Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version They will throw dust on their heads, and with weeping and mourning cry out: “’Woe! Woe to you, great city, where all who had ships on the sea became rich through her wealth! In one hour she has been brought to ruin!’ New Living Translation And they will weep and throw dust on their heads to show their grief. And they will cry out, “How terrible, how terrible for that great city! The shipowners became wealthy by transporting her great wealth on the seas. In a single moment it is all gone.” English Standard Version And they threw dust on their heads as they wept and mourned, crying out, “Alas, alas, for the great city where all who had ships at sea grew rich by her wealth! For in a single hour she has been laid waste. Berean Standard Bible Then they will throw dust on their heads as they weep and mourn and cry out: “Woe, woe to the great city, where all who had ships on the sea were enriched by her wealth! For in a single hour she has been destroyed.” Berean Literal Bible And they cast dust upon their heads, and they were crying out, weeping and mourning, saying: “Woe, woe, the great city, in which all those having ships in the sea became rich through her wealth! For in one hour she was brought to desolation.” King James Bible And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate. New King James Version “They threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and wailing, and saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city, in which all who had ships on the sea became rich by her wealth! For in one hour she is made desolate.’ New American Standard Bible And they threw dust on their heads and were crying out, weeping and mourning, saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who had ships at sea became rich from her prosperity, for in one hour she has been laid waste!’ NASB 1995 “And they threw dust on their heads and were crying out, weeping and mourning, saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who had ships at sea became rich by her wealth, for in one hour she has been laid waste!’ NASB 1977 “And they threw dust on their heads and were crying out, weeping and mourning, saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who had ships at sea became rich by her wealth, for in one hour she has been laid waste!’ Legacy Standard Bible And they threw dust on their heads and were crying out, crying and mourning, saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who have ships at sea became rich by her wealth, for in one hour she has been laid waste!’ Amplified Bible And they threw dust on their heads and were crying out, weeping and mourning, saying, ‘Woe, woe, for the great city, where all who had ships at sea grew rich from her great wealth, because in one hour she has been laid waste!’ Berean Annotated Bible Then they will throw dust on their heads as they weep and mourn and cry out: “Woe, woe to the great city, where all who had ships on the sea were enriched by her wealth! For in a single hour she has been destroyed. Christian Standard Bible They threw dust on their heads and kept crying out, weeping, and mourning, Woe, woe, the great city, where all those who have ships on the sea became rich from her wealth; for in a single hour she was destroyed. Holman Christian Standard Bible They threw dust on their heads and kept crying out, weeping, and mourning: Woe, woe, the great city, where all those who have ships on the sea became rich from her wealth, for in a single hour she was destroyed. American Standard Version And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and mourning, saying, Woe, woe, the great city, wherein all that had their ships in the sea were made rich by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate. Contemporary English Version They cried loudly, and in their sorrow they threw dust on their heads, as they said, "Pity the great city of Babylon! Everyone who sailed the seas became rich from her treasures. But in a single hour the city was destroyed. English Revised Version And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and mourning, saying, Woe, woe, the great city, wherein were made rich all that had their ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate. GOD'S WORD® Translation Then they threw dust on their heads and shouted while crying and mourning, 'How horrible, how horrible for that important city. Everyone who had a ship at sea grew rich because of that city's high prices. In one moment it has been destroyed!' Good News Translation They threw dust on their heads, they cried and mourned, saying, "How terrible! How awful for the great city! She is the city where all who have ships sailing the seas became rich on her wealth! And in one hour she has lost everything!" International Standard Version Then they threw dust on their heads and shouted while crying and mourning: "How terrible, how terrible it is for the great city, where