Revelation 18:8
Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.
Study Note
Study Note
The announcement that Babylon's plagues — death, mourning, famine, fire — will come 'in one day' functions as a dramatic compression of divine judgment, emphasizing both its totality and its suddenness. The phrase echoes Isaiah 47:9's oracle against historical Babylon, where 'in one day' her losses of children and widowhood arrive simultaneously, but Revelation's Babylon is a theological cipher for any imperial system that makes itself god. The refrain of lament by kings, merchants, and sailors in verses 9-19 mirrors Ezekiel 26-27's lamentation over Tyre, indicating John is reading Tyre and Babylon as composite archetypes of idolatrous commercial power. The verse reassures persecuted believers that divine sovereignty over history is absolute — however invincible human empires appear.
Other Translations
Therefore in one day shall her plagues come, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire; for strong is the Lord God who judged her.
because of this, in one day, shall come her plagues, death, and sorrow, and famine; and in fire she shall be utterly burned, because strong <FI>is<Fi> the Lord God who is judging her;
For this reason in one day will her troubles come, death and sorrow and need of food; and she will be completely burned with fire; for strong is the Lord God who is her judge.
Cross References
Therefore shall evil come upon thee; thou shalt not know from whence it riseth: and mischief shall fall upon thee; …
But these two things shall come to thee in a moment in one day, the loss of children, and widowhood: …
In that day the Lord with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even …
Thus saith the Lord of hosts; The broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly broken, and her high gates shall …
Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul: be not cut off in her iniquity; …
Their Redeemer is strong; the Lord of hosts is his name: he shall throughly plead their cause, that he may …
Behold, I am against thee, O thou most proud, saith the Lord God of hosts: for thy day is come, …
And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever.
And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were …
For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, …