others, by reason of it; which account is published by several angels: the first that declares her fall is described by his original, descending from heaven; by the great power he had; by his…

And after these things The vision of the woman on the scarlet coloured beast, and the interpretation of both by the angel: I saw another angel; not the Lord Jesus Christ, though the several things said of this angel agree with him; nor one of the ministering spirits, though the characters of him…

And he cried mightily with a strong voice Which shows not only the vehemence and affection of the ministers of the word, who will publish what follows, but the greatness and importance of it; and this loud voice may be, as for the sake of the whole church in general, that all may bear, so for the…

For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication That is, all the nations of the Roman empire, the European nations, otherwise the Pagan and Mahometan nations have not; but these have, being made to drink by her, and made drunk therewith, that is, with her idolatries; (See…

And I heard another voice from heaven Either of another, or of the same angel, or rather of God, or Christ himself, since the persons addressed are called his people: saying, come out of her, my people; meaning either his elect ones, till now uncalled, being such whom God had chosen for his people,…

For her sins have reached unto heaven Or “have followed unto heaven”; one after another, in one age after another, until they have been as it were heaped up together, and have reached the heavens; the phrase denotes the multitude of them, God’s knowledge and notice of them, and the cry of them to…

Reward her even as she rewarded you This is spoken to the people of God, who are before called out of Babylon; and the chief of them are the seven angels with the seven last plagues of the wrath of God, and the same with the ten kings that will burn the whore with fire; these are called upon to…

How much she hath glorified herself And acted the proud and haughty part in exalting herself above all emperors, kings, and princes, above all kingdoms and states, and also above all churches, assuming arrogant titles, and even blasphemous names; see (Rev. 13:1, Rev.

Therefore shall her plagues come in one day The seven last plagues, which will be in a very little time executed upon her, very speedily and very quickly, one after another, if not all together; and particularly the fifth vial may be respected, as well as the plagues that follow; see death; not the…

And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication, &c.] Idolatry, and lived deliciously with her; (Rev. 18:3, Rev. 18:7) joining with her in her sensual, as well as in her idolatrous practices: shall bewail her, and lament for her: shall mourn inwardly, and by various gestures outwardly…

Standing afar off for the fear of her torment Lest they themselves should share in it, who have partook of her sins; either they will not be in a capacity to help her, or they will be dispirited, and will be in awe and dread of God’s righteous judgments: saying, alas! alas! that great city Babylon!…

And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over over her Who these are, (See Gill on Rev. 18:3) and, what their lamentation, 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…

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, and, literally understood, may denote the vast riches which these spiritual merchants, or factors for Rome, cardinals, archbishops, bishops,…

And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, &c.] Things for delight and pleasure, for the gratifying of the senses; cinnamon, and odours were used for perfuming, anointing with oil was used at feasts, and “frankincense”, or censings, at banquets, and for the regaling of persons after…

And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee Or “the autumn of the desire of thy soul”; the desirable fruits which are then in season; the Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions render it “apples”, which are ripe in autumn; and may design all such fruit as Italy abounds with, which…

The merchants of these things Before mentioned, who have traded in them for themselves and for Rome: which were made rich by her, see shall stand afar off for fear of her torment; as the kings of the earth before, being conscious to themselves of their being partners in her crimes, and so might…

And saying, alas, alas! that great city . Using the same words the kings of the earth do, only adding, suitable to their characters as merchants, and the things they traded in with her, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls;…

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 .

And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning (See Gill on Rev. 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…

And they cast dust on their heads As the seafaring men on account of Tyre, this was a gesture used in mourning when persons were in afflicted and distressed circumstances, denoting disorder, confusion, and debasement; see and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, alas, alas! that great city; as in…

Rejoice over her, thou heaven This is said by the voice from heaven, 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…

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 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…

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 and may not only regard the loss of every thing that was delightful and pleasant to the ear in private houses, at…

And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee Either for common use, or at feasts, or at marriages, which being kept at night, required candies, lamps, or torches; this shows that Babylon, or Rome, shall be deprived of everything, even of the least thing that is comfortable in life;…

And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, &c.] Such as before mentioned, in this is another reason of her destruction, besides her luxury and idolatry, namely, her shedding the blood of the saints, with which she is said to be drunk, and therefore blood is now given her to drink,…