Unlike the “kings” of the previous phrase, these “merchants” had not yet been mentioned in this vision about the great prostitute. Yet they were implicit in the notion of harlotry (seeking satisfaction away from God), for the satisfaction those participating in this harlotry sought was found in created things, and somehow the spinning of money is part and parcel of that. Further, the explicit mention of “merchants” in this verse sets up the more extensive reference to “merchants” in the next section of this chapter (Revelation 18:11–17).
3 For all nations have drunk the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have grown rich from the power of her luxurious living.”