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Revelation 18:22

in Revelation 18

And the sound of harpists and musicians, of flute players and trumpeters, will never ring out in you again. Nor will any craftsmen of any trade be found in you again, nor the sound of a millstone be heard in you again.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And the voice of harpers and minstrels and flute-players and trumpeters shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft, shall be found any more at all in thee; and the voice of a mill shall be heard no more at all in thee;

KJV

And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee;

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This verse in Revelation 18

Commentary

9 notes on this verse

A commentator

Bede

Commentary on Revelation · Written before 735.

The sound of harpists and musicians, etc. He had deferred the sound of those five senses, which he now says will be taken away from the world among other things. As if to say: What is beautiful to see, melodious to hear, smooth to touch, …

This site's exposition

the sound of harpists and musicians

on Revelation 18:22-23

The refrain in you again silences music, craft, the millstone, the lamp, and the voices of a bride and bridegroom. That silenced wedding stands opposite the marriage of the Lamb at 19:7. The cause is named last: all the nations were deceived by your sorcery.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers1 voice

A commentator

Caesarius of Arles

EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 18:21-24, HOMILY 17 · Written before 542.

proposed

"The sound of harpers and musicians and flute players and trumpeters is no longer heard in her." That is, the joy and happiness of the wicked passes away and is no longer to be found. And it adds the reason for this, "for your merchants …

The Medieval Church2 voices

A commentator

Andreas of Caesarea

COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 18:21-24 · Written before 614.

proposed

Just as a millstone sinks with force into the sea, so also the destruction of this Babylon will be sudden, so that afterward no trace of her will be found. The absence of harpers, minstrels and the rest is an indication of this.

A commentator

Bede

Commentary on Revelation · Written before 735.

proposed

And no craftsman of any craft shall be found in you any more, etc. He says, all things that pertain to the use or pleasure of human life are taken away from the wicked. And he added the reason, saying:

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers and trumpeters,....

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

The voice of harpers, etc. - This seems to indicate not only a total destruction of influence, etc., but also of being. It seems as if this city was to be swallowed up by an earthquake, or burnt up by fire from heaven.
2 more voices on this verse

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

"Musicians," painters and sculptors, have desecrated their art to lend fascination to the sensuous worship of corrupt Christendom. craftsman--artisan.
And the voice of harpers - Those who play on the harp. This was usually accompanied with singing. The idea, in this verse and the following, is substantially the same as in the previous parts of the chapter, that the mystical Babylon - papal Rome - would be brought to utter desolation. This thought is here exhibited under another form - that all which constituted festivity, joy, and amusement, and all that indicated thrift and prosperity, would disappear. Of course, in a great and “fun” city, there would be all kinds of music; and when it is said that this would be heard there no more it is a most striking image of utter desolation. And musicians - Musicians in general; but perhaps here singers, as distinguished from those who played on instruments. And of pipers - Those who played on pipes or flutes. See the 1Co 14:7 note; Mat 11:17 note. And trumpeters - Trumpets were common instruments of music, employed on festival occasions, in war, and in worship. Only the principal instruments of music are mentioned here, as representatives of the rest. The general idea is, that the sound of music, as an indication of festivity and joy, would cease. Shall be heard no more at all in thee - It would become utterly and permanently desolate. And no craftsman, of whatsoever craft - That is, artificers of all kinds would cease to ply their trades there. The word used here - τεχνίτης technitēs - would include all artisans or mechanics, all who were engaged in any kind of trade or craft. The meaning here is, that all these would disappear, an image, of course, of utter decay. And the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more - Taylor (Frag. to Calmet, Dictionary vol. iv. p. 346) supposes that this may refer not so much to the rattle of the mill as to the voice of singing, which usually accompanied grinding. […]

The words behind it

35 Greek words

Every 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.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

