Isaiah 14:15
Isaiah 14:15 in Multiple Translations
But you will be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit.
Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
Yet thou shalt be brought down to Sheol, to the uttermost parts of the pit.
But you will come down to the underworld, even to its inmost parts.
But you are dragged down to the grave, into the depths of the pit.
But thou shalt bee brought downe to the graue, to the sides of the pit.
Only — unto Sheol thou art brought down, Unto the sides of the pit.
Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the depths of the pit.
Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
But yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, into the depth of the pit.
But you were not able to do that; instead, you were carried down to your grave, and you went to the place where the dead people are.
Berean Amplified Bible — Isaiah 14:15
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Isaiah 14:15 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
אַ֧ךְ
אֶל
שְׁא֛וֹל
תּוּרָ֖ד
אֶל
יַרְכְּתֵי
בֽוֹר
אַ֧ךְ
ʼak
H389
surely
DirObjM
אֶל
ʼêl
H413
to(wards)
Prep
שְׁא֛וֹל
shᵉʼôwl
H7585
hell
N-proper
תּוּרָ֖ד
yârad
H3381
to go down
V-Hophal-Imperf-3ms
אֶל
ʼêl
H413
to(wards)
Prep
יַרְכְּתֵי
yᵉrêkâh
H3411
flank
N-fd
בֽוֹר
bôwr
H953
pit
N-ms
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Isaiah 14:15
אַ֧ךְ
ʼak
H389
"surely"
DirObjM
This Hebrew word is used to emphasize something, like saying 'surely' or 'certainly'. It can also be used to limit or restrict something, like saying 'only' or 'but'.
Definition: 1) indeed, surely (emphatic) 2) howbeit, only, but, yet (restrictive)
Usage: Occurs in 157 OT verses. KJV: also, in any wise, at least, but, certainly, even, howbeit, nevertheless, notwithstanding, only, save, surely, of a surety, truly, verily, [phrase] wherefore, yet (but). See also: Genesis 7:23; 2 Kings 23:35; Psalms 23:6.
אֶל
ʼêl
H413
"to(wards)"
Prep
This Hebrew word means 'to' or 'toward', showing direction or movement. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, to indicate where someone is going. The KJV translates it in various ways, like 'about', 'according to', or 'against'.
Definition: 1) to, toward, unto (of motion) 2) into (limit is actually entered) 2a) in among 3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion) 4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character) 5) in addition to, to 6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of 7) according to (rule or standard) 8) at, by, against (of one's presence) 9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)
Usage: Occurs in 4205 OT verses. KJV: about, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in). See also: Genesis 1:9; Genesis 21:14; Genesis 31:13.
שְׁא֛וֹל
shᵉʼôwl
H7585
"hell"
N-proper
Sheol refers to the underworld or grave, a place of no return where the dead reside, as seen in the Old Testament. It is often translated as hell or pit in the KJV. This concept is mentioned in various books, including Psalms and Isaiah.
Definition: Sheol, underworld, grave, hell, pit 1a) the underworld 1b) Sheol-the OT designation for the abode of the dead 1b1) place of no return 1b2) without praise of God 1b3) wicked sent there for punishment 1b4) righteous not abandoned to it 1b5) of the place of exile (fig) 1b6) of extreme degradation in sin
Usage: Occurs in 64 OT verses. KJV: grave, hell, pit. See also: Genesis 37:35; Psalms 139:8; Psalms 6:6.
תּוּרָ֖ד
yârad
H3381
"to go down"
V-Hophal-Imperf-3ms
To go down or descend, like going to a lower place or falling. It appears in Genesis and Exodus, describing people and things moving downwards.
Definition: 1) to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to go or come down 1a2) to sink 1a3) to be prostrated 1a4) to come down (of revelation) 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to bring down 1b2) to send down 1b3) to take down 1b4) to lay prostrate 1b5) to let down 1c) (Hophal) 1c1) to be brought down 1c2) to be taken down
Usage: Occurs in 345 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] abundantly, bring down, carry down, cast down, (cause to) come(-ing) down, fall (down), get down, go(-ing) down(-ward), hang down, [idiom] indeed, let down, light (down), put down (off), (cause to, let) run down, sink, subdue, take down. See also: Genesis 11:5; Judges 3:28; 2 Kings 1:15.
אֶל
ʼêl
H413
"to(wards)"
Prep
This Hebrew word means 'to' or 'toward', showing direction or movement. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, to indicate where someone is going. The KJV translates it in various ways, like 'about', 'according to', or 'against'.
Definition: 1) to, toward, unto (of motion) 2) into (limit is actually entered) 2a) in among 3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion) 4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character) 5) in addition to, to 6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of 7) according to (rule or standard) 8) at, by, against (of one's presence) 9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)
Usage: Occurs in 4205 OT verses. KJV: about, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in). See also: Genesis 1:9; Genesis 21:14; Genesis 31:13.
