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Rev_18:11-16. The lament of the merchants.
κλαίουσιν καὶ πενθοῦσιν .
By the present, John passes over to the tone of narration;[3961] but does not choose here as yet the preterite,[3962] so that he still does not express the idea that he himself had observed the destruction of the city, or the accompanying lamentations. The easier afterwards is the return to the original course (Rev_18:15); but the recent transition to the narrative brings finally with it also the preterites (Rev_18:17 sq.).
τὸν γόμον . The cargo.[3963]
The entire description of the many precious things, for which the merchants can no more find purchasers, gives a view of the previous necessities of the luxurious[3964] city. The mass of different things are mentioned with suitable grouping
σηρικοῦ . Silk.[3965]
καὶ πᾶν ξύλον θύϊνον , κ . τ . λ . The alternation of accusatives and genitives dependent upon the τὸν γόμον until the close of Rev_18:13, which is here presented very definitely, may serve as an explanation of the ambiguous construction, Rev_17:4.
The precious, sweet-scented thyine wood,[3966] the “citreum” of the Romans, comes from the tree called θύον , θύα , θύϊα , which is possibly identical with the white cedar (cupressus thyioides).[3967]
The expression πᾶν ξύλ . θύ . designates, first of all, the collected precious material;[3968] upon this follows the enumeration of the vessels made from the precious material, under which is σκ . ἐκ ξύλου τιμ .
κινάμωμον . Cinnamon.[3969]
ἄμωμον . The precious hair-ointment procured from an Asiatic shrub.[3970]
σεμίδαλιν . Finest wheat-flour, “simila”[3971] or “similago.”[3972]
κτήνη . The general expression, which includes also horned cattle,[3973] precedes.
ῥεδῶν . A kind of four-wheeled vehicle.[3974] Alexander Sev. furnished the Roman senators with such vehicles, decorated with silver,—“thinking that it pertained to the Roman dignity, that senators of so great a city should be carried therein.”[3975]
σωμάτων , i.e., slaves, σώματα δοῦλα [3976] See examples from the LXX. in Biel.[3977] The following expression ψυχὰς ἀνθρώπων [3978] also points to the slaves, and because of the difference in the construction—the γόμον being understood with the genitive—it seems that a distinction is intended to be made.[3979] The most probable[3980] explanation is that which understands the ΣΩΜ . as referring to such slaves as belong to the horses and chariots, and the latter expression, ΨΥΧ . ἈΝΘΡ ., as referring to slaves in general. So, too, in Rev_18:17, Ew. ii. understands, in the last place, female slaves. Volkm., who gives a false emphasis to the ΚΑῚ before ΨΥΧ . ἈΝΘΡ .,[3981] finds here the judgment given by the Christian spirit, that transactions in the slave-trade are not concerning the “bodies,” but the “souls,” of men. But it is nevertheless correct, that, according to the heathen view, the slaves are considered only as ΣΏΜΑΤΑ ; the ΨΥΧ . ἈΝΘΡ . also receives a certain importance from the fact that it concludes a short paragraph. Yet the explanation of Volkmar, with respect to the change of construction, seems to me impossible.
The lamentation in Rev_18:14[3982] turns to the objects that have served another chief class of the ΣΤΡῆΝΟς of the great city, daintiness and gluttony; this part of the description, by its description of the punishment, calls to mind the corresponding guilt of sin.
Ἡ ὈΠΏΡΑ ΣΟΥ Τῆς ἘΠΙΘΥΜΊΑς Τῆς ΨΥΧῆς . Excellently, Luther, who also describes, with correct meaning, the genitive limitation to Ἡ ὈΠΏΡΑ : das Obst, da Deine Seele Lust dran hatte.[3983]
ἈΠῆΛΘΕΝ ἈΠῸ ΣΟῦ . In the same sense as the parallel ἈΠΌΛΕΤΟ ἈΠῸ ΣΟῦ . Cf. Psa_142:5. LXX.
