The Meaning of Revelation 18:11 Explained

Revelation 18:11

KJV: And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:

YLT: 'And the merchants of the earth shall weep and sorrow over her, because their lading no one doth buy any more;

Darby: And the merchants of the earth weep and grieve over her, because no one buys their lading any more;

ASV: And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her, for no man buyeth their merchandise any more;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  the merchants  of the earth  shall weep  and  mourn  over  her;  for  no man  buyeth  their  merchandise  any more: 

What does Revelation 18:11 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The merchants also lament over the destruction of this system, further indicating that this is a different system than the religious one symbolized in chapter17. The collapse of economic Babylon results in merchants being unable to buy and sell goods. They sorrow over the loss of customers and profits that its destruction causes. However the city itself is a treasure that they also regret losing (cf. Ezekiel 27:25-31). [1] The wailing of the merchants is greater than that of the kings and sea people in this context because their loss is greater. They bemoan the loss of customers, but they previously denied the right to buy and sell to anyone who did not have the mark of the beast ( Revelation 13:17).

Context Summary

Revelation 18:1-13 - "her Sins Have Reached Unto Heaven"
We have seen that the scarlet woman represents the false religion of human wit and fashion. It is found in every age. There is not a city, town, or village where it does not seek to allure men from Christ. The mischief is that so many really godly people are misled by it. In this they resemble Obadiah, who hid the prophets in a cave and fed them but was hand and glove with Ahab. To all such, who are endeavoring to keep in touch with the true Bride and with the apostate Church, the summons of Revelation 18:4 has a very profound significance.
It was the unanimous verdict of the reformers that the great city here described, Revelation 18:10, was intended to represent Rome, as the seat of the great apostasy. If that be the case, the merchandise described here does not refer to literal commerce, but to the carnal delights which are often permitted and fostered by false religious systems to win the adhesion of the worldly and unclean. [source]

Chapter Summary: Revelation 18

1  Babylon is fallen
4  People commanded to depart out of her
9  The kings of the earth, with the merchants and mariners, lament over her
20  The saints rejoice for the judgments of God upon her

Greek Commentary for Revelation 18:11

The merchants [οι εμποροι]
As in Revelation 18:3, Revelation 18:15, Revelation 18:23. The dirge of the merchants follows the wail of the kings. [source]
Weep and mourn [κλαιουσιν και πεντουσιν]
Present active indicatives of κλαιω — klaiō and πεντεω — pentheō as in Revelation 18:9 (for κλαιω — klaiō), Revelation 18:15, and Revelation 18:19.For no man buyeth their merchandise any more (οτι τον γομον αυτων ουδεις αγοραζει ουκετι — hoti ton gomon autōn oudeis agorazei ouketi). Reason enough for their sorrow over Rome‘s fall. Γομος — Gomos is old word (from γεμω — gemō to be full) for a ship‘s cargo (Acts 21:3) and then any merchandise (Revelation 18:11.). Galen, Pliny, Aristides tell of the vastness of the commerce and luxury of Rome, the world‘s chief market. Many of the items here are like those in the picture of the destruction of Tyre in Ezek 26; 27. There are twenty-nine items singled out in Revelation 18:12, Revelation 18:13 of this merchandise or cargo (γομον — gomon), imports into the port of Rome. Only a few need any comment. [source]
For no man buyeth their merchandise any more [οτι τον γομον αυτων ουδεις αγοραζει ουκετι]
Reason enough for their sorrow over Rome‘s fall. Γομος — Gomos is old word (from γεμω — gemō to be full) for a ship‘s cargo (Acts 21:3) and then any merchandise (Revelation 18:11.). Galen, Pliny, Aristides tell of the vastness of the commerce and luxury of Rome, the world‘s chief market. Many of the items here are like those in the picture of the destruction of Tyre in Ezek 26; 27. There are twenty-nine items singled out in Revelation 18:12, Revelation 18:13 of this merchandise or cargo (γομον — gomon), imports into the port of Rome. Only a few need any comment. [source]
Merchandise [γόμον]
Only here, Revelation 18:12, and Acts 21:3. From γέμω tobe full. Hence, literally, lading or cargo. So Rev., in margin. The main features of the following description are taken from that of the destruction of Tyre, Ezekiel 26,27. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
[source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Revelation 18:11

Acts 21:3 On the left hand [ευωνυμον]
Compound feminine adjective like masculine. They sailed south of Cyprus. We sailed (επλεομεν — epleomen). Imperfect active of common verb πλεω — pleō kept on sailing till we came to Syria. Landed at Tyre Came down to Tyre. Then a free city of Syria in honour of its former greatness (cf. the long siege by Alexander the Great). There (εκεισε — ekeise). Thither, literally. Only one other instance in N.T., Acts 22:5 which may be pertinent = εκει — ekei (there). Was to unlade Periphrastic imperfect middle of αποπορτιζω — apophortizō late verb from απο — apo and πορτος — phortos load, but here only in the N.T. Literally, “For thither the boat was unloading her cargo,” a sort of “customary” or “progressive” imperfect (Robertson, Grammar, p. 884). Burden (γομον — gomon). Cargo, old word, from γεμω — gemō to be full. Only here and Revelation 18:11. in N.T. Probably a grain or fruit ship. It took seven days here to unload and reload. [source]
Acts 21:3 Landed at Tyre [κατηλτομεν εις Τυρον]
Came down to Tyre. Then a free city of Syria in honour of its former greatness (cf. the long siege by Alexander the Great). There (εκεισε — ekeise). Thither, literally. Only one other instance in N.T., Acts 22:5 which may be pertinent = εκει — ekei (there). Was to unlade Periphrastic imperfect middle of αποπορτιζω — apophortizō late verb from απο — apo and πορτος — phortos load, but here only in the N.T. Literally, “For thither the boat was unloading her cargo,” a sort of “customary” or “progressive” imperfect (Robertson, Grammar, p. 884). Burden (γομον — gomon). Cargo, old word, from γεμω — gemō to be full. Only here and Revelation 18:11. in N.T. Probably a grain or fruit ship. It took seven days here to unload and reload. [source]
Acts 21:3 Was to unlade [ην αποπορτιζομενον]
Periphrastic imperfect middle of αποπορτιζω — apophortizō late verb from απο — apo and πορτος — phortos load, but here only in the N.T. Literally, “For thither the boat was unloading her cargo,” a sort of “customary” or “progressive” imperfect (Robertson, Grammar, p. 884). Burden (γομον — gomon). Cargo, old word, from γεμω — gemō to be full. Only here and Revelation 18:11. in N.T. Probably a grain or fruit ship. It took seven days here to unload and reload. [source]
Acts 21:3 Burden [γομον]
Cargo, old word, from γεμω — gemō to be full. Only here and Revelation 18:11. in N.T. Probably a grain or fruit ship. It took seven days here to unload and reload. [source]
Revelation 18:3 Have fallen [πεπτωκαν]
Perfect active third personal of πιπτω — piptō for usual πεπτωκασι — peptōkasi Some MSS. read πεπωκαν — pepōkan (have drunk), from πινω — pinō like the metaphor in Revelation 14:8, Revelation 14:10; Revelation 16:19; Revelation 17:2. See Revelation 17:2 for the same charge about the kings of the earth.The merchants of the earth (οι εμποροι της γης — hoi emporoi tēs gēs). Old word for one on a journey for trade (from εν πορος — enεμποριον — poros), like drummers, in N.T. only Matthew 13:45; Revelation 18:3, Revelation 18:11, Revelation 18:15, Revelation 18:23. Like εμπορευομαι — emporion (John 2:16) and επλουτησαν — emporeuomai (James 4:13).Waxed rich First ingressive aorist active indicative of του στρηνους αυτης — plouteō to be rich (cf. Revelation 3:17). Here alone in the N.T. do we catch a glimpse of the vast traffic between east and west that made Rome rich.Of her wantonness (στρηνιαω — tou strēnous autēs). Late word for arrogance, luxury, here alone in N.T. See strēniaō in Revelation 18:7, Revelation 18:9, to live wantonly. [source]
Revelation 18:3 The merchants of the earth [οι εμποροι της γης]
Old word for one on a journey for trade (from εν πορος — enεμποριον — poros), like drummers, in N.T. only Matthew 13:45; Revelation 18:3, Revelation 18:11, Revelation 18:15, Revelation 18:23. Like εμπορευομαι — emporion (John 2:16) and επλουτησαν — emporeuomai (James 4:13). [source]
Revelation 18:11 Weep and mourn [κλαιουσιν και πεντουσιν]
Present active indicatives of κλαιω — klaiō and πεντεω — pentheō as in Revelation 18:9 (for κλαιω — klaiō), Revelation 18:15, and Revelation 18:19.For no man buyeth their merchandise any more (οτι τον γομον αυτων ουδεις αγοραζει ουκετι — hoti ton gomon autōn oudeis agorazei ouketi). Reason enough for their sorrow over Rome‘s fall. Γομος — Gomos is old word (from γεμω — gemō to be full) for a ship‘s cargo (Acts 21:3) and then any merchandise (Revelation 18:11.). Galen, Pliny, Aristides tell of the vastness of the commerce and luxury of Rome, the world‘s chief market. Many of the items here are like those in the picture of the destruction of Tyre in Ezek 26; 27. There are twenty-nine items singled out in Revelation 18:12, Revelation 18:13 of this merchandise or cargo (γομον — gomon), imports into the port of Rome. Only a few need any comment. [source]
Revelation 18:11 For no man buyeth their merchandise any more [οτι τον γομον αυτων ουδεις αγοραζει ουκετι]
Reason enough for their sorrow over Rome‘s fall. Γομος — Gomos is old word (from γεμω — gemō to be full) for a ship‘s cargo (Acts 21:3) and then any merchandise (Revelation 18:11.). Galen, Pliny, Aristides tell of the vastness of the commerce and luxury of Rome, the world‘s chief market. Many of the items here are like those in the picture of the destruction of Tyre in Ezek 26; 27. There are twenty-nine items singled out in Revelation 18:12, Revelation 18:13 of this merchandise or cargo (γομον — gomon), imports into the port of Rome. Only a few need any comment. [source]
Revelation 18:15 Who were made rich by her [οι πλουτησαντες απ αυτης]
“Those who grew rich (ingressive aorist active participle of πλουτεω — plouteō for which see Revelation 18:3, Revelation 18:13) from her.”Shall stand afar off (απο μακροτεν στησονται — apo makrothen stēsontai). Future middle of ιστημι — histēmi Repeating the picture in Revelation 18:10. Again in Revelation 18:17. See Revelation 18:11 for the two participles κλαιοντες και πεντουντες — klaiontes kai penthountes f0). [source]
Revelation 18:15 Shall stand afar off [απο μακροτεν στησονται]
Future middle of ιστημι — histēmi Repeating the picture in Revelation 18:10. Again in Revelation 18:17. See Revelation 18:11 for the two participles κλαιοντες και πεντουντες — klaiontes kai penthountes f0). [source]
Revelation 21:26 They shall bring [οισουσιν]
Future active indicative of περω — pherō Rome gathered the merchandise of the world (Revelation 18:11.). The City of God will have the best of all the nations (Isaiah 60:5, Isaiah 60:11), an expansion of Revelation 21:24. [source]

What do the individual words in Revelation 18:11 mean?

And the merchants of the earth weep mourn for her because the cargo of them no one buys no longer
Καὶ οἱ ἔμποροι τῆς γῆς κλαίουσιν πενθοῦσιν ἐπ’ αὐτήν ὅτι τὸν γόμον αὐτῶν οὐδεὶς ἀγοράζει οὐκέτι

ἔμποροι  merchants 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: ἔμπορος  
Sense: one on a journey, whether by sea or by land, esp.
τῆς  of  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
γῆς  earth 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: γῆ  
Sense: arable land.
κλαίουσιν  weep 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: κλαίω  
Sense: to mourn, weep, lament.
πενθοῦσιν  mourn 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: πενθέω  
Sense: to mourn.
αὐτήν  her 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Accusative Feminine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
ὅτι  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
γόμον  cargo 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: γόμος  
Sense: a lading or freight of a ship, cargo, merchandise conveyed in a ship.
αὐτῶν  of  them 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
οὐδεὶς  no  one 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: οὐδείς 
Sense: no one, nothing.
ἀγοράζει  buys 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀγοράζω  
Sense: to be in the market place, to attend it.
οὐκέτι  no  longer 
Parse: Adverb
Root: οὐκέτι  
Sense: no longer, no more, no further.