Revelation 18:16
“Alas, alas, for the great city that was clothed in fine linen, in purple and scarlet, adorned with gold, with jewels, and with pearls!
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The mournful cry, "Alas, alas," isn't just about the city's appearance of wealth; it highlights how its very identity was built on expensive, luxurious trade goods. This wasn't just about dressing up; it was about being "clothed" and "decked" in the very things she trafficked, showing how deeply intertwined her economy and her spiritual corruption were.
This lament comes from kings and merchants who benefited from the great city's wealth and power, now witnessing its fiery destruction. They mourn not for God's justice, but for the loss of luxury and profit they derived from this corrupt empire. The description of the city's luxurious clothing highlights the decadent materialism that characterized its reign, a stark contrast to its impending doom.
Imagine a world stripped bare of all its beauty and wealth. That's the scene here, but it's not just about losing stuff – it's about losing a whole way of life.
The powerful cry of "Alas, alas!" isn't just a sigh; it's a wail of despair. Those mourning Babylon aren't lamenting God's justice, but their own loss. They enjoyed its luxurious lifestyle and profited from its trade, but they refused to share in its destruction. This verse paints a picture of ultimate earthly riches – fine linen, purple, scarlet, gold, jewels, and pearls – all the markers of immense wealth and power. Yet, this splendor becomes the very reason for their grief when it's all burned away.
What does it mean for a city to be 'clothed' in these expensive fabrics and adornments? It's more than just fashion; it's a powerful statement.
The description of Babylon as 'clothed' in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, and 'decked' with gold and jewels, uses rich symbolism. These were the most expensive and prestigious materials of the ancient world, often associated with royalty, wealth, and even religious rites. In this passage, they represent the city's self-indulgence, its corrupt trade (as mentioned in earlier verses), and its pride. It’s a picture of extreme material wealth and the sensuous pleasures it affords, but without any connection to God's values.
Understand the original words
ouai · Greek Interjection
An interjection expressing grief, woe, or extreme distress. In a biblical context, it often serves as a pronouncement of impending doom or judgment against those who have rebelled against God.
polis · Greek Noun
Refers to Babylon/Rome, a symbol of human pride, power, and opposition to God. It represents the height of worldly influence and seductive idolatry that competes with the kingdom of God.
byssinos · Greek Adjective/Noun
A high-quality, white fabric often associated with purity, holiness, and the righteousness of the saints. In this context, it highlights the city's pretension to majesty and divine-like status.
porphyra kai kokkinos · Greek Noun/Adjective
This passage describes the immense wealth and luxurious trade of the city of Tyre, using similar imagery of fine linens, purple, scarlet, gold, pearls, and precious stones, highlighting the parallel between ancient Tyre and the symbolic Babylon's material excess.
Ezekiel 27:32-33This directly mirrors the lamentations of the kings and merchants over fallen Babylon in Revelation, emphasizing how even those who profited from her splendor are left in despair at her destruction.
Revelation 17:4This verse provides a direct link by describing the symbolic woman (Babylon) as adorned with gold, precious stones, and pearls, reinforcing the consistent imagery of opulent materialism associated with the city's spiritual and economic corruption.
Luke 16:19-31The parable of the rich man and Lazarus illustrates the ultimate futility of earthly riches and luxurious living when judged by God, offering a stark contrast to the lament over Babylon's lost material wealth.
barnesRevelation 18:16: "And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!"
And saying, Alas, alas ... - notes on Revelation 18:10 . That was clothed in fine linen - In the previous description Revelation 18:12-13, these are mentioned as articles of traffic; here the city, under the image of a female, is represented as clothed in the most rich and frivolous of these articles. And purple, and scarlet…
cambridgeRevelation 18:16: "And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!"
16 . Alas, alas ] See on Revelation 18:10 . decked ] Lit., gilded , as at Revelation 17:4 . stones … pearls ] Both these words should be collective singulars.
The mournful cry, "Alas, alas," isn't just about the city's appearance of wealth; it highlights how its very identity was built on expensive, luxurious trade goods. This wasn't just about dressing up; it was about being "clothed" and "decked" in the very things she trafficked, showing how deeply intertwined her economy and her spiritual corruption were.
This lament comes from kings and merchants who benefited from the great city's wealth and power, now witnessing its fiery destruction. They mourn not for God's justice, but for the loss of luxury and profit they derived from this corrupt empire. The description of the city's luxurious clothing highlights the decadent materialism that characterized its reign, a stark contrast to its impending doom.
This lament comes from kings and merchants who benefited from the great city's wealth and power, now witnessing its fiery destruction. They mourn not for God's justice, but for the loss of luxury and profit they derived from this corrupt empire. The description of the city's luxurious clothing highlights the decadent materialism that characterized its reign, a stark contrast to its impending doom.
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In the ancient world, these dyes were extremely expensive and exclusive to royalty and the wealthy. They symbolize arrogance, luxury, and the exercise of worldly power.
chrysion, lithos, margarites · Greek Noun
Precious materials used to demonstrate extreme wealth and physical beauty. They represent the temporal treasures of the world that distract from eternal value.
"“Alas, alas, for the great city that was clothed in fine linen, in purple and scarlet, adorned with gold, with jewels, and with pearls!" — The mournful cry, "Alas, alas," isn't just about the city's appearance of wealth; it highlights how its very identity was built on expensive, luxurious trade goods. This wasn't just about dressing…
