Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
Of a lamp (luxnou). Old word (Matthew 5:15), again in Revelation 22:5.
Shall shine no more at all (ou mh fanh). Fifth instance in these verses of ou mh with the aorist subjunctive, here the active of fainw as in Revelation 8:12. It is not known whether Rome had street lights or not.
The voice of the bridegroom and of the bride (fwnh numfiou kai numfhv). See John 3:29; Jeremiah 7:34; Jeremiah 16:9. "Even the occasional flash of the torches carried by bridal processions (Matthew 25:1 ff.) is seen no more" (Swete). The sixth instance of ou mh, in verses Revelation 18:21-23, occurs with akousqh (third instance of akousqh, two in verse Revelation 18:22).
Were the princes of the earth (hsan oi megistanev thv ghv). For megistan see Revelation 6:15; Mark 6:21. "Thy merchants were the grandees" once, but now these merchant princes are gone.
With thy sorcery (en th farmakiai sou). En (instrumental use) and the locative case of farmakia, old word (from farmakeuw, to prepare drugs, from farmakon, sorcery, Revelation 9:21), in N.T. only here and Galatians 5:20 for sorcery and magical arts. If one is puzzled over the connection between medicine and sorcery as illustrated by this word (our pharmacy), he has only to recall quackery today in medicine (patent medicines and cure-alls), witch-doctors, professional faith-healers, medicine-men in Africa. True medical science has had a hard fight to shake off chicanery and charlatanry.
Were deceived (eplanhqhsan). First aorist passive indicative of planaw. These charlatans always find plenty of victims. See Mark 12:24.
Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing Revelation 18:23:
Mark 6:21
Galatians 5:19
Revelation 6:15
Revelation 8:12
Revelation 18:3
Revelation 18:11
Revelation 18:22
Revelation 18:23
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