Revelation 18:19

Then they will throw dust on their heads as they weep and mourn and cry out: “Woe, woe to the great city, where all who had ships on the sea were enriched by her wealth! For in a single hour she has been destroyed.”

Berean Standard Bible

Follow its threads on the canvas →

Study note

Setting — The merchants and seafarers who profited from the city’s trade weep and cry out as they watch her smoke rise. They address no one directly but lament her sudden ruin in the presence of the observing world.

The words — ἔβαλον χοῦν (ebalon choun) translates literally as “they cast dust,” describing the physical act of mourning. This gesture places the dust ἐπὶ τὰς κεφαλὰς (epi tas kephalas), or “upon their heads,” marking public grief.

The thread — The dust-on-heads mourning motif appears in Ezekiel 27:30 and Joshua 7:6 as standard expressions of catastrophic loss. The cry “Woe, woe to the great city” echoes the distant lament of Revelation 18:10.

Why it lands — The text states that those enriched by the city’s trade lose their wealth in a single hour and respond only with public mourning. Readers must acknowledge that temporal prosperity offers no protection against sudden divine judgment.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

King James Version

And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.

Cross-references

Revelation 18:10 In fear of her torment, they will stand at a distance and cry out: “Woe, woe to the great city, the mighty city of Babylon! For in a single hour your judgment has come.”
Joshua 7:6 Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell facedown before the ark of the LORD until evening, as did the elders of Israel; and they all sprinkled dust on their heads.
Ezekiel 27:30 They will raise their voices for you and cry out bitterly. They will throw dust on their heads and roll in ashes.
Job 2:12 When they lifted up their eyes from afar, they could barely recognize Job. They began to weep aloud, and each man tore his robe and threw dust in the air over his head.
Revelation 18:3 All the nations have drunk the wine of the passion of her immorality. The kings of the earth were immoral with her, and the merchants of the earth have grown wealthy from the extravagance of her luxury.”
1 Samuel 4:12 That same day a Benjamite ran from the battle line all the way to Shiloh, with his clothes torn and dirt on his head.
Revelation 18:8 Therefore her plagues will come in one day—death and grief and famine—and she will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.”
2 Samuel 13:19 And Tamar put ashes on her head and tore her robe. And putting her hand on her head, she went away crying aloud.
Nehemiah 9:1 On the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth, with dust on their heads.
Revelation 18:15 The merchants who sold these things and gained their wealth from her will stand at a distance, in fear of her torment. They will weep and mourn,