Revelation 18:15
in Revelation 18The merchants who sold these things and grew their wealth from her will stand at a distance, in fear of her torment. They will weep and mourn,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
The merchants of these things, who were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and mourning;
KJV
The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,
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This verse in Revelation 18
Commentary
7 notes on this verseA commentator
Caesarius of ArlesEXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 18:15-17, HOMILY 16 · Written before 542.
Whenever the Spirit says that they were made rich from her, he is indicating the abundance of their sins.… Can a city be dressed in fine linen and purple, rather than people? They lament for themselves, since they are despoiled of those riches mentioned here.… …
This site's exposition
grew their wealth from her
on Revelation 18:15-17
The merchants stand at a distance like the kings, and their lament repeats her dress from 17:4, adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls. The loss comes in a single hour, and the seafarers follow as the third company.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church2 voices
A commentator
Andreas of CaesareaCOMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 18:15-19, 22 · Written before 614.
proposed
He leads before our eyes the sufferings of this Babylon, and through the laments made over her he depicts the greatness of her misfortune that she, who previously boasted of her royal majesty, will suffer.… He speaks figuratively of the present life as a "sea," …
Those who became rich by her will stand afar off. Wherever the Spirit speaks of those made rich by her, it signifies the riches of sins. For lower down, where it is the voice of the unjust saying: Woe, woe, that great city, in which …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
The merchants of these things,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
of these things--of the things mentioned, Re 18:12, 13. which--"who." made rich by--Greek, "derived riches from her." stand afar off for the fear--(Compare Re 18:10). wailing--Greek, "mourning."
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The merchants of these things - Who trafficked in these things, and who supplied the city with them, Rev 18:11. Which were made rich by her - By traffic with her. Shall stand afar off - Rev 18:10. For fear of her torment - Struck with terror by her torment, so that they did not dare to approach her, Rev 18:10.
The words behind it
19 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| οἱ | hoi | The | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἔμποροι | emporoi | merchants | G1713 → | 5 times |
| τούτων | touton | of these things | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| οἱ | hoi | which | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πλουτήσαντες | ploutesantes | having been enriched | G4147 → | 12 times |
| ἀπ᾽ | ap᾽ | from | G575 → | 640 times |
| αὐτῆς | autes | her | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἀπὸ | apo | from | G575 → | 640 times |
| μακρόθεν | makrothen | afar | G3113 → | 14 times |
| στήσονται | stesontai | will stand | G2476 → | 153 times |
| διὰ | dia | because of | G1223 → | 664 times |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| φόβον | phobon | fear | G5401 → | 46 times |
| τοῦ | tou | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| βασανισμοῦ | basanismou | torment | G929 → | 6 times |
| αὐτῆς | autes | of her | G846 → | 5565 times |
| κλαίοντες | klaiontes | weeping | G2799 → | 39 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| πενθοῦντες, | penthountes | mourning, | G3996 → | 9 times |
οἱThe
hoiG3588 →19766 times
ἔμποροιmerchants
emporoiG1713 →5 times
τούτωνof these things
toutonG3778 →1381 times
οἱwhich
hoiG3588 →19766 times
πλουτήσαντεςhaving been enriched
ploutesantesG4147 →12 times
ἀπ᾽from
ap᾽G575 →640 times
αὐτῆςher
autesG846 →5565 times
ἀπὸfrom
apoG575 →640 times
μακρόθενafar
makrothenG3113 →14 times
στήσονταιwill stand
stesontaiG2476 →153 times
διὰbecause of
diaG1223 →664 times
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
φόβονfear
phobonG5401 →46 times
τοῦof the
touG3588 →19766 times
βασανισμοῦtorment
basanismouG929 →6 times
αὐτῆςof her
autesG846 →5565 times
κλαίοντεςweeping
klaiontesG2799 →39 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
πενθοῦντες,mourning,
penthountesG3996 →9 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Mark 11:17Then Jesus began to teach them, and He declared, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of…
it leads to
- Isaiah 56:7
I will bring them to My holy mountain and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on My altar, for My house will be called…
- Jeremiah 7:11
Has this house, which bears My Name, become a den of robbers in your sight? Yes, I too have seen it, declares the LORD.
- Luke 19:46
He declared to them, “It is written: ‘My house will be a house of prayer.’ But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’”
- John 2:16
To those selling doves He said, “Get these out of here! How dare you turn My Father’s house into a marketplace!”
- 1 Kings 8:41–48
And as for the foreigner who is not of Your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of Your name—
- Isaiah 56:7
Through
Revelation 18:3All the nations have drunk the wine of the passion of her immorality. The kings of the earth were immoral with her, and the merchants of the earth have grown wealthy from the extravagance…
it leads to
- Revelation 14:8
Then a second angel followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, who has made all the nations drink the wine of the passion of her immorality.”
- Revelation 17:2
The kings of the earth were immoral with her, and those who dwell on the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her immorality.”
- Revelation 18:9
Then the kings of the earth who committed sexual immorality and lived in luxury with her will weep and wail at the sight of the smoke rising from the fire that consumes her.
- Revelation 14:8
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies3
About Revelation

This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Andreas of Caesarea, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 18:15-19, 22; Bede, Commentary on Revelation; Caesarius of Arles, EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 18:15-17, HOMILY 16; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament and John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748).
