Isaiah 14 · Verse 9

Isaiah 14:9

Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.
Isaiah 14:9, King James Version

Isaiah 14:9 in other translations

BSBSheol beneath is eager to meet you upon your arrival. It stirs the spirits of the dead to greet you— all the rulers of the earth. It makes all the kings of the nations rise from their thrones.
WEBSheol from beneath has moved for you to meet you at your coming. It stirs up the departed spirits for you, even all the rulers of the earth. It has raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.
ASVSheol from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming; it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.
YLTSheol beneath hath been troubled at thee, To meet thy coming in, It is waking up for thee Rephaim, All chiefs ones of earth, It hath raised up from their thrones All kings of nations.
DARBYSheol from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming, stirring up the dead for thee, all the he-goats of the earth; making to rise from their thrones all the kings of the nations.
BBEThe underworld is moved at your coming: the shades of the dead are awake before you, even the strong ones of the earth; all the kings of the world have got up from their seats.
WebsterHell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.

What does Isaiah 14:9 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
9. moved--put into agitation. for thee--that is, "at thee"; towards thee; explained by "to meet thee at thy coming" [Maurer]. chief ones--literally, "goats"; so rams, leaders of the flock; princes (Zec 10:3). The idea of wickedness on a gigantic scale is included (Eze 34:17; Mt 25:32, 33). Magee derives "Rephaim" (English Version, "the dead") from a Hebrew root, "to resolve into first elements"; so "the deceased" (Is 26:14) "ghosts" (Pr 21:16). These being magnified by the imagination of the living into gigantic stature, gave their name to giants in general (Ge 6:4; 14:5; Eze 32:18, 21). "Rephaim," translated in the Septuagint, "giants" (compare see on Job 26:5, 6). Thence, as the giant Rephaim of Canaan were notorious even in that guilty land, enormous wickedness became connected with the term. So the Rephaim came to be the wicked spirits in Gehenna, the lower of the two portions into which Sheol is divided.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 9 Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee - That is, Nebuchadnezzar. "It (hell) hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the earth; - the ghosts (rephaim) of all the mighty ones, or goats, (עתודי attudey), of the earth - all the oppressors of mankind." What a most terrible idea is here! Tyrannical kings who have oppressed and spoiled mankind, are here represented as enthroned in hell; and as taking a Satanic pleasure in seeing others of the same description enter those abodes of misery!

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Isaiah 14:1-23

The destruction of Babylon, and the death of its proud monarch. (Is. 14:1-23) Assurance of the destruction of Assyria. (Is. 14:24-27) The destruction of the Philistines. (Is. 14:28-32) Verses 1-23 The whole plan of Divine Providence is arranged with a view to the good of the people of God. A settlement in the land of promise is of God's mercy. Let the church receive those whom God receives. God's people, wherever…

Read the full comment on Isaiah 14:1-23 →

Isaiah 14:9 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

שְׁא֗וֹלshe.'olSheolH7585
מִתַּ֛חַתmi.Ta.chat<from> beneathH8478
רָגְזָ֥הra.ge.Zahit is excitedH7264
לְךָ֖le.Khato you
לִקְרַ֣אתlik.Ratto meetH7122
בּוֹאֶ֑ךָbo.'E.khacoming youH935
עוֹרֵ֨רo.Rerit has rousedH5782
לְךָ֤le.Khato <the> you
רְפָאִים֙re.fa.'ImshadesH7496
כָּל\־kol-allH3605
עַתּ֣וּדֵי'a.Tu.dei[the] leaders ofH6260
אָ֔רֶץ'A.retz[the] earthH776
הֵקִים֙he.Kimit has made riseH6965
מִכִּסְאוֹתָ֔םmi.kis.'o.Tamfrom thrones theirH3678
כֹּ֖לkolallH3605
מַלְכֵ֥יmal.Khei[the] kings ofH4428
גוֹיִֽם\׃go.Yim[the] nationsH1471

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Isaiah 14:9

  • Ezekiel 32:21-32

    The strong among the mighty shall speak to him out of the midst of hell with them that help him: they are gone down, they lie uncircumcised, slain by the sword. Asshur is there and all her company: his graves are about him: all of them slain, fallen by the sword: Whose graves are set in the sides of the pit, and her company is round about her grave: all of them slain, fallen by the sword, which caused terror in the land of the living. There is Elam and all her multitude round about her grave, all of them slain, fallen by the sword, which are gone down uncircumcised into the nether parts of the earth, which caused their terror in the land of the living; yet have they borne their shame with them that go down to the pit. …

  • Jeremiah 50:8

    Remove out of the midst of Babylon, and go forth out of the land of the Chaldeans, and be as the he goats before the flocks.

  • Proverbs 15:24

    The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Hell. or, The grave. from.
Pr 15:24
is moved.
Eze 32:21-32
chief ones. Heb. leaders, or, great goats.
Jer 50:8

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Isaiah 14:8

    Yea, the fir trees rejoice at thee, and the cedars of Lebanon, saying, Since thou art laid down, no feller is come up against us.

  • Isaiah 14:9

    Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.

  • Isaiah 14:10

    All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us?

Read all of Isaiah 14

Isaiah 14:9 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		El infierno abajo se espantó de ti; te despertó muertos que en tu venida saliesen á recibirte, hizo levantar de sus sillas á todos los príncipes de la tierra, á todos los reyes de las naciones.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		– Le shéol d’en bas s’émeut pour toi, te rencontrant à ta venue, réveillant pour toi les trépassés, tous les boucs de la terre, faisant lever de leurs trônes tous les rois des nations.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Der Scheol drunten ist in Bewegung um deinetwillen, deiner Ankunft entgegen; er stört deinetwegen die Schatten auf, alle Mächtigen der Erde, er läßt von ihren Thronen aufstehen alle Könige der Nationen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Infernus subter conturbatus est in occursum adventus tui; suscitavit tibi gigantes. Omnes principes terræ surrexerunt de soliis suis, omnes principes nationum.