Revelation 18:9

9 "The kings of the earth who had sex with her and lived in luxury with her will cry and mourn over her when they see the smoke rise from her raging fire.

Revelation 18:9 Meaning and Commentary

Revelation 18:9

And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication,
&c.] Idolatry, ( Revelation 17:2 ) ( 18:3 )

and lived deliciously with her;
( Revelation 18:3 Revelation 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 express their sorrow at her desolation; see ( Ezekiel 27:30-32 ) these will not be the ten kings who will burn the whore with fire, and then repent of what they have done, and weep over her, as Titus did at the destruction of Jerusalem, as some Popish writers have fancied, for they will hate the whore, and eat her flesh; but earthly and idolatrous kings, who will be in the communion of the church of Rome:

when they shall see the smoke of her burning:
as Abraham saw the smoke of Sodom and Gomorrah go up like the smoke of a furnace; by which they will perceive that her judgment is come, and her ruin begun.

Revelation 18:9 In-Context

7 She gave herself glory and luxury. Now give her just as much torture and misery. She says to herself, 'I'm a queen on a throne, not a widow. I'll never be miserable.'

8 For this reason her plagues of death, misery, and starvation will come in a single day. She will be burned up in a fire, because the Lord God, who judges her, is powerful.

9 "The kings of the earth who had sex with her and lived in luxury with her will cry and mourn over her when they see the smoke rise from her raging fire.

10 Frightened by her torture, they will stand far away and say, 'How horrible, how horrible it is for that important city, the powerful city Babylon! In one moment judgment has come to it!'

11 "The merchants of the earth cry and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargo anymore.