all who had ships at sea became rich from her wealth, because it has been destroyed in a single hour! NET Bible And they threw dust on their heads and were shouting with weeping and mourning, "Woe, Woe, O great city--in which all those who had ships on the sea got rich from her wealth--because in a single hour she has been destroyed!" New Heart English Bible They cast dust on their heads, and shouting, weeping and mourning, saying, 'Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who had their ships in the sea were made rich by reason of her great wealth.' For in one hour is she made desolate. Webster's Bible Translation And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, in which were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her opulence! for in one hour is she made desolate. Weymouth New Testament And they threw dust upon their heads, and cried out, weeping aloud and sorrowing. 'Alas, alas,' they said, 'for this great city, in which, through her vast wealth, the owners of all the ships on the sea have grown rich; because in one short hour she has been laid waste!' Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleThen they will throw dust on their heads as they weep and mourn and cry out: “Woe, woe to the great city, where all who had ships on the sea were enriched by her wealth! For in a single hour she has been destroyed.” World English Bible They cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and mourning, saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who had their ships in the sea were made rich by reason of her great wealth!’ For she is made desolate in one hour. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd they cast dust on their heads, and were crying out, weeping and mourning, saying, Woe, woe, the great city! In which were made rich all having ships in the sea, out of her costliness—for in one hour was she made desolate. Berean Literal Bible And they cast dust upon their heads, and they were crying out, weeping and mourning, saying: “Woe, woe, the great city, in which all those having ships in the sea became rich through her wealth! For in one hour she was brought to desolation.” Young's Literal Translation and they did cast dust upon their heads, and were crying out, weeping and sorrowing, saying, Woe, woe, the great city! in which were made rich all having ships in the sea, out of her costliness -- for in one hour was she made waste. Smith's Literal Translation And they cast earth upon their heads, and cried, weeping and mourning, saying, Woe, woe, the great city, in which all having ships in the sea were rich by her value! for in one hour was she rendered a desert. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd they cast dust upon their heads, and cried, weeping and mourning, saying: Alas! alas! that great city, wherein all were made rich, that had ships at sea, by reason of her prices: for in one hour she is made desolate. Catholic Public Domain Version And they cast dust upon their heads. And they cried out, weeping and mourning, saying: ‘Woe! Woe! to that great city, by which all who had ships at sea were made rich from her treasures. For she has been made desolate in one hour. New American Bible They threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and mourning: “Alas, alas, great city, in which all who had ships at sea grew rich from her wealth. In one hour she has been ruined. New Revised Standard Version And they threw dust on their heads, as they wept and mourned, crying out, “Alas, alas, the great city, where all who had ships at sea grew rich by her wealth! For in one hour she has been laid waste.” Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd they threw dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Woe, woe, that great city, where all who had ships on the sea were made rich by reason of her preciousness! for in one hour she is destroyed. Aramaic Bible in Plain English And they cast earth upon their heads and shouted as they wept and lamented and they were saying, “Alas, alas, Great City, by which those who had ships in the sea grew rich from her magnificence, which is destroyed in one hour!” NT Translations Anderson New TestamentAnd they threw dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and mourning and saying: Alas, alas, that great city, by which all that had ships in the sea became rich by means of costly merchandise! for in one hour she is made desolate. Godbey New Testament And they continued to cast dust upon their heads, and cry, weeping and mourning, saying, Alas, alas, the great city, in which all those having ships in the sea became rich from her costliness! that in one hour she is made desolate. Haweis New Testament And they cast dust upon their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, by which all who occupied ships on the sea were enriched from her opulence! how in one hour is she made desolate! Mace New Testament they will scatter dust on their heads, and cry with tears, and bemoaning, "alas, alas, that great city, which enrich'd all the traders by sea, by the consumption she made: how is she reduc'd to a desert, in an instant!" Weymouth New Testament And they threw dust upon their heads, and cried out, weeping aloud and sorrowing. 