Verses 9 to 20 the second part of the funeral song for Babylon Verses 9 to 20 are the second part of the

e song. Here are three groups of people whom the loss of Babylon affects. They are the kings, the merchants and the sailors. Verses 9-10 The kings of the world had shared sex with the woman. This means that Babylons evil ways had spread through their *kingdoms. Because of Babylon, they had *worshipped the *beast. They had lived with Babylon in luxury and *sin. They had turned from God and become his enemies. They had fought against Gods people. The fire will destroy Babylon and the kings will see the smoke. It will be as if the woman called Babylon will die in the flames. As they see this, the kings will weep. They will be sad but they will not try to help Babylon. They just stand at a great distance. They know that God punished Babylon because of *sin. Babylon was so strong but the end came in only one hour. God had destroyed that great city. One hour means that this will happen quickly and in a short period. These kings were worried. They could see what God did to Babylon. They were afraid that they would share the same fate. They could suffer as Babylon had suffered. Verse 11 The merchants weep for Babylon. They did not really care about the city. They will weep aloud because they have lost trade and profit. They know that this will mean the loss of their wealth. Verses 12-13 The merchants sold a great variety of things to Babylon. In the list, there are all kinds of things that show the wealth and luxury of life in Babylon. Verse 14 All this rich trade had gone. It will never be the same again. Babylon will not recover and nobody will ever buy such things again. Verses 15-17a (Verse 17a means the first part of verse 17.) The merchants were wealthy because of their trade with Babylon. But in such a short time, the great city was in *ruins. They were afraid and they kept a long way off. They weep because they have lost their trade.

They saw the city as their customer to whom they sold many things. The city was like a beautiful woman who wore fine clothes. She had excess riches, which she wore. The merchants cry out. It is terrible that such a thing should have happened. In one hour, she lost all her wealth. Verses 17b-18 (Verse 17b means the last part of verse 17.) Fire burned in Babylon and destroyed the city. The sailors and those who travel by ship could see the smoke. What they saw was a shock to them. And they cried out aloud. They said that there has never been a city as great as Babylon. Verse 19 They were very sad to see what had happened. It was awful that the great city had gone. Babylon had traded much and the people from Babylon travelled. So, those who owned the ships had become wealthy. But now all that had ended. God had destroyed the great city. It all happened so quickly. It was sudden and they had not expected it. Verse 20 This part of the song ends with joy in heaven. God the judge has found Babylon guilty of many crimes. Babylon has been an enemy of Gods people. Babylon opposed them. Babylon fought against them. And Babylon was responsible for the deaths of many of them. God has punished Babylon for its evil deeds.