Revelation 18:12

“The merchandise of gold and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, etc.] Things for treasure and ornament, and with which the great whore is said to be decked, (<661704>Revelation 17:4) and, literally understood, may denote the vast riches which these spiritual merchants, or factors for Rome, cardinals, archbishops, bishops, priests, monks, and friars, bring into their own coffers and the pope's, by the trade they drive in her wares with the souls of men; and may have also a regard to what their images, chalices, crowns, mitres, etc. are made of, and what some of them are adorned with; and as Tyre, to whom the reference is in the several particulars of this account, had her merchants…”

“(See on Rev 17:4). stones . . . pearls--Greek, "stone . . . pearl." fine linen--A, B, and C read Greek, "bussinou" for "bussou," that is, "fine linen manufacture" [ALFORD]. The manufacture for which Egypt (the type of the apostate Church, Rev 11:8) was famed. Contrast "the fine linen" (Eze 16:10) put on Israel, and on the New Testament Church (Rev 19:8), the Bride, by God (Psa 132:9). thyine wood--the citrus of the Romans: probably the cypressus thyoyides, or the thuia articulata. "Citron wood" [ALFORD]. A sweet-smelling tree of Cyrene in Lybia, used for incense. all manner vessels--Greek, "every vessel," or "furniture."”

“The merchandise of gold, and silver - Of course, these constitute an important article of commerce in a great city. And precious stones - Diamonds, emeralds, rubies, etc. These have always been important articles of traffic in the world, and, of course, most of the traffic in them would find its way to great commercial cities. And pearls - See the notes on Matthew 7:6; Matthew 13:46. These, too, have been always, and were, particularly in early times, valuable articles of commerce. Mr. Gibbon mentions them as among the articles that contributed to the luxury of Rome in the age of the Antonines: “precious stones, among which the pearl claimed the first rank after the diamond,” vol. i. p. 34.…”

“Merchandise of gold, &c. - Almost all these are still in use at Rome, both in their idolatrous service, and in common life. Fine linen - The sort of it mentioned in the original is exceeding costly. Thyine wood - A sweet - smelling wood not unlike citron, used in adorning magnificent palaces. Vessels of most precious wood - Ebony, in particular, which is often mentioned with ivory: the one excelling in whiteness, the other in blackness; and both in uncommon smoothness. Revelation 18:13”

“18:12-13 This cargo list suggests the extent of the wealth Rome pillaged from the rest of its empire (cp. Ezek 27:12-24). Some of the most expensive products in the ancient world are mentioned in this indictment of ostentatious materialism and pride.”

“merchandise: Rev 17:4; Kg1 10:11, Kg1 10:12; Pro 8:10, Pro 8:11; Ezek. 27:5-25 thyine: or, sweet, Kg1 10:11; Ch2 2:8 Revelation 18:13”