Revelation 18:17

“For in one hour so great riches is come to nought, etc.] That is, in a very short time, expressing the suddenness and speediness of Rome's destruction, the quick dispatch and expedition that will be made in it, by the instruments of it, as in (<661810>Revelation 18:10). Rome was always famous for its great wealth and riches; the Jews have a saying f420, that if ten kabs of riches descend into the world, the ancient Romans take nine of them, and the other the whole world: and every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off; the lamentation of the kings and merchants of the earth being ended, masters of ships, sailors, and seafaring men…”

“is come to naught--Greek, "is desolated." shipmaster--Greek, "steersman," or "pilot." all the company in ships--A, C, Vulgate, and Syriac read, "Every one who saileth to a place" (B has ". . . to the place"), every voyager. Vessels were freighted with pilgrims to various shrines, so that in one month (A.D. 1300) two hundred thousand pilgrims were counted in Rome [D'AAUBIGNE, Histoire de la Reformation]: a source of gain, not only to the Papal see, but to shipmasters, merchants, pilots, &c. These latter, however, are not restricted to those literally "shipmasters," &c., but mainly refer, in the mystical sense, to all who share in the spiritual traffic of apostate Christendom.”

“For in one hour - In a very brief period - so short, that it seemed to them to be but one hour. In the prediction Revelation 18:8, it is said that it would be “in one day” (see the notes on that place); here it is said that, to the on-lookers, it seemed to be but an hour. There is no inconsistency, therefore, between the two statements. So great riches is come to nought - All the accumulated wealth of so great and rich a city. This should have been united with Revelation 18:16, as it is a part of the lamentation of the merchants, and as the lamentation of the mariners commences in the other part of the verse. It is so divided in the Greek Testaments. And every ship-master - This introduces…”

“18:17-19 all the captains: Seafarers sing the third lament (see study note on 18:9-19). Their mourning focuses on the breakdown of communication and transportation. During the reign of Julius Caesar, the Mediterranean was cleared of pirates and trade blossomed under the region’s Roman law enforcement. The swift loss of Roman authority would upset the system of trade.”

“in one: Rev 18:10; Isa 47:9; Jer 51:8; Lam 4:6 And every: Rev 18:11; Isa 23:14; Eze 27:27-36; Jon 1:6 Revelation 18:18”