Isaiah 14:16
New International Version
Those who see you stare at you, they ponder your fate: “Is this the man who shook the earth and made kingdoms tremble,

New Living Translation
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?

English Standard Version
Those who see you will stare at you and ponder over you: ‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms,

Berean Standard Bible
Those who see you will stare; they will ponder your fate: “Is this the man who shook the earth and made the kingdoms tremble,

King James Bible
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;

New King James Version
“Those who see you will gaze at you, And consider you, saying:Is this the man who made the earth tremble, Who shook kingdoms,

New American Standard Bible
“Those who see you will stare at you, They will closely examine you, saying, ‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble, Who shook kingdoms,

NASB 1995
“Those who see you will gaze at you, They will ponder over you, saying, ‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble, Who shook kingdoms,

NASB 1977
“Those who see you will gaze at you, They will ponder over you, saying, ‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble, Who shook kingdoms,

Legacy Standard Bible
Those who see you will gaze at you, They will carefully consider you, saying, ‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble, Who caused kingdoms to quake,

Amplified Bible
“Those who see you will gaze at you, They will consider you, saying, ‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble, Who shook kingdoms,

Christian Standard Bible
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,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
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,

American Standard Version
They that see thee shall gaze at thee, they shall consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;

Contemporary English Version
Those who see you will stare and wonder, "Is this the man who made the world tremble and shook up kingdoms?

English Revised Version
They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, they shall consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Those who see you stare at you; they look at you closely and say, "Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook the kingdoms,

Good News Translation
The dead will stare and gape at you. They will ask, "Is this the man who shook the earth and made kingdoms tremble?

International Standard Version
"Those who see you will stare at you. They will wonder about you: 'Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who made kingdoms quake,

Majority Standard Bible
Those who see you will stare; they will ponder your fate: ?Is this the man who shook the earth and made the kingdoms tremble,

NET Bible
Those who see you stare at you, they look at you carefully, thinking: "Is this the man who shook the earth, the one who made kingdoms tremble?

New Heart English Bible
Those who see you will stare at you. They will ponder you, saying, "Is this the man who made the earth to tremble, who shook kingdoms;

Webster's Bible Translation
They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that shook kingdoms:

World English Bible
Those who see you will stare at you. They will ponder you, saying, “Is this the man who made the earth to tremble, who shook kingdoms,
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Your beholders look to you, they attend to you, "" Is this the man causing the earth to tremble, "" Shaking kingdoms?

Young's Literal Translation
Thy beholders look to thee, to thee they attend, Is this the man causing the earth to tremble, Shaking kingdoms?

Smith's Literal Translation
They seeing thee shall look upon thee, they shall attend to thee. This the man moving the earth, shaking kingdoms:
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
They that shall see thee, shall turn toward thee, and behold thee. Is this the man that troubled the earth, that shook kingdoms,

Catholic Public Domain Version
Those who see you, will lean toward you, and will gaze upon you, saying: ‘Could this be the man who disturbed the earth, who shook kingdoms,

New American Bible
When they see you they will stare, pondering over you: “Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms?

New Revised Standard Version
Those who see you will stare at you, and ponder over you: “Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms,
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Those who see you shall stare at you and consider you, saying, Is this the man who made the earth to tremble, who shook kingdoms;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Everyone who looks upon you shall gaze and they shall recognize you and they shall say: ‘This is the man who had enraged the Earth and shook kingdoms!
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
They that saw thee do narrowly look upon thee, They gaze earnestly at thee: 'Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, That did shake kingdoms;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
They that see thee shall wonder at thee, and say, This is the man that troubled the earth, that made kings to shake;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Downfall of the King of Babylon
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
Ezekiel 28:17
Your heart grew proud of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor; so I cast you to the earth; I made you a spectacle before kings.

Ezekiel 28:2
“Son of man, tell the ruler of Tyre that this is what the Lord GOD says: Your heart is proud, and you have said, ‘I am a god; I sit in the seat of gods in the heart of the sea.’ Yet you are a man and not a god, though you have regarded your heart as that of a god.

