Charles Ellicott Commentary Revelation 18:9

"And the kings of the earth, who committed fornication and lived wantonly with her, shall weep and wail over her, when they look upon the smoke of her burning," — Revelation 18:9 (ASV)

And the kings of the earth...—Read, And there will weep and mourn over her the kings of the earth, who committed fornication and luxuriated with her, when they see the smoke of her burning, standing from a distance because of the fear of her torment, saying, Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon the strong city; because in one hour your judgment has come.

Kings, merchants (Revelation 18:11–17), and shippers (Revelation 18:17–19) join in lamenting the overthrow of the great city. All stand from a distance, as though fearing to be involved in her ruin. All cry, “Woe” (or, Alas!) at the beginning of their lament. At the close, the words, “in one hour,” telling of the suddenness of the great city’s overthrow, recur (Revelation 18:10; Revelation 18:17; Revelation 18:19) with the monotony of a passing bell heard at intervals amid the strains of sad music. The parallel passages in Ezekiel 26:15-16 and Ezekiel 27:35 should be compared.

The grief described is the result of fear mingled with selfishness; the mourners remember with a regret, only tempered with terror, the voluptuous life, the quick-growing profits, and the varied commercial advantages they have lost in her overthrow.

The lament of the merchants (Revelation 18:11–17).—The lament proper, that is, the actual words put into the mouths of the merchants, is contained in Revelation 18:16-17. The immediately preceding verses describe the various kinds of merchandise that were dealt in.