Revelation 18:12

merchandise of gold and silver, precious stones and pearls, fine linen and purple, silk and scarlet
The Harlot wears the same merchandise found in the city, she is “arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls” (Rev. Rev. 17:4+). The city is said to be clothed with this merchandise. She wears the attire of the Harlot: “clothed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls” (Rev. Rev. 18:16+). Babylon is perhaps the most wealthy city of the world at this time. See commentary on Revelation 17:4.

The articles divide themselves into seven categories: (1) precious wares (gold, silver, precious stones, pearls); (2) materials of rich attire (fine linen, purple, silk, scarlet); (3) materials for costly furniture (all thyine wood, every vessel of ivory, of most precious wood, brass, iron, marble); (4) precious spices (cinnamon, spice, incense, ointment, frankincense); (5) articles of food (wine, oil, fine flour, wheat); (6) merchandise for agricultural and domestic uses (cattle, sheep, horses, chariots); (7) traffic in men (bodies, the souls of men) (Lee). John drew the list from items known in his day, not from the future time depicted in the prophecy (Alford).¹

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Notes

¹ Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 8-22 (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1995), Rev. 18:11.