Isaiah 14:9 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.

◄ Isaiah 14:9 ►

New International Version
The realm of the dead below is all astir to meet you at your coming; it rouses the spirits of the departed to greet you— all those who were leaders in the world; it makes them rise from their thrones— all those who were kings over the nations.

New Living Translation
“In the place of the dead there is excitement over your arrival. The spirits of world leaders and mighty kings long dead stand up to see you.

English Standard Version
Sheol beneath is stirred up to meet you when you come; it rouses the shades to greet you, all who were leaders of the earth; it raises from their thrones all who were kings of the nations.

Berean Standard Bible
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.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
“Hell from beneath is excited about you, To meet you at your coming; It stirs up the dead for you, All the chief ones of the earth; It has raised up from their thrones All the kings of the nations.

New American Standard Bible
“Sheol below is excited about you, to meet you when you come; It stirs the spirits of the dead for you, all the leaders of the earth; It raises all the kings of the nations from their thrones.

NASB 1995
“Sheol from beneath is excited over you to meet you when you come; It arouses for you the spirits of the dead, all the leaders of the earth; It raises all the kings of the nations from their thrones.

NASB 1977
“Sheol from beneath is excited over you to meet you when you come; It arouses for you the spirits of the dead, all the leaders of the earth; It raises all the kings of the nations from their thrones.

Legacy Standard Bible
Sheol from beneath trembles excitedly over you to meet you when you come; It wakens for you the spirits of the dead, all the leaders of the earth; It raises all the kings of the nations from their thrones.

Amplified Bible
“Sheol below is excited about you to meet you when you come [you tyrant of Babylon]; It stirs up the spirits of the dead [to greet you], all the leaders of the earth; It raises all the kings of the nations from their thrones [in astonishment at your fall].

Christian Standard Bible
Sheol below is eager to greet your coming, stirring up the spirits of the departed for you — all the rulers of the earth — making all the kings of the nations rise from their thrones.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Sheol below is eager to greet your coming. He stirs up the spirits of the departed for you— all the rulers of the earth. He makes all the kings of the nations rise from their thrones.

American Standard Version
Sheol 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.

Contemporary English Version
The world of the dead eagerly waits for you. With great excitement, the spirits of ancient rulers hear about your coming.

English Revised Version
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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Sheol below wakes up to meet you when you come. It wakes up the ghosts of the dead, all who were leaders on earth. It raises all who were kings of the nations from their thrones.

Good News Translation
"The world of the dead is getting ready to welcome the king of Babylon. The ghosts of those who were powerful on earth are stirring about. The ghosts of kings are rising from their thrones.

International Standard Version
"The afterlife below is all astir to meet you when you arrive; it rouses up the spirits of the dead to greet you— everyone who used to be world leaders. It has raised up from their thrones all who used to be kings of the nations.

Majority Standard Bible
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.

NET Bible
Sheol below is stirred up about you, ready to meet you when you arrive. It rouses the spirits of the dead for you, all the former leaders of the earth; it makes all the former kings of the nations rise from their thrones.

New Heart English Bible
Sheol from beneath has moved for you to meet you at your coming. It stirs up the dead for you, even all the rulers of the earth. It has raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.

Webster's Bible Translation
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.

World English Bible
Sheol 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.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
Sheol beneath has been troubled at you, "" To meet your coming in, "" It is waking up Rephaim for you, "" All chief ones of earth, "" It has raised up from their thrones "" All kings of nations.

Young's Literal Translation
Sheol 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.

Smith's Literal Translation
Hades from beneath was moved for thee to meet thy coming: it roused the shades for thee, all the leaders of the earth: it raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
Hell below was in an uproar to meet thee at thy coming, it stirred up the giants for thee. All the princes of the earth are risen up from their thrones, all the princes of nations.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Hell below was stirred up to meet you at your advent; it has awakened the giants for you. All the leaders of the earth have risen from their thrones, all the leaders among the nations.”

New American Bible
Below, Sheol is all astir preparing for your coming; Awakening the shades to greet you, all the leaders of the earth; Making all the kings of the nations rise from their thrones.

New Revised Standard Version
Sheol beneath is stirred up to meet you when you come; it rouses the shades to greet you, all who were leaders of the earth; it raises from their thrones all who were kings of the nations.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
Sheol beneath is murmuring at your coming; it stirs up against you all the mighty men, even all the rulers of the earth whom you overthrew from their thrones.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Sheol from beneath is bitterly provoked at your entering. She has awakened the giants against you and all the Rulers of the Earth, for she raised up from their thrones all the Kings of the nations

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
The nether-world from beneath is moved for thee To meet thee at thy coming; The shades are stirred up for thee, Even all the chief ones of the earth; All the kings of the nations Are raised up from their thrones.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Hell from beneath is provoked to meet thee: all the great ones that have ruled over the earth have risen up together against thee, they that have raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Downfall of the King of Babylon
…8Even the cypresses and cedars of Lebanon exult over you: “Since you have been laid low, no woodcutter comes against us.” 9Sheol 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. 10They will all respond to you, saying, “You too have become weak, as we are; you have become like us!”…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Ezekiel 32:21
Mighty chiefs will speak from the midst of Sheol about Egypt and her allies: ‘They have come down and lie with the uncircumcised, with those slain by the sword.’