ΤᾺ ΛΙΠΑΡᾺ . Properly “the fat,” but its combination with ΤᾺ ΛΑΜΠΡᾺ points to the fact that the expression is to be taken[3984] in the ordinary improper sense.[3985] Every thing pre-eminent and glorious, in its class, is finally grouped together.
The two last verses, which refer to the lamentation of the merchants, establish the conformity with Rev_18:9 sqq., which could not as yet be attained because of Rev_18:11-14; also in the two points that the merchants appear standing at a distance and raising the express cry of lamentation. The τούτων , Rev_18:15, corresponding to this, refers not only to those of Rev_18:14,[3986] but to all things mentioned by Rev_18:11,[3987] so that there is no reason to censure the discourse for inconcinnity.[3988]
κόκκινον . That the scarlet raiment here,[3989] like the purple, indicates the royal glory of the city, is self-evident in the impression of the merchants. By those who neither see nor understand the scarlet beast, only such an idea of the woman is presupposed, as she corresponds in harmonious connection with the view of the luxurious glory of the city granted the prophet in ch. 17.
[3961] De Wette.
[3962] Cf. Rev_11:11.
[3963] Act_21:3. Cf. Eustath. in Wetst.: φόρτος νηὸς , ὁ καὶ γόμος .
[3964] Rev_18:3 : τ . στρήνους αὐτ .; Rev_18:7; Rev_18:9. Cf. Rev_17:4.
[3965] Cf. Winer, Rwb., on this word.
[3966] Luther.
[3967] Cf. Wetst. and Winer, Rwb., on the word.
[3968] Against De Wette: “All sorts of vessels made therefrom.” Cf. Hengstenb.
[3969] Luth. Cf. Winer, Rwb., on this word, and Zimmt.
[3970] Plin., H. N., xii. 28. Cf. Martial, viii. 77: “Assyrio semper tibi crinis amomo splendeat” [May thy hair always shine with the Assyrian amomus]. See Wetst.
[3971] Vulg.
[3972] Cf. Plin., H. N., xviii. Revelation 20 : “Similago ex tritico fit laudatissima.”
[3973] See lexicons.
[3974] Isidor., xx. 17.
[3975] Lamprid. in Wetst.
[3976] Pollux, III. 71.
[3977] Cf. Wetst., Wolf, etc.
[3978] Eze_27:13. Cf. 1Ch_5:21.
[3979] Cf. Wetst., who refers the ψυχ . ἀνθρ . to gladiators; Züll., who refers σώμ . to proper slaves, ψυχ . ἀνθρ . to such as are hired also for lust.
[3980] Cf. Beng., Ewald, Hengstenb.
[3981] “Aye, souls of men.”
[3982] Vitr. has thought, with Beza and Laun., that Rev_18:14 belongs not to this place, but between Rev_18:23-24. Ew. i. regards the verse as a marginal note of John, who did not immediately find a suitable place for the thought. Ew. ii. concedes it to be possible, that the verse is here derived from an entirely different book; but if it belong to the Apoc., he would introduce it in the midst of Rev_18:23. Cf. also Volkm. But even though the form of the address giving offence could not be understood as the lament of the merchants,—this does not follow until Rev_18:15 sqq., in a manner corresponding to Rev_18:10,—it must be decided, nevertheless, that the interpreting angel (Bleek), or the voices interposed in Rev_18:4, directly address the city now lamented and threatened. A similar alternation in the form of description occurs also in Rev_18:22 sqq., in comparison with Rev_18:21; Rev_18:24. Cf. also Hos_2:8.
[3983] [“The fruit in which thy soul had pleasure.”]
[3984] Luther, Bengel, Hengstenb.
[3985] Isa_30:23. Cf. Hesych., who explains λιπ .: καλόν , ἔλαφρον , κ . τ . λ . [beautiful, easy, etc.].
[3986] De Wette.
[3987] Beng.
[3988] Against De Wette.
[3989] Cf., on the other hand, Rev_17:4.
LXXXIII. Rev_18:11-16