Revelation 18 · Verse 7

Revelation 18:7

How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.
Revelation 18:7, King James Version

Revelation 18:7 in other translations

BSBAs much as she has glorified herself and lived in luxury, give her the same measure of torment and grief. In her heart she says, ‘I sit as queen; I am not a widow and will never see grief.’
WEBHowever much she glorified herself and grew wanton, so much give her of torment and mourning. For she says in her heart, ‘I sit a queen, and am no widow, and will in no way see mourning.’
ASVHow much soever she glorified herself, and waxed wanton, so much give her of torment and mourning: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall in no wise see mourning.
YLT‘As much as she did glorify herself and did revel, so much torment and sorrow give to her, because in her heart she saith, I sit a queen, and a widow I am not, and sorrow I shall not see;
DARBYSo much as she has glorified herself and lived luxuriously, so much torment and grief give to her. Because she says in her heart, I sit a queen, and I am not a widow; and I shall in no wise see grief:
BBEAs she gave glory to herself, and became more evil in her ways, in the same measure give her pain and weeping: for she says in her heart, I am seated here a queen, and am no widow, and will in no way see sorrow.
WebsterHow much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.

What does Revelation 18:7 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
7. How much--that is in proportion as. lived deliciously--luxuriously: see on Re 18:3, where the Greek is akin. sorrow--Greek, "mourning," as for a dead husband. I sit--so Vulgate. But A, B, and C prefix "that." I ... am no widow--for the world power is my husband and my supporter. shall see no sorrow--Greek, "mourning." "I am seated (this long time) ... I am no widow ... I shall see no sorrow," marks her complete unconcerned security as to the past, present, and future [Bengel]. I shall never have to mourn as one bereft of her husband. As Babylon was queen of the East, so Rome has been queen of the West, and is called on Imperial coins "the eternal city." So Papal Rome is called by Ammian Marcellin [15.7]. "Babylon is a former Rome, and Rome a latter Babylon. Rome is a daughter of Babylon, and by her, as by her mother, God has been pleased to subdue the world under one sway" [Augustine]. As the Jew's restoration did not take place till Babylon's fall, so R. Kimchi on Obadiah, writes, "When Rome (Edom) shall be devastated, there shall be redemption to Israel." Romish idolatries have been the great stumbling-blocks to the Jews' acceptance of Christianity.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 7. How much she hath glorified herself. Been proud, boastful, arrogant. This was true of ancient Babylon that she was proud and haughty; and it has been no less true of mystical Babylon--Papal Rome.

And lived deliciously. By as much as she has lived in luxury and dissoluteness, so let her suffer now. The word used here and rendered lived deliciously--εστρηνιασε is derived from the noun-- στρηνος--which is used in Rev 18:3, and rendered delicacies. Rev 18:3. It means "to live strenuously, rudely," as in English, "to live hard;" and then to revel, to live in luxury, riot, dissoluteness. No one can doubt the propriety of this as descriptive of ancient Babylon, and as little can its propriety be doubted as applied to Papal Rome.

So much torment and sorrow give her. Let her punishment correspond with her sins. This is expressing substantially the same idea which occurs in the previous verse.

For she saith in her heart. This is the estimate which she forms of herself.

I sit a queen. Indicative of pride, and of an asserted claim to rule.

And am no widow. Am not in the condition of a widow--a state of depression, sorrow, and mourning. All this indicates security and self-confidence, a description in every way applicable to Papal Rome.

And shall see no sorrow. This is indicative of a state where there was nothing feared, notwithstanding all the indications which existed of approaching calamity. In this state we may expect to find Papal Rome, even when its last judgments are about to come upon it; in this state it has usually been; in this state it is now, notwithstanding all the indications that are abroad in the world that its power is waning, and that the period of its fall approaches.