16 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Ezekiel 26:13So I will silence the sound of your songs, and the music of your lyres will no longer be heard.8 worksJeremiah 25:10Moreover, I will banish from them the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of the bride and bridegroom, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the lamp.7 worksRevelation 18:23The light of a lamp will never shine in you again, and the voices of a bride and bridegroom will never call out in you again. For your merchants were the great ones of the earth, because all the nations were deceived by your sorcery.”5 worksJeremiah 16:9For this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: I am going to remove from this place, before your very eyes and in your days, the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of the bride and bridegroom.4 worksJeremiah 7:34I will remove from the cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem the sounds of joy and gladness and the voices of the bride and bridegroom, for the land will become a wasteland.”4 worksIsaiah 24:8The joyful tambourines have ceased; the noise of revelers has stopped; the joyful harp is silent.4 works
The other 10 cross-references, with their words ▾
Isaiah 23:12He said, “You shall rejoice no more, O oppressed Virgin Daughter of Sidon. Get up and cross over to Cyprus—even there you will find no rest.”4 worksRevelation 14:2And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of many waters and the loud rumbling of thunder. And the sound I heard was like harpists strumming their harps.3 worksRevelation 18:21Then a mighty angel picked up a stone the size of a great millstone and cast it into the sea, saying: “With such violence the great city of Babylon will be cast down, never to be seen again.3 worksAmos 6:5You improvise songs on the harp like David and invent your own musical instruments.3 worksLamentations 5:14The elders have left the city gate; the young men have stopped their music.3 worksPsalms 137:2There on the willows we hung our harps,3 worksEcclesiastes 12:4when the doors to the street are shut and the sound of the mill fades away, when one rises at the sound of a bird and all the daughters of song grow faint,2 worksDeuteronomy 24:6Do not take a pair of millstones or even an upper millstone as security for a debt, because that would be taking one’s livelihood as security.2 worksDaniel 6:18Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting. No entertainment was brought before him, and sleep fled from him.2 worksJeremiah 33:11the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of the bride and bridegroom, and the voices of those bringing thank offerings into the house of the LORD, saying: ‘Give thanks to the LORD of Hosts, for the LORD is good; His loving devotion endures forever.’ For I will restore the land from captivity as in former times, says the LORD.1 works

The walk

8 stops

Each 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

    Jeremiah 25:10

    Moreover, I will banish from them the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of the bride and bridegroom, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the lamp.

    it leads to

    • Jeremiah 7:34

      I will remove from the cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem the sounds of joy and gladness and the voices of the bride and bridegroom, for the land will become a wasteland.”

      Reached by 3 separate paths from here.

    • Jeremiah 16:9

      For this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: I am going to remove from this place, before your very eyes and in your days, the sounds of joy and…

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

  • Through

    Jeremiah 7:34

    I will remove from the cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem the sounds of joy and gladness and the voices of the bride and bridegroom, for the land will become a wasteland.”

    it leads to

    • Ezekiel 26:13

      So I will silence the sound of your songs, and the music of your lyres will no longer be heard.

      Reached by 3 separate paths from here.

    • Revelation 18:23

      The light of a lamp will never shine in you again, and the voices of a bride and bridegroom will never call out in you again. For your merchants were the great ones of…

    • Isaiah 1:7

      Your land is desolate; your cities are burned with fire. Foreigners devour your fields before you—a desolation demolished by strangers.

    • Leviticus 26:33

      But I will scatter you among the nations and will draw out a sword after you as your land becomes desolate and your cities are laid waste.

  • Through

    Jeremiah 16:9

    For this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: I am going to remove from this place, before your very eyes and in your days, the sounds of joy and…

    it leads to

    • Hosea 2:11

      I will put an end to all her exultation: her feasts, New Moons, and Sabbaths—all her appointed feasts.

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

    • Jeremiah 25:10

      Moreover, I will banish from them the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of the bride and bridegroom, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the lamp.

Where this verse is studied

About Revelation

The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, Jan and Hubert van Eyck, about 1430 to 1432. Public domain.
The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, Jan and Hubert van Eyck, about 1430 to 1432. Public domain.
Revelation: the study guide →Read Revelation 18 →

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Andreas of Caesarea, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 18:21-24; Bede, Commentary on Revelation; Caesarius of Arles, EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 18:21-24, HOMILY 17; 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).

Read on in Revelation 18 →