Revelation 18:9

9 "The kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her will weep and lament for her, when they see the smoke of her burning,

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 In the measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow; for she says in her heart, 'I sit as queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow.'

8 Therefore her plagues will come in one day--death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judges her.

9 "The kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her will weep and lament for her, when they see the smoke of her burning,

10 standing at a distance for fear of her torment, saying, 'Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour your judgment has come.'

11 And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, for no one buys their merchandise anymore: