Revelation 18:19 Meaning and Explanation
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The seafarers throw dust on their heads and wail that the city which enriched all who sailed the seas has been made desolate in one hour.
What Does Revelation 18:19 Mean?
The mariners express their grief in the old gesture of mourning, casting dust on their heads, weeping and wailing. Their cry recalls how Babylon's costliness had enriched everyone with ships at sea, and laments that 'in one hour is she made desolate.' For the third time a group mourns from a distance, and for the third time the swift hour of ruin is named.
The sorrow is real, yet it remains the grief of those who loved her wealth. Dust on the head is the body's confession that something has died, but here it weeps over lost trade. The threefold lament of kings, merchants, and sailors shows how widely the world had bound itself to Babylon. Scripture sounds the warning so the reader will not be among those who, when the hour comes, can only mourn what they should never have trusted.
Revelation 18:19 in the Original Language
eremoo (ἐρημόω), 'made desolate' -- laid waste and emptied, left a deserted ruin.
Frequently Asked Questions About Revelation 18:19
What does Revelation 18:19 mean?
The seafarers throw dust on their heads and wail that the city which enriched all who sailed the seas has been made desolate in one hour.