Isaiah 14 15

Isaiah 14:15 kjv

Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

Isaiah 14:15 nkjv

Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, To the lowest depths of the Pit.

Isaiah 14:15 niv

But you are brought down to the realm of the dead, to the depths of the pit.

Isaiah 14:15 esv

But you are brought down to Sheol, to the far reaches of the pit.

Isaiah 14:15 nlt

Instead, you will be brought down to the place of the dead,
down to its lowest depths.

Isaiah 14 verses

Isaiah 14 15 meaning

Isaiah 14:15 pronounces the irreversible downfall and severe judgment upon an arrogant entity, identified in the broader context as the King of Babylon (and symbolically linked by many interpretations to Satan). Despite ambitions to ascend to the highest heavens and be like the Most High, this verse declares that the individual will be forcibly brought down to Sheol, specifically to its deepest and most desolate parts, signifying utter defeat, humiliation, and the cessation of all earthly power and glory.

Isaiah 14 15 Context

Isaiah chapter 14 primarily features a prophetic "taunt" or lament (verses 4-23) directed against the King of Babylon, specifically in anticipation of Babylon's eventual fall. This chapter opens with a promise of restoration for Israel after their captivity, which then contrasts sharply with the detailed description of the oppressive Babylonian king's impending humiliation.

Preceding Isaiah 14:15, verses 12-14 graphically portray the king's inflated pride and blasphemous ambition: he boasts of ascending to heaven, exalting his throne above God's stars, sitting on the "mount of assembly," and making himself "like the Most High." Verse 15 directly follows this extreme self-exaltation, providing the divine counter-proclamation that immediately demolishes his grand claims. The historical context reflects a time when powerful empires, like Babylon, considered their rulers divine or divinely appointed, asserting dominion over all. This prophecy is a strong polemic against such human hubris and claims of ultimate power, declaring God's sole sovereignty. The verse also finds application in Christian tradition to the original fall of Satan, the "Day Star, son of Dawn," described in earlier verses of the chapter.

Isaiah 14 15 Word analysis

• Yet (יאך - ’aḵ): This Hebrew particle functions as a strong adversative or emphatic word, often translated as "nevertheless," "surely," or "indeed." Here, it creates a stark contrast between the lofty, ambitious claims made in the preceding verses (14:13-14) and the dramatic, humiliating reality of the declared judgment. It underscores the certainty of the downfall despite the immense pride.
• thou shalt be brought down (תּוּרַד - tûradd): This is the Hophal imperfect form of the verb ירד (yarad), meaning "to go down, descend." The Hophal stem indicates a causative passive sense, meaning "you shall be made to descend" or "you shall be lowered." This highlights that the king's descent is not by his own will or power, but rather a direct action brought upon him by a greater power (God), emphasizing divine judgment and an involuntary, humiliating fall.
• to hell (אֶל־שְׁאוֹל - ’el-šĕ’ôl):
  • ’el: Preposition meaning "to" or "towards."
  • šĕ’ôl (Sheol): The Hebrew word for the abode of the dead, the underworld. It is often described as a dark, silent place from which there is no return (Psa 88:10-12). While it does not always carry the specific theological weight of eternal torment associated with the New Testament concept of Gehenna, in this prophetic context of judgment against arrogance, it signifies the cessation of life, power, and glory, a place of utter helplessness and decay, often associated with a punitive destination for the wicked (Psa 9:17).
• to the sides of the pit (אֶל־יַרְכְּתֵי בּוֹר - ’el-yarkĕṯê bôr):
  • ’el: Again, the preposition "to" or "towards."
  • yarkĕṯê (ירכתי): This is the construct plural of ירך (yārēḵ), which primarily means "thigh" or "loins." By extension, it also refers to the innermost or furthest parts, depths, recesses, or "sides" of something. Here, it denotes the deepest, most remote, and therefore most inescapable and desolate regions of the pit.
  • bôr (בור): A "pit," "cistern," "well," "dungeon," or "grave." It is frequently used in parallel with Sheol to signify the grave or the underworld, often emphasizing its confinement, darkness, and decay. Its usage alongside Sheol in this verse intensifies the destination as the absolute lowest, most profound, and most isolated place of death and ignominy.
• "to hell, to the sides of the pit" (אֶל־שְׁאוֹל תּוּרַד אֶל־יַרְכְּתֵי בּוֹר׃): This parallelism emphasizes the extremity of the king's downfall. He will not merely descend to the general realm of the dead, but to its absolute lowest, deepest, and most inaccessible depths. This imagery paints a picture of inescapable doom and utter loss of all status and power. The fall is not just significant, it is absolute.

Isaiah 14 15 Bonus section

The imagery of "Sheol" and "the pit" is central to understanding the spiritual ramifications of pride in this verse. In ancient Near Eastern thought, descending into these realms implied not just physical death but the complete loss of status, power, and memory, becoming a shadowy existence without influence. For an oppressive king who had aspired to universal dominion and godlike status, being cast into the "sides of the pit" represents the ultimate reversal of fortune, a fate worse than mere death in their cultural understanding. The profound spiritual truth herein is applicable not only to political leaders but to any individual or entity whose ambition leads to the elevation of self above God's authority. This principle, illuminated by the fate described in Isaiah 14:15, remains a crucial warning against hubris across all eras of history and human experience.

Isaiah 14 15 Commentary

Isaiah 14:15 serves as the grim counterpoint to the towering arrogance detailed in the preceding verses. The entity that boasted of ascending to God's very throne is precisely the one divinely destined for the lowest depths of Sheol, the Hebrew underworld. This pronouncement is a vivid illustration of the spiritual law that "pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall" (Pro 16:18). It underscores God's absolute sovereignty, demonstrating that no human (or spiritual) ambition can ever truly challenge His supremacy. The king's self-exaltation is met with the certainty of a forced, humiliating descent. This verse is not merely about an ancient king; it delivers a timeless theological message that all who seek to usurp divine authority or exalt themselves above their station will inevitably be brought low by God. It exemplifies a central biblical theme: God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.

• Example: Just as a building's height depends on its foundation, spiritual ascent requires humility; any self-exaltation builds on sand and invites an inevitable fall.