and cried out as they saw the smoke of her burning, “What city was like the great city?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Revelation 18:18
What does Revelation 18:18 mean?
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Revelation 18:18
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The cry, "What city is like this great city?" isn't just about its past glory, but a bewildered question about its unprecedented, utter destruction. It highlights how this city, once seen as unparalleled in its power and magnificence, is now equally unmatched in its catastrophic downfall, leaving observers stunned by the totality of its ruin.
and cried out as they saw the smoke of her burning, “What city was like the great city?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
As the smoke rises from the destruction of the immense city referred to as "Babylon," kings, merchants, and sailors who profited from her reign cry out in lamentation. They are not mourning her spiritual wickedness or the judgment of God, but the loss of their wealth and worldly comforts that were tied to her opulent and corrupt system. This verse captures their stunned disbelief at the utter ruin of a city that once seemed so powerful and grand, unparalleled in its worldly influence and luxury.
When this massive city goes up in smoke, who are the ones crying out? It's not those who loved God, but those who loved what the city offered them.
The people lamenting Babylon's destruction are not described as righteous mourners. Instead, they are the kings and merchants who "lived deliciously" and conducted "great merchandise" with her (Revelation 18:9, 11). Their cries aren't about spiritual loss, but about their own economic and sensual deprivation.
This highlights a critical truth: our grief often reveals what we truly value. When disaster strikes, do we weep for God's glory or for our own comfort and gain? The lamentation here is a worldly sorrow, a wail for lost privilege and pleasure, not a repentance born of grief over sin.
The question echoes: "What city was like the great city?" This isn't just about size; it's about an unparalleled identity that led to unparalleled judgment.
Babylon here is described as "great" (Revelation 18:18), a title often associated with immense power, influence, and luxury throughout history, including ancient Rome itself. The mourners' astonishment stems from the sheer magnitude of this city's former glory and its complete annihilation.
This "greatness" was not rooted in righteousness but in its corrupt systems: idolatry, luxury, oppression, and spiritual harlotry. Its unparalleled nature was its sinfulness. The very things that made it "great" in the eyes of the world were the very reasons for its utter destruction. The question, "What city is like this great city?" thus carries a double meaning: Who could achieve such heights, and who could suffer such a fall?
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The lament over the 'great city' evokes the awe and terror inspired by ancient Rome at its height, a city whose unparalleled power and grandeur were matched only by its perceived corruption, making its ultimate judgment a spectacle of unmatched devastation.
c. 1st century AD
Rome's Imperial Height
During its peak, Rome was the unparalleled center of political power, military might, and cultural influence in the known world, admired and feared by all.
c. AD 60-70
Destruction of Jerusalem
The Roman siege and destruction of Jerusalem, a significant religious and cultural center, demonstrated Rome's devastating military power and its role in divine judgment.
c. AD 90s— this verse
John writes Revelation
The Apostle John writes the Book of Revelation, likely while exiled on the island of Patmos, addressing the persecuted churches of Asia Minor.
c. AD 100-150
Rome's Peak of Power and Luxury
Rome reached its zenith of prosperity, luxury, and pervasive influence, yet also of spiritual corruption and exploitation, which the author of Revelation critiques.
This passage describes the lamentation over the fall of Tyre, a great commercial city, using very similar language to the lament over Babylon in Revelation 18, highlighting the universal shock at the destruction of a seemingly invincible metropolis.
Jeremiah 51:9Jeremiah's prophecy against Babylon echoes the sentiment of its greatness and the desire to heal it, but ultimately acknowledges its irrecoverable ruin, mirroring the irreversible devastation seen in Revelation.
Isaiah 13:19This prophecy foretells the utter destruction of Babylon, describing it as a place that will be overthrown and desolate, emphasizing the finality and completeness of its judgment, much like the 'smoke of her burning' suggests.
Matthew 24:1Jesus' disciples marvel at the grandeur of the Jerusalem Temple, only for Jesus to predict its complete destruction, showing how even the most impressive human structures are subject to God's ultimate judgment and dismantling.
barnesRevelation 18:18: "And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!"
And cried ... - That is, as they had a deep interest in it, they would, on their own account, as well as hers, lift up the voice of lamentation.What city is like unto this great city? - In her destruction. What calamity has ever come upon a city like this?
bengelRevelation 18:18: "And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!"
Revelation 18:18 . Τίς ὁμοία , what [ city is ] like ) One city above all others in the world was deemed incomparable , viz. Rome. See Pauli Aringhi, Lib. ii. Rom. subterr. c. 1. Rome is spoken of by Martial, as the goddess of the lands and nations, to which NOTHING is EQUAL, and nothing second: and by Athenæus, as the epitome of the world .
The cry, "What city is like this great city?" isn't just about its past glory, but a bewildered question about its unprecedented, utter destruction. It highlights how this city, once seen as unparalleled in its power and magnificence, is now equally unmatched in its catastrophic downfall, leaving observers stunned by the totality of its ruin.
As the smoke rises from the destruction of the immense city referred to as "Babylon," kings, merchants, and sailors who profited from her reign cry out in lamentation. They are not mourning her spiritual wickedness or the judgment of God, but the loss of their wealth and worldly comforts that were tied to her opulent and corrupt system. This verse captures their stunned disbelief at the utter ruin of a city that once seemed so powerful and grand, unparalleled in its worldly influence and luxury.
As the smoke rises from the destruction of the immense city referred to as "Babylon," kings, merchants, and sailors who profited from her reign cry out in lamentation. They are not mourning her spiritual wickedness or the judgment of God, but the loss of their wealth and worldly comforts that were tied to her opulent and corrupt system. This verse captures their stunned disbelief at the utter ruin of a city that once seemed so powerful and grand, unparalleled in its worldly influence and luxury.
"and cried out as they saw the smoke of her burning,
“What city was like the great city?”" — The cry, "What city is like this great city?" isn't just about its past glory, but a bewildered question about its unprecedented, utter destruction. It highlights how this city, once seen as unparall…
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Last reviewed October 2026