Revelation 18:9 Meaning and Explanation
“And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The kings who shared Babylon's luxury and unfaithfulness weep and mourn as they watch the smoke of her burning.
What Does Revelation 18:9 Mean?
Now begins a series of laments. First the kings of the earth, who had joined themselves to Babylon and shared in her pleasures, see the smoke rising from her ruin and break into weeping and mourning. They had loved her splendor; now they grieve its loss. Their sorrow is for what her fall costs them, not for the sins that brought it.
There is a grief that is only the ache of losing what we craved. The kings mourn the smoke, not their own corruption. Scripture lets us hear their lament so we can ask what our own tears are made of. It is a mercy to grieve over sin rather than merely over its consequences. The reader is gently turned toward a sorrow that leads to repentance and life, rather than the empty wailing of those who loved the wrong things.
Revelation 18:9 in the Original Language
kopto (κόπτω), 'lament' -- to beat the breast in mourning, an outward show of grief.
Frequently Asked Questions About Revelation 18:9
What does Revelation 18:9 mean?
The kings who shared Babylon's luxury and unfaithfulness weep and mourn as they watch the smoke of her burning.