Isaiah 14:16

16 Those who see you stare at you, they ponder your fate: “Is this the man who shook the earth and made kingdoms tremble,

Isaiah 14:16 in Other Translations

KJV
16 They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;
ESV
16 Those who see you will stare at you and ponder over you: 'Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms,
NLT
16 Everyone there will stare at you and ask, ‘Can this be the one who shook the earth and made the kingdoms of the world tremble?
MSG
16 People will stare and muse: "Can this be the one Who terrorized earth and its kingdoms,
CSB
16 Those who see you will stare at you; they will look closely at you: "Is this the man who caused the earth to tremble, who shook the kingdoms,

Isaiah 14:16 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 14:16

They that see thee
These are the words of the dead, speaking of the living, who when they should see the carcass of the king of Babylon lying on the ground, shall narrowly look upon thee, [and] consider thee;
whether it is he or not, not knowing at first sight who he was, the alteration being so great; he that was but just now on his throne of glory, with all the ensigns of majesty about him, and on him, now cast to the earth, deprived of life, besmeared with blood, and so disfigured as scarcely to be known; these phrases are used to express the great change made in him, and in his state and condition: [saying];
scarce believing what they saw, and as wondering at the sudden and strange alteration, and yet in an insulting manner: [Is] this the man that made the earth to tremble:
the inhabitants of it, when they heard of his coming against them, with his numerous and conquering army, dreading that he would do to them as he had done to others, destroy their cities, rob them of their substance, put them to the sword, or carry them captive, or make them tributary: that did shake kingdoms;
depose their kings, and set up others; alter their constitution, change their form of government, and added their kingdoms to his own.

Isaiah 14:16 In-Context

14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.”
15 But you are brought down to the realm of the dead, to the depths of the pit.
16 Those who see you stare at you, they ponder your fate: “Is this the man who shook the earth and made kingdoms tremble,
17 the man who made the world a wilderness, who overthrew its cities and would not let his captives go home?”
18 All the kings of the nations lie in state, each in his own tomb.

Cross References 2

  • 1. Jeremiah 50:23; Revelation 18:9
  • 2. S Isaiah 2:19; Isaiah 13:13; Joel 3:16; Haggai 2:6,21
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