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"Hell," here, stands not for future punishment. The word "Sheol" in Hebrew, "Hades" in Greek, and "Hell