Ezekiel 31:16
I made the nations quake at the sound of its downfall, when I cast it down to Sheol with those who descend to the Pit. Then all the trees of Eden, the choicest and best of Lebanon, all the well-watered trees, were consoled in the earth below.

Ezekiel 32:27
They do not lie down with the fallen warriors of old, who went down to Sheol with their weapons of war, whose swords were placed under their heads, whose shields rested on their bones, although the terror of the mighty was once in the land of the living.

Job 26:5
The dead tremble—those beneath the waters and those who dwell in them.

Psalm 49:14
Like sheep they are destined for Sheol. Death will be their shepherd. The upright will rule them in the morning, and their form will decay in Sheol, far from their lofty abode.

Psalm 88:10-12
Do You work wonders for the dead? Do departed spirits rise up to praise You? Selah / Can Your loving devotion be proclaimed in the grave, Your faithfulness in Abaddon? / Will Your wonders be known in the darkness, or Your righteousness in the land of oblivion?

Proverbs 9:18
But they do not know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

Proverbs 21:16
The man who strays from the path of understanding will rest in the assembly of the dead.

Revelation 20:13-14
The sea gave up its dead, and Death and Hades gave up their dead, and each one was judged according to his deeds. / Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death—the lake of fire.

Revelation 6:8
Then I looked and saw a pale green horse. Its rider’s name was Death, and Hades followed close behind. And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill by sword, by famine, by plague, and by the beasts of the earth.

Revelation 1:18
the Living One. I was dead, and behold, now I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of Death and of Hades.

Luke 16:23
In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham from afar, with Lazarus by his side.

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.

Matthew 8:12
But the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

2 Peter 2:4
For if God did not spare the angels when they sinned, but cast them deep into hell, placing them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment;

Treasury of Scripture

Hell from beneath is moved for you to meet you at your coming: it stirs up the dead for you, even all the chief ones of the earth; it has raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.

hell.

Proverbs 15:24
The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath.

is moved

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…

chief ones.

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.

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Arouses Awake Beneath Chief Dead Departed Earth Excited Greet He-Goats Hell Kings Leaders Makes Making Meet Moved Nations Nether-World Ones Raised Raises Rouses Rulers Seats Shades Sheol Spirits Stirred Stirreth Stirring Stirs Strong Thrones World

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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

Berean Study Bible

Sheol beneath
In Isaiah 14:9, the term "Sheol" refers to the abode of the dead, a concept deeply rooted in Hebrew thought. It is often depicted as a shadowy place where the departed spirits reside. The Hebrew word "Sheol" is used throughout the Old Testament to describe this underworld, a place of waiting for the final judgment. In the context of Isaiah, "Sheol beneath" is personified, suggesting an active anticipation of the arrival of the fallen king of Babylon. This imagery serves to emphasize the inevitability of divine justice and the ultimate downfall of the proud and powerful. The phrase reminds us of the transient nature of earthly power and the certainty of God's righteous judgment.

is astir
The phrase "is astir" conveys a sense of awakening or stirring to action. In the Hebrew text, the verb used here suggests movement and excitement, as if Sheol itself is animated by the impending arrival of the Babylonian king. This vivid imagery underscores the dramatic reversal of fortunes that awaits those who exalt themselves against God. The stirring of Sheol serves as a metaphor for the upheaval that occurs when God's justice is enacted. It is a powerful reminder that no one, regardless of their earthly status, can escape the consequences of their actions.

to meet you
The phrase "to meet you" implies a welcoming or greeting, but in a context that is both ironic and foreboding. The imagery suggests that the king of Babylon, who once received grand welcomes on earth, will now be greeted by the inhabitants of Sheol. This meeting is not one of honor but of derision, as the once-mighty ruler is brought low. The phrase highlights the theme of reversal that runs throughout Isaiah 14, where the proud are humbled, and the lowly are exalted. It serves as a sobering reminder of the ultimate accountability before God.

at your coming
"At your coming" refers to the moment of arrival in Sheol, marking the transition from earthly life to the afterlife. This phrase emphasizes the inevitability of death and the certainty of divine judgment. In the context of Isaiah 14, it underscores the futility of earthly pride and ambition. The king of Babylon, who once wielded great power, is now subject to the same fate as all mortals. This serves as a poignant reminder of the transient nature of human glory and the enduring reality of God's sovereign rule.

