Revelation 18:13 Meaning and Explanation
“And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The inventory ends with spices, food, livestock, vehicles, and, last and most chilling, slaves and the souls of men.
What Does Revelation 18:13 Mean?
The list continues with cinnamon and spices, perfumes and incense, wine, oil, flour, and wheat, then livestock, horses and chariots, and finally 'slaves, and souls of men.' What begins with luxury ends with human beings treated as cargo, named last as if an afterthought in the great trade.
That people themselves appear at the bottom of the bill of goods is the deepest indictment of Babylon. A system that prizes profit above all will in the end set a price on the human soul. Scripture places this horror at the close of the list so it cannot be missed. Every person bears the image of God and is precious to him beyond any market. The reader is summoned to value what Babylon despised, and to see in each soul a worth that Christ himself counted worth his life.
Revelation 18:13 in the Original Language
psuche (ψυχή), 'souls' -- the living person; the word makes plain that human lives were among the wares.
Frequently Asked Questions About Revelation 18:13
What does Revelation 18:13 mean?
The inventory ends with spices, food, livestock, vehicles, and, last and most chilling, slaves and the souls of men.