יַרְכְּתֵי
yᵉrêkâh
H3411
"flank"
N-fd
This word refers to the flank or side of something, and can also mean the rear or recess. It is used in the Bible to describe borders, coasts, or the sides of objects.
Definition: 1) flank, side, extreme parts, recesses 1a) side 1b) sides, recesses (dual) Aramaic equivalent: yar.kah (יַרְכָא "thigh" H3410)
Usage: Occurs in 28 OT verses. KJV: border, coast, part, quarter, side. See also: Genesis 49:13; Isaiah 14:13; Psalms 48:3.
בֽוֹר
bôwr
H953
"pit"
N-ms
This word refers to a cistern or pit, often used to hold water or as a prison. In the Bible, it is used to describe a place of confinement, like a dungeon or well. It is a physical hole in the ground.
Definition: pit, well, cistern, dungeon, pit of the grave
Usage: Occurs in 62 OT verses. KJV: cistern, dungeon, fountain, pit, well. See also: Genesis 37:20; Proverbs 5:15; Psalms 7:16.
Study Notes — Isaiah 14:15
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Isaiah 14:15 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Isaiah 14:15
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Isaiah 14:15
- Trapp's Commentary on Isaiah 14:15
- Ellicott's Commentary on Isaiah 14:15
- Cambridge Bible on Isaiah 14:15
- Barnes' Notes on Isaiah 14:15
- Whedon's Commentary on Isaiah 14:15
- Sermons on Isaiah 14:15
Context — The Fall of the King of Babylon
13You said in your heart: “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God. I will sit on the mount of assembly, in the far reaches of the north.
14I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.”
15But you will be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit.
16Those who see you will stare; they will ponder your fate: “Is this the man who shook the earth and made the kingdoms tremble, 17who turned the world into a desert and destroyed its cities, who refused to let the captives return to their homes?”Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Matthew 11:23 | And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. |
| 2 | Ezekiel 32:23 | Her graves are set in the depths of the Pit, and her company is all around her grave. All of them are slain, fallen by the sword— those who once spread terror in the land of the living. |
| 3 | Acts 12:22–23 | And they began to shout, “This is the voice of a god, not a man!” Immediately, because Herod did not give glory to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died. |
| 4 | Luke 10:15 | And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades! |
| 5 | Revelation 19:20 | But the beast was captured along with the false prophet, who on its behalf had performed signs deceiving those who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. Both the beast and the false prophet were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. |
| 6 | Ezekiel 28:8–9 | They will bring you down to the Pit, and you will die a violent death in the heart of the seas. Will you still say, ‘I am a god,’ in the presence of those who slay you? You will be only a man, not a god, in the hands of those who wound you. |
| 7 | Isaiah 14:3–11 | On the day that the LORD gives you rest from your pain and torment, and from the hard labor into which you were forced, you will sing this song of contempt against the king of Babylon: How the oppressor has ceased, and how his fury has ended! The LORD has broken the staff of the wicked, the scepter of the rulers. It struck the peoples in anger with unceasing blows; it subdued the nations in rage with relentless persecution. All the earth is at peace and at rest; they break out in song. Even the cypresses and cedars of Lebanon exult over you: “Since you have been laid low, no woodcutter comes against us.” Sheol 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. They will all respond to you, saying, “You too have become weak, as we are; you have become like us!” Your pomp has been brought down to Sheol, along with the music of your harps. Maggots are your bed and worms your blanket. |
Isaiah 14:15 Summary
This verse, Isaiah 14:15, tells us that the one who tries to be like God will be brought down to the worst place, Sheol, the place of death and punishment. This is what happens when we try to be in charge instead of letting God be in charge, as seen in Proverbs 16:18. It's a reminder that God is the one who lifts up and brings down, and we should always be humble and recognize His power (1 Samuel 2:7-10). By trusting in God and following His ways, we can avoid the pride that leads to destruction and instead find life and salvation through Jesus Christ (John 3:16).
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean to be brought down to Sheol?
Sheol refers to the place of the dead, a place of eternal punishment, as seen in Psalms 9:17, where it says the wicked will be turned back to Sheol. In Isaiah 14:15, it signifies the ultimate downfall of Satan, the king of Babylon, who sought to exalt himself above God.
Is this verse talking about a person or Satan?
While the immediate context appears to address the king of Babylon, the language and themes used also apply to Satan, as seen in Ezekiel 28:12-19 and Isaiah 14:12-14, where the pride and fall of Satan are described.
What does the 'lowest depths of the Pit' mean?
The phrase 'lowest depths of the Pit' emphasizes the complete and utter defeat of the one being described, much like in Ezekiel 32:18-32, where Pharaoh and his army are thrown into the lowest parts of the earth, a place of shame and degradation.