Revelation 18:9-10
Then the kings of the earth who committed sexual immorality and lived in luxury with her will weep and wail at the sight of the smoke rising from the fire that consumes her. / In fear of her torment, they will stand at a distance and cry out: “Woe, woe to the great city, the mighty city of Babylon! For in a single hour your judgment has come.”

Revelation 18:15-17
The merchants who sold these things and gained their wealth from her will stand at a distance, in fear of her torment. They will weep and mourn, / saying: “Woe, woe to the great city, clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls! / For in a single hour such fabulous wealth has been destroyed!” Every shipmaster, passenger, and sailor, and all who make their living from the sea, will stand at a distance

Revelation 18:19
Then they will throw dust on their heads as they weep and mourn and cry out: “Woe, woe to the great city, where all who had ships on the sea were enriched by her wealth! For in a single hour she has been destroyed.”

Jeremiah 50:23
How the hammer of the whole earth lies broken and shattered! What a horror Babylon has become among the nations!

Jeremiah 51:41
How Sheshach has been captured! The praise of all the earth has been seized. What a horror Babylon has become among the nations!

Lamentations 2:15-16
All who pass by clap their hands at you in scorn. They hiss and shake their heads at the Daughter of Jerusalem: “Is this the city that was called the perfection of beauty, the joy of all the earth?” / All your enemies open their mouths against you. They hiss and gnash their teeth, saying, “We have swallowed her up. This is the day for which we have waited. We have lived to see it!”

Psalm 52:7
“Look at the man who did not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his wealth and strengthened himself by destruction.”

Psalm 37:35-36
I have seen a wicked, ruthless man flourishing like a well-rooted native tree, / yet he passed away and was no more; though I searched, he could not be found.

Job 20:6-7
Though his arrogance reaches the heavens, and his head touches the clouds, / he will perish forever, like his own dung; those who had seen him will ask, ‘Where is he?’

Obadiah 1:3-4
The pride of your heart has deceived you, O dwellers in the clefts of the rocks whose habitation is the heights, who say in your heart, ‘Who can bring me down to the ground?’ / Though you soar like the eagle and make your nest among the stars, even from there I will bring you down,” declares the LORD.

Habakkuk 2:6-8
Will not all of these take up a taunt against him, speaking with mockery and derision: ‘Woe to him who amasses what is not his and makes himself rich with many loans! How long will this go on?’ / Will not your creditors suddenly arise and those who disturb you awaken? Then you will become their prey. / Because you have plundered many nations, the remnant of the people will plunder you—because of your bloodshed against man and your violence against the land, the city, and all their dwellers.

Habakkuk 2:15-16
Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbors, pouring it from the wineskin until they are drunk, in order to gaze at their nakedness! / You will be filled with shame instead of glory. You too must drink and expose your uncircumcision! The cup in the LORD’s right hand will come around to you, and utter disgrace will cover your glory.

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.


Treasury of Scripture

They that see you shall narrowly look on you, and consider you, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;

shall narrowly

Psalm 58:10,11
The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked…

Psalm 64:9
And all men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider of his doing.

is this

Isaiah 14:4,5
That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased! …

Psalm 52:7
Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness.

Jeremiah 50:23
How is the hammer of the whole earth cut asunder and broken! how is Babylon become a desolation among the nations!

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Attend Beholders Care Causing Consider Deep Earnestly Earth Fate Gaze Kingdoms Narrowly Ponder Shake Shaking Shook Stare Thee Thought Tremble Troubler
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Attend Beholders Care Causing Consider Deep Earnestly Earth Fate Gaze Kingdoms Narrowly Ponder Shake Shaking Shook Stare Thee Thought Tremble Troubler
Isaiah 14
1. God's merciful restoration of Israel
3. Their triumphant exultation over Babel
24. God's purpose against Assyria
29. Philistia is threatened














Those who see you will stare;
This phrase suggests a scene of astonishment and disbelief. In the context of Isaiah 14, this is part of a taunt against the fallen king of Babylon. The imagery of people staring indicates a dramatic reversal of fortune, where someone once powerful is now reduced to a state of humiliation. This reflects the biblical theme of divine justice, where the proud are brought low (Proverbs 16:18). The act of staring can also imply a public spectacle, emphasizing the totality of the downfall.

they will ponder your fate:
The onlookers are not just passive observers; they actively consider the implications of the fallen king's fate. This pondering suggests a moment of reflection on the transient nature of earthly power and glory. It serves as a reminder of the biblical principle that God is sovereign over the rise and fall of nations and leaders (Daniel 2:21). The fate of the king becomes a lesson in the futility of pride and the certainty of divine judgment.