'Alas, alas,' they said, 'for this great city, in which, through her vast wealth, the owners of all the ships on the sea have grown rich; because in one short hour she has been laid waste!' Worrell New Testament And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and mourning, saying, 'Woe, woe, the great city, wherein all who have ships in the sea became rich by reason of her costliness! because in one hour she was made desolate. Worsley New Testament And they threw dust on their heads, and cried out, weeping and moaning, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, in which all that had ships at sea were enriched by her sumptuous expences! for in one hour she is become desolate. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Lament over Babylon…18and cry out at the sight of the smoke rising from the fire that consumes her. “What city was ever like this great city?” they will exclaim. 19Then they will throw dust on their heads as they weep and mourn and cry out: “Woe, woe to the great city, where all who had ships on the sea were enriched by her wealth! For in a single hour she has been destroyed.” 20Rejoice over her, O heaven, O saints and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced for you His judgment against her.… Cross References Then they will throw dust on their heads Ezekiel 27:30 They will raise their voices for you and cry out bitterly. They will throw dust on their heads and roll in ashes. Lamentations 2:10 The elders of the Daughter of Zion sit on the ground in silence. They have thrown dust on their heads and put on sackcloth. The young women of Jerusalem have bowed their heads to the ground. Job 2:12 When they lifted up their eyes from afar, they could barely recognize Job. They began to weep aloud, and each man tore his robe and threw dust in the air over his head. as they weep and mourn and cry out: Ezekiel 27:31-32 They will shave their heads for you and wrap themselves in sackcloth. They will weep over you with anguish of soul and bitter mourning. / As they wail and mourn over you, they will take up a lament for you: ‘Who was ever like Tyre, silenced in the middle of the sea? Jeremiah 48:31-32 Therefore I will wail for Moab; I will cry out for all of Moab; I will moan for the men of Kir-heres. / I will weep for you, O vine of Sibmah, more than I weep for Jazer. Your tendrils have extended to the sea; they reach even to Jazer. The destroyer has descended on your summer fruit and grape harvest. Isaiah 15:2-3 Dibon goes up to its temple to weep at its high places. Moab wails over Nebo, as well as over Medeba. Every head is shaved, every beard is cut off. / In its streets they wear sackcloth; on the rooftops and in the public squares they all wail, falling down weeping. “Woe, woe to the great city, Nahum 3:1 Woe to the city of blood, full of lies, full of plunder, never without prey. Revelation 11:8 Their bodies will lie in the street of the great city—figuratively called Sodom and Egypt—where their Lord was also crucified. Revelation 16:19 The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. And God remembered Babylon the great and gave her the cup of the wine of the fury of His wrath. where all who had ships on the sea were enriched by her wealth! Ezekiel 27:33-34 When your wares went out to sea, you satisfied many nations. You enriched the kings of the earth with your abundant wealth and merchandise. / Now you are shattered by the seas in the depths of the waters; your merchandise and the people among you have gone down with you. Ezekiel 27:25-27 The ships of Tarshish carried your merchandise. And you were filled with heavy cargo in the heart of the sea. / Your oarsmen have brought you onto the high seas, but the east wind will shatter you in the heart of the sea. / Your wealth, wares, and merchandise, your sailors, captains, and shipwrights, your merchants and all the warriors within you, with all the other people on board, will sink into the heart of the sea on the day of your downfall. Isaiah 23:1-3 This is the burden against Tyre: Wail, O ships of Tarshish, for Tyre is laid waste, without house or harbor. Word has reached them from the land of Cyprus. / Be silent, O dwellers of the coastland, you merchants of Sidon, whose traders have crossed the sea. / On the great waters came the grain of Shihor; the harvest of the Nile was the revenue of Tyre; she was the merchant of the nations. For in a single hour she has been destroyed.” Jeremiah 51:8 Suddenly Babylon has fallen and been shattered. Wail for her; get her balm for her pain; perhaps she can be healed. Isaiah 47:9 These two things will overtake you in a moment, in a single day: loss of children, and