How does this verse relate to God's sovereignty?
This verse demonstrates God's sovereignty over all, including the prideful and rebellious, as seen in Proverbs 16:18, where it says pride goes before destruction, and in 1 Samuel 2:9, which declares that God will guard the feet of His faithful ones, but the wicked will be silenced in darkness.
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways I have sought to elevate myself above others or above God, and how can I humbly submit to His sovereignty?
- How does the concept of Sheol and eternal punishment impact my understanding of the importance of salvation through Jesus Christ?
- In what ways can I apply the lesson of Isaiah 14:15 to my own life, recognizing the dangers of pride and the importance of humility?
- How does this verse encourage me to trust in God's justice and His ultimate triumph over evil?
Gill's Exposition on Isaiah 14:15
Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell,.... Into a very low and miserable condition; see Matthew 11:23 instead of ascending to heaven: or "to the grave"; though, inasmuch as afterwards a burial is
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Isaiah 14:15
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! -The Jews address him again as a fallen once-bright star.
Trapp's Commentary on Isaiah 14:15
Isaiah 14:15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.Ver. 15. Yet thou shalt be brought down be hell.] To the counterpoint of thy haughtiest conceits, ad infimam erebi sedem. So a merry fellow said that Xerxes, that great warrior who took upon him to control the sea, was now mending old shoes under a shop board in hell. To the sides of the pit,] i.e., Of the infernal lake: A tartesso in tartarum detrusus; from the sides of the north, whither thou hadst pierced thyself, ad latera luci, to the sides of the pit, and to an odd corner of the burying place. This was a foul fall, and worse than that of Hermannus Ferrariensis, who, having been canonised for a saint, was thirty years after unburied, and burnt for a heretic by Pope Boniface VIII, or that of Thomas a Becket, of whom, forty-eight years after he had been sainted, it was disputed among the doctors of Paris whether he were damned or saved? Adagium Homericum. Jac. Rev. Hist. Pontif., 195.
Daniel’ s History, fol. 99.
Ellicott's Commentary on Isaiah 14:15
(15) Yet thou shalt be brought . . .—We note in the use of the same words (“ the sides, or recesses,” of the pit), as in the previous verse, the contrast of an indignant sarcasm. Yes, the prophet seems to say, the proud king has found his way to those “recesses;” but they are not in heaven, but in Hades.
Cambridge Bible on Isaiah 14:15
15. thou shalt be brought down to Sheol] Such is the end of the “vaulting ambition that o’erleaps itself.” The Babylonian Hades (Aralu) seems to have been conceived as situated under the mountain of the gods. The pit means Sheol, and the sides of the pit are its inmost recesses, the most dismal part of a land of darkness. These apparently are reserved for those who have not obtained honourable burial on earth (see below on Isaiah 14:18-20).
Barnes' Notes on Isaiah 14:15
Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell - Hebrew, ‘To sheol’ (compare Isaiah 14:9). To the sides of the pit - The word ‘pit,’ here, is evidently synonymous with “hell” or “hades,” represented as a deep, dark region under ground.
Whedon's Commentary on Isaiah 14:15
15. Down to hell — To hades, as in Matthew 11:23. To the sides — To the recesses — the side burial places. The image is taken from the shelves and recesses of sepulchres.
Sermons on Isaiah 14:15
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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Hell Whats It Like - Whos Going There by David Wilkerson | In this sermon, the preacher shares a powerful story about a man who experienced a tragic accident on an oil rig. Despite being mocked by a young man prior to the accident, the inj |
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Governed by the Word of God by David Wilkerson | David Wilkerson emphasizes that if Christ is the supreme authority over His kingdom, then our lives must be governed by Him in every aspect. He explains that to be governed by Jesu |
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Sodom's Sister by David Wilkerson | In this sermon, the speaker begins by expressing his initial desire to bring a cheerful and uplifting message, but instead finds himself drawn to the 16th chapter of Ezekiel. He em |
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The Conversion of Saul of Tarsus by C.H. Spurgeon | The sermon transcript discusses the personal question that Jesus Christ asked Saul, "Why persecuteest thou me?" The preacher emphasizes that although he addresses the congregation |
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The Walk of Faith - Part 7 by Larry Ainsworth | In this sermon, the preacher recounts the story of a mother who approached Jesus in desperation to heal her demon-possessed daughter. Jesus initially ignores her, but she persists |
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The Doomed City by John MacDuff | John MacDuff preaches a powerful sermon on the consequences of neglecting God's grace and rejecting the Savior's love, using the example of Capernaum as a warning. He emphasizes th |
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(Revelation) the Banishment of Satan by Willie Mullan | In this sermon, the preacher begins by quoting a passage from the Bible about the Spirit of the Lord being upon him to preach good tidings to the meek. He then talks about the key |