Revelation 18:12; The Merchandise (1)
Revelation 18:12 (KJV) The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble,
Commerce in ancient times was far-flung, international, and varied. To illustrate, ships coming to Italy with cargo to be sold in Rome came from all the ports along the Mediterranean coastline. Although some ships suffered shipwreck (e.g., Acts 27:41), the volume of traffic on the sea was phenomenal. Therefore, owning a fleet of ships proved to be a profitable enterprise as long as the weather remained favourable.
The list of products presented in verses 12 and 13 is considerable: some twenty-eight articles of merchandise are mentioned, ranging from luxury items to household staples, from dry goods to livestock. Even slaves (bodies and souls of human beings) are included. Many of the items listed here also occur in a similar account of some forty different products recorded in Ezekiel 27:12–22.
Ezekiel 27:12-22 (KJV) Tarshish was thy merchant by reason of the multitude of all kind of riches; with silver, iron, tin, and lead, they traded in thy fairs. Javan, Tubal, and Meshech, they were thy merchants: they traded the persons of men and vessels of brass in thy market. They of the house of Togarmah traded in thy fairs with horses and horsemen and mules. The men of Dedan were thy merchants; many isles were the merchandise of thine hand: they brought thee for a present horns of ivory and ebony. Syria was thy merchant by reason of the multitude of the wares of thy making: they occupied in thy fairs with emeralds, purple, and broidered work, and fine linen, and coral, and agate. Judah, and the land of Israel, they were thy merchants: they traded in thy market wheat of Minnith, and Pannag, and honey, and oil, and balm. Damascus was thy merchant in the multitude of the wares of thy making, for the multitude of all riches; in the wine of Helbon, and white wool. Dan also and Javan going to and fro occupied in thy fairs: bright iron, cassia, and calamus, were in thy market. Dedan was thy merchant in precious clothes for chariots. Arabia, and all the princes of Kedar, they occupied with thee in lambs, and rams, and goats: in these were they thy merchants. The merchants of Sheba and Raamah, they were thy merchants: they occupied in thy fairs with chief of all spices, and with all precious stones, and gold.
But John differs from the prophet in two respects: he omits the origin of these items and he fails to follow the sequence of his list. Further, the prophet’s roster dates from the sixth century b.c., but John would be familiar with commercial lists circulating in his own time and reflecting the riches of Rome and other cities. At the beginning of the register are luxury items characterizing the wealth of nations and individuals. The great prostitute, for example, “was clothed in purple and scarlet cloth and was gilded with gold and precious stones and pearls” (Revelation 17:4).
Revelation 17:4 (KJV) And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953–2001). Exposition of the Book of Revelation (Vol. 20, pp. 494–495). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.