widowhood. They will come upon you in full measure, in spite of your many sorceries and the potency of your spells. Daniel 5:30 That very night Belshazzar king of the Chaldeans was slain, Ezekiel 27:29 All who handle the oars will abandon their ships. The sailors and all the captains of the sea will stand on the shore. Treasury of Scripture And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate. they cast. Joshua 7:6 And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the LORD until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads. 1 Samuel 4:12 And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes rent, and with earth upon his head. 2 Samuel 13:19 And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of divers colours that was on her, and laid her hand on her head, and went on crying. weeping. Revelation 18:10,15,16 Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come… for. Revelation 18:8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her. Jump to Previous Alas Aloud Cast City Cried Desolate Dust Great Heads Hour Laid Mourning Owners Reason Rich Sea Ships Short Sorrowing Threw Vast Wailing Waste Wealth Weeping Wherein WoeJump to Next Alas Aloud Cast City Cried Desolate Dust Great Heads Hour Laid Mourning Owners Reason Rich Sea Ships Short Sorrowing Threw Vast Wailing Waste Wealth Weeping Wherein WoeRevelation 18 1. Babylon is fallen.4. People commanded to depart out of her. 9. The kings of the earth, with the merchants and mariners, lament over her. 20. The saints rejoice for the judgments of God upon her. Then they will throw dust on their heads This phrase reflects an ancient Near Eastern custom of expressing extreme grief and mourning. Throwing dust on one's head is a sign of lamentation and despair, seen in other biblical passages such as Job 2:12 and Joshua 7:6. It symbolizes the depth of sorrow and the recognition of calamity. as they weep and mourn and cry out: “Woe, woe to the great city, where all who had ships on the sea were enriched by her wealth! For in a single hour she has been destroyed.” Persons / Places / Events 1. The Great CitySymbolizes Babylon, representing a system of worldly wealth and corruption. It is a metaphor for any society or entity that prioritizes material wealth over spiritual values. 2. Merchants of the Sea Represents those who profited from the wealth and commerce of Babylon. They are symbolic of individuals or groups who benefit from corrupt systems. 3. Throwing Dust on Their Heads An ancient expression of mourning and despair, indicating profound grief and loss. 4. Destruction in a Single Hour Emphasizes the sudden and complete nature of Babylon's downfall, highlighting the transient nature of worldly wealth. 5. Weeping and Mourning Reflects the deep sorrow and regret of those who placed their trust in Babylon's wealth, only to see it vanish. Teaching Points The Futility of Worldly WealthThe destruction of Babylon serves as a stark reminder that material wealth is temporary and unreliable. Believers are encouraged to focus on spiritual riches that endure. The Consequences of Idolatry Babylon's fall illustrates the dangers of idolatry, where wealth and commerce become objects of worship. Christians are called to worship God alone and avoid the idolization of material success. The Urgency of Repentance The suddenness of Babylon's destruction underscores the need for immediate repentance. Believers should live in readiness, aligning their lives with God's will. The Reality of Divine Judgment God's judgment is certain and just. The fall of Babylon is a forewarning of the ultimate judgment to come, urging believers to live righteously. The Call to Mourn with Hope While the merchants mourn without hope, Christians are called to mourn over sin and injustice with the hope of redemption and restoration through Christ. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Revelation 18:19?2. How does Revelation 18:19 illustrate the consequences of materialism and greed? 3. What lessons can we learn from the merchants' lament in Revelation 18:19? 4. How does Revelation 18:19 connect to warnings against idolatry in other Scriptures? 5. In what ways can we avoid the merchants' fate described in Revelation 18:19? 6. How should Revelation 18:19 influence our perspective on worldly wealth and success? 7. What does Revelation 18:19 reveal about God's judgment on materialism and wealth? 8. How does Revelation 18:19 challenge the pursuit of worldly success and riches? 9. What historical events might Revelation 18:19 be referencing with the fall of Babylon? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Revelation 18? 11. Who is the Whore of Babylon in biblical prophecy? 12. Proverbs 18:19: How does 'an offended brother' being harder to win back than a fortified city align with the Bible's emphasis on immediate forgiveness? 13. Revelation 17:18 claims a great city rules over the earth's kings; what tangible proof exists that identifies a single city wielding such global power at any point in history? 