“Is this the man who shook the earth
This rhetorical question underscores the contrast between the king's former power and his current state. "Shook the earth" implies a person of immense influence and might, capable of causing widespread fear and upheaval. This phrase can be connected to the broader biblical narrative of God's control over the earth and its rulers (Psalm 46:6). The question highlights the irony of a once-dreaded figure now being powerless and insignificant.

and made the kingdoms tremble,
The king's ability to make kingdoms tremble indicates his former dominance and the fear he instilled in other nations. This reflects the historical context of the Babylonian Empire, known for its military conquests and oppressive rule. The trembling of kingdoms can be seen as a metaphor for the instability and fear caused by tyrannical leadership. In a prophetic sense, this phrase can also be seen as a type of the ultimate defeat of evil, as seen in the final judgment where all earthly powers are subdued under Christ's reign (Revelation 11:15).

Persons / Places / Events
1. The Fallen King of Babylon
This passage is part of a taunt against the king of Babylon, who is depicted as having fallen from great power and influence.

2. Babylon
A significant empire in biblical history, often symbolizing pride and opposition to God.

3. The Onlookers
Those who witness the downfall of the king, representing the nations and peoples who were once under his influence.

4. Isaiah
The prophet who delivers this message, serving as God's mouthpiece to convey His judgment and plans.

5. The Earth and Kingdoms
Symbolic of the vast influence and power that the king once wielded, now reduced to nothing.
Teaching Points
The Folly of Pride
Pride leads to downfall. The king of Babylon serves as a cautionary tale of how earthly power and arrogance can lead to destruction.

God's Sovereignty
God is in control of the rise and fall of nations and leaders. No earthly power can stand against His will.

The Temporary Nature of Earthly Power
Earthly kingdoms and powers are fleeting. True and lasting power belongs to God alone.

The Importance of Humility
Believers are called to live humbly, recognizing that all authority and power are granted by God.

Reflection on Our Influence
Consider how we use the influence and power we have. Are we using it to serve God and others, or for selfish gain?(16) They that see thee . . .--The context shows that the picture before the prophet's eye is no longer the shadow-world of Hades, but the field of battle, Men look at the corpse of the mighty conqueror as it lies dishonoured, bloody, and unburied.

Verse 16. - They that see thee. Dr. Kay well observes that "here the scene of the parable is changed back to earth. The corpse of the mighty conqueror is lying unburied." Shall narrowly look upon thee. Like the inhabitants of hell (ver. 10), those of earth also shall scarcely believe their eyes. They shall look close to see if it is indeed the great king that is slain.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Those who see you
רֹאֶ֙יךָ֙ (rō·’e·ḵā)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 7200: To see

will stare;
יַשְׁגִּ֔יחוּ (yaš·gî·ḥū)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 7688: To peep, glance sharply at

they will ponder
יִתְבּוֹנָ֑נוּ (yiṯ·bō·w·nā·nū)
Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 995: To separate mentally, understand

your fate:
אֵלֶ֖יךָ (’ê·le·ḵā)
Preposition | second person masculine singular
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

“Is this
הֲזֶ֤ה (hă·zeh)
Article | Pronoun - masculine singular
Strong's 2088: This, that

the man
הָאִישׁ֙ (hā·’îš)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

who shook
מַרְגִּ֣יז (mar·gîz)
Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 7264: To be agitated, quiver, quake, be excited, perturbed

the earth
הָאָ֔רֶץ (hā·’ā·reṣ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

[and] made the kingdoms
מַמְלָכֽוֹת׃ (mam·lā·ḵō·wṯ)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 4467: Kingdom, sovereignty, dominion, reign

tremble,
מַרְעִ֖ישׁ (mar·‘îš)
Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 7493: To undulate, through fear, to spring


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OT Prophets: Isaiah 14:16 Those who see you will stare at (Isa Isi Is)
Isaiah 14:15
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