(a) "sit a queen" Isa 47:7-11, Zeph 2:15

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 7 How much she hath glorified herself - By every act of transgression and sinful pampering of the body she has been preparing for herself a suitable and proportionate punishment.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Revelation 18:1-8

The downfal and destruction of the mystical Babylon are determined in the counsels of God. Another angel comes from heaven. This seems to be Christ himself, coming to destroy his enemies, and to shed abroad the light of his gospel through all nations. The wickedness of this Babylon was very great; she had forsaken the true God, and set up idols, and had drawn all sorts of men into spiritual adultery, and by her…

Read the full comment on Revelation 18:1-8 →

Revelation 18:7 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ὅσαhosaSo much asG3745
ἐδόξασενedoxasenshe has glorifiedG1392
αὐτὴνautēnherselfG1438
καὶkaiandG2532
ἐστρηνίασεν,estrēniasenlived in luxury,G4763
τοσοῦτονtosoutonso muchG5118
δότεdotedo giveG1325
αὐτῇautēato herG846
βασανισμὸνbasanismontormentG929
καὶkaiandG2532
πένθος,penthosmisery,G3997
ὅτιhotibecauseG3754
ἐνeninG1722
τῇtēatheG3588
καρδίᾳkardiaheartG2588
αὐτῆςautēsof herselfG846
λέγειlegeishe saysG3004
ὅτιhotithatG3754
κάθημαιkathēmaiI sitG2521
βασίλισσαbasilissa[as] a queenG938
καὶkaiandG2532
χήραchēraa widowG5503
οὐκoukneverG3756
εἰμὶeimiI amG1510
καὶkaiandG2532
πένθοςpenthosmourningG3997
οὐoucertainlyG3756
μὴmēnotG3361
ἴδω.¶idōshall I see.G1492

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Revelation 18:7

  • Isaiah 47:7-9

    And thou saidst, I shall be a lady for ever: so that thou didst not lay these things to thy heart, neither didst remember the latter end of it. Therefore hear now this, thou that art given to pleasures, that dwellest carelessly, that sayest in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me; I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children: But these two things shall come to thee in a moment in one day, the loss of children, and widowhood: they shall come upon thee in their perfection for the multitude of thy sorceries, and for the great abundance of thine enchantments.

  • Zephaniah 2:15

    This is the rejoicing city that dwelt carelessly, that said in her heart, I am, and there is none beside me: how is she become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in! every one that passeth by her shall hiss, and wag his hand.

  • Lamentations 1:1

    How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! how is she become as a widow! she that was great among the nations, and princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary!

  • Ezekiel 28:2-10

    Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord God; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God: Behold, thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee: With thy wisdom and with thine understanding thou hast gotten thee riches, and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures: By thy great wisdom and by thy traffick hast thou increased thy riches, and thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches: …

  • 2 Thessalonians 2:4-8

    Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. …

  • Jeremiah 13:18

    Say unto the king and to the queen, Humble yourselves, sit down: for your principalities shall come down, even the crown of your glory.

  • Isaiah 22:12-14

    And in that day did the Lord God of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth: And behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen, and killing sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine: let us eat and drink; for to morrow we shall die. And it was revealed in mine ears by the Lord of hosts, Surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye die, saith the Lord God of hosts.

  • Isaiah 47:1-2

    Come down, and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon, sit on the ground: there is no throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate. Take the millstones, and grind meal: uncover thy locks, make bare the leg, uncover the thigh, pass over the rivers.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
much she.
Isa 22:12-14; 47:1,2,7-9; Eze 28:2-10; Zep 2:15; 2Th 2:4-8
I sit.
Ps 45:9; Jer 13:18
no widow.
Isa 47:7,8; La 1:1

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Revelation 18:6

    Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double.

  • Revelation 18:7

    How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.

  • 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.

Read all of Revelation 18

Revelation 18:7 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Cuanto ella se ha glorificado, y ha estado en deleites, tanto dadle de tormento y llanto; porque dice en su corazón: Yo estoy sentada reina, y no soy viuda, y no veré llanto.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Autant elle s’est glorifiée et a été dans les délices, autant donnez-lui de tourment et de deuil. Parce qu’elle dit dans son cœur: Je suis assise en reine, et je ne suis point veuve, et je ne verrai point de deuil;
German
Elberfelder 1871
Wieviel sie sich verherrlicht und Üppigkeit getrieben hat, so viel Qual und Trauer gebet ihr. Denn sie spricht in ihrem Herzen: Ich sitze als Königin, und Witwe bin ich nicht, und Traurigkeit werde ich nicht sehen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Quantum glorificavit se, et in deliciis fuit, tantum date illi tormentum et luctum: quia in corde suo dicit: Sedeo regina: et vidua non sum, et luctum non videbo.