14. Proverbs 10:15 depicts wealth as a 'fortified city'--does this conflict with Jesus' warnings about riches in the New Testament? What Does Revelation 18:19 Mean They will throw dust on their heads• In Bible times, casting dust upon one’s head was a public sign of deepest grief and humiliation (Job 2:12; Joshua 7:6). • The merchants and mariners of Revelation 18 join this ancient act of mourning, acknowledging that nothing can avert God’s judgment once it falls. • Their gesture shows outward sorrow, yet the text never hints at true repentance—only despair over lost profit (compare 2 Corinthians 7:10). as they weep and mourn and cry out • Three verbs pile up to underline the intensity of their lament. The scene recalls the shipmasters of Tyre who “wept bitterly” when God judged that city (Ezekiel 27:30-31). • Their sorrow is self-focused. Like James 5:1 warns the rich, catastrophe brings tears when wealth perishes. • Though their voices rise, heaven remains silent toward them; the opportunity for mercy has passed (Hebrews 9:27). “Woe, woe to the great city” • The double “woe” matches Revelation 8:13, amplifying certainty and severity. • “Great city” points to Babylon—symbolic of a real, future world center of commerce and rebellion against God (Revelation 14:8; Isaiah 47:7-9). • Earth’s elites once praised her greatness; now they pronounce doom, proving God’s Word true (Proverbs 16:18). where all who had ships on the sea were enriched by her wealth • Maritime trade epitomizes global commerce; every seaport and shipping line had profited (Ezekiel 27:33). • Their enrichment was linked to Babylon’s idolatrous excess (Revelation 18:3). Wealth gained at the cost of righteousness never lasts (Proverbs 23:5; 1 Timothy 6:9-10). • The verse exposes a heart issue: misplaced trust in economic systems rather than in the Lord (Psalm 20:7). For in a single hour she has been destroyed • Suddenness stresses divine intervention; no human force could dismantle such power so quickly (Revelation 18:8, 10). • Similar overnight reversals mark God’s judgments throughout Scripture: Babylon’s fall to the Medes (Daniel 5:30-31), Sodom’s fiery end (Luke 17:29-30), and Babylon’s ultimate ruin here. • The absolute language—“has been destroyed”—confirms the finality of God’s verdict; her influence will never be rebuilt (Nahum 1:9). summary Revelation 18:19 pictures earth’s merchants mourning the abrupt downfall of end-times Babylon. Their grief centers on lost riches, not on sin against God. Ancient mourning customs, repeated woes, and the swift “single hour” demise all highlight the certainty and completeness of divine judgment. The passage warns believers to hold wealth loosely and stand apart from a world system destined for sudden ruin, trusting the Lord whose Word proves true in every detail. (19) And they cast dust . . .--Comp. Ezekiel 27:30. The casting of dust or earth on the head is a token of sorrow and humiliation; it bears relation to the sitting in the dust. The one upon whom the sorrow had fallen sat in the dust or ashes. The attitude expressed that he had been brought very low, even to the ground. The mourning friends who came round him cast dust on their heads to express that they shared his sorrow. Thus it is related of Job: Job sat in the ashes (Job 2:8); the friends who came to comfort him sprinkled dust upon their heads towards heaven (Revelation 18:12). So in this place, Babylon has been brought low (comp. Isaiah 47:1); the mourners, whose gains sink with her fall, throw dust upon their heads.(19) Alas! alas! that great city . . .--The lament is parallel with the laments of the kings and the merchants; the difference is the appropriate reference to the destruction of the shipping interests. Woe! woe! (or, Alas! alas!) the great city, in which all who had their vessels on the sea grew rich out of her costliness. By her "costliness" we are to understand her extravagances of living, and the splendour of her palaces which drew materials from all ports of the world. The lament ends with the repeated cry, "in one hour." Because in one hour she was desolated. Verse 19. - And they cast dust on their heads. This continues the description as given in Ezekiel 27:30, "Shall cast up dust upon their heads." And cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas that great city! Weeping and mourning, saying, Woe, woe! etc.; an exact repetition of vers. 15, 16. Wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness. Like the merchants, the men here described regret the loss of their wealth (cf. vers. 11, 15, 16). So in Ezekiel 27:33, "When thy wares went forth out of the seas, thou filledst many people; thou didst enrich the kings of the earth with the multitude of thy riches and of thy merchandise." For in one hour is she made desolate. Exactly as in ver. 17; and similarly to ver. 10. |
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