It stirs the spirits of the dead
The phrase "It stirs the spirits of the dead" evokes a scene of awakening among the deceased. The Hebrew term for "spirits of the dead" is "Rephaim," often associated with shades or ghosts in the underworld. This stirring suggests a reaction to the arrival of the Babylonian king, as if the dead themselves are roused to witness his downfall. The imagery reinforces the theme of divine justice, as even the dead are portrayed as participants in the unfolding of God's righteous judgment. It serves as a powerful reminder that God's justice transcends the boundaries of life and death.

to greet you
"To greet you" conveys a sense of irony, as the greeting in Sheol is not one of honor but of mockery. The once-mighty king, who was accustomed to grand receptions on earth, is now met with derision by the spirits of the dead. This phrase highlights the theme of reversal and the humbling of the proud. It serves as a stark reminder that earthly power and prestige are fleeting, and that true honor is found in humility and obedience to God.

all the rulers of the earth
The phrase "all the rulers of the earth" emphasizes the universality of the message. It is not only the king of Babylon who faces judgment, but all who exalt themselves against God. The rulers of the earth, who once held power and influence, are now equal in Sheol, subject to the same fate. This serves as a powerful reminder of the impartiality of God's justice and the ultimate accountability of all people, regardless of their earthly status. It underscores the biblical theme that true leadership is characterized by humility and service, in alignment with God's will.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(9) Hell from beneath is moved for thee . . .--"Hell," or Sheol, is, as elsewhere, the shadow-world, the region of the dead. Into that world the king of Babylon descends. The "dead" and the Rephaim are there, the giant-spectres, now faint and feeble (Deuteronomy 2:11; Deuteronomy 3:11), of departed forms of greatness. The verb ("it stirreth up"), which is masculine, while the noun is feminine, seems to personify Sheol, as Hades is personified in Revelation 20:14. The "chief ones" are, literally, the he-goats, or "bell-wethers" of the flock (Isaiah 34:6; Zechariah 10:3), of which Hades is the shepherd (Psalm 49:14). Even in Sheol the kings of the earth retain their former majesty, and sit on thrones apart from the vulgar dead. In Ezekiel 32:17-32 we have a reproduction of the same imagery, and the kings appear, each with his "weapons of war." The whole passage finds a striking parallel in the Assyrian legend of the Descent of Ishtar (Records of the Past, i. p. 144), where Hades is described. . . .

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 9. - Hell from beneath. The Hebrew Sheol corresponded nearly to the Greek Hades, and the Latin Inferi. It was a dismal region in the center of the earth, whither departed souls descended, and where they remained thenceforth. There were various depths in it, each apparently more dismal than the preceding; but there is no evidence that it was considered to contain any place of happiness, until after the return from the Captivity. The prophet here represents Sheol as disturbed by the advent of the Babylonian monarch, and as rousing itself to receive him. The great ones of the earth, and the kings, who are kings even in Hades, and sit upon thrones, are especially moved by the occasion, and prepare to meet and greet their brother. Personal identity and continued consciousness of it after death are assumed; and the former earthly rank of the inmates seems to be recognized and maintained. It stirreth up the dead. Hell in the aggregate - the place personified - proceeds to arouse the individual inmates, who are called re-phaim - the word commonly translated "giants" (Deuteronomy 2:11, 20; Deuteronomy 13:12; Joshua 12:4; Joshua 13:12, etc.), but meaning properly "feeble ones." The shades or ghosts of the departed were regarded as weak and nerveless, in comparison with living men (compare the Homeric εἴδωλα καμόντων). All the chief ones; literally, the he-goats (comp. Jeremiah 1:8; Jeremiah 51:40; Zechariah 10:3). Raised up from their thrones; i.e. "caused to rise up from their thrones," and stand in eager expectation of what was about to happen.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

Sheol
שְׁא֗וֹל (šə·’ō·wl)
Noun - common singular
Strong's 7585: Underworld (place to which people descend at death)

beneath
מִתַּ֛חַת (mit·ta·ḥaṯ)
Preposition-m
Strong's 8478: The bottom, below, in lieu of

is eager
רָגְזָ֥ה (rā·ḡə·zāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 7264: To be agitated, quiver, quake, be excited, perturbed

to meet you
לִקְרַ֣את (liq·raṯ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 7125: Against he come, help, meet, seek, to, in the way

upon your arrival.
בּוֹאֶ֑ךָ (bō·w·’e·ḵā)
Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

It stirs
עוֹרֵ֨ר (‘ō·w·rêr)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5782: To rouse oneself, awake

the spirits of the dead
רְפָאִים֙ (rə·p̄ā·’îm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 7496: Shades, ghosts

to greet you—
לְךָ֤ (lə·ḵā)
Preposition | second person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew

all
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the rulers
עַתּ֣וּדֵי (‘at·tū·ḏê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 6260: Prepared, full grown, of he-goats, leaders of the people

of the earth.
אָ֔רֶץ (’ā·reṣ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

It makes all
כֹּ֖ל (kōl)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the kings
מַלְכֵ֥י (mal·ḵê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 4428: A king

of the nations
גוֹיִֽם׃ (ḡō·w·yim)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 1471: A foreign nation, a Gentile, a troop of animals, a flight of locusts

rise
הֵקִים֙ (hê·qîm)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6965: To arise, stand up, stand

from their thrones.
מִכִּסְאוֹתָ֔ם (mik·kis·’ō·w·ṯām)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 3678: Seat of honor, throne

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OT Prophets: Isaiah 14:9 Sheol from beneath has moved for you (Isa Isi Is)