Matthew Henry Commentary Revelation 18:9-19

"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, standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city! for in one hour is thy judgment come. And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her, for no man buyeth their merchandise any more; merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stone, and pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet; and all thyine wood, and every vessel of ivory, and every vessel made of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble; and cinnamon, and spice, and incense, and ointment, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and cattle, and sheep; and [merchandise] of horses and chariots and slaves; and souls of men. And the fruits which thy soul lusted after are gone from thee, and all things that were dainty and sumptuous are perished from thee, and [men] shall find them no more at all. The merchants of these things, who were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and mourning; saying, Woe, woe, the great city, she that was arrayed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stone and pearl! for in an hour so great riches is made desolate. And every shipmaster, and every one that saileth any wither, and mariners, and as many as gain their living by sea, stood afar off, and cried out as they looked upon the smoke of her burning, saying, What [city] is like the great city? 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." — Revelation 18:9-19 (ASV)

The mourners had shared in Babylon's sensual pleasures and gained from her wealth and trade. The kings of the earth, whom she flattered into idolatry—allowing them to be tyrannical over their subjects while they remained obedient to her—and the merchants, those who dealt in her indulgences, pardons, and honors: these mourn. Babylon's friends partook of her sinful pleasures and profits but are not willing to share her plagues.

The spirit of antichrist is a worldly spirit, and their sorrow is merely worldly sorrow; they do not lament for the anger of God, but for the loss of outward comforts. The magnificence and riches of the ungodly will be of no avail to them, but will make the vengeance harder to bear. Spiritual merchandise is alluded to here, when not only slaves, but the souls of men, are mentioned as articles of commerce, leading to the destruction of millions of souls.

Nor has this been peculiar to the Roman antichrist, nor is the guilt hers alone. But let prosperous traders learn, with all their gains, to get the unsearchable riches of Christ. Otherwise, even in this life, they may have to mourn that riches make to themselves wings and fly away, and that all the fruits their souls lusted after are departed from them. Death, at any rate, will soon end their commerce, and all the riches of the ungodly will be exchanged not only for the coffin and the worm, but for the fire that cannot be quenched.