Revelation 18:10
What does Revelation 18:10 mean?
A plain-English look at Revelation 18:10 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Revelation 18:10 means
Standing afar off, the kings cry, “Woe, woe,” acknowledging Babylon was a strong city, yet judged in “one hour.” Their words underline the shock of how swiftly power unravels under God’s hand. They do not question that this is judgment; they fear its reach. The refrain “one hour” exposes the fragility of security built on sin. When God arises, what seemed impregnable falls suddenly. This lament is a warning to all regimes and systems that measure their strength without God. The kings’ distance and dread show that when judgment arrives, human alliances scatter, and those who once boasted of their partner’s might can only watch and mourn.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000standing 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.
KJV
King James Version · 1611Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901standing 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.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Watching from far away, for fear of her punishment, saying, Sorrow, sorrow for Babylon, the great town, the strong town! for in one hour you have been judged.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862from afar having stood because of the fear of her torment, saying, Woe, woe, the great city! Babylon, the strong city! because in one hour did come thy judgment.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Standing afar off for fear of her torments, saying: Alas! alas! that great city, Babylon, that mighty city: for in one hour is thy judgment come.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890standing afar off, through fear of her torment, saying, Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city! for in one hour thy judgment is come.
Context
Continuing the kings’ lament, this verse emphasizes speed and inevitability. It echoes verse 8’s declaration of quick judgment. With the kings’ cry complete, the narrative shifts to the merchants, whose grief centers on the collapse of trade and luxury. The chapter’s rhythm alternates between recognition of Babylon’s former greatness and astonishment at her swift ruin. Keeping the “one hour” theme in mind helps readers see that the following catalog of goods is not indulgent detail but a portrait of how total and sudden the economic collapse is.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Isaiah 21:9
and, behold, here cometh a troop of men, horsemen in pairs. And he answered and said, Fallen, fallen is Babylon; and all the graven images of her gods are broken unto the ground.
- Revelation 18:19
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 17:12
And the ten horns that thou sawest are ten kings, who have received no kingdom as yet; but they receive authority as kings, with the beast, for one hour.
- Numbers 16:34
And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them; for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up.
- Amos 5:16
Therefore thus saith Jehovah, the God of hosts, the Lord: Wailing shall be in all the broad ways; and they shall say in all the streets, Alas! alas! and they shall call the husbandman to mourning, and such as are skilful in lamentation to wailing.
- Jeremiah 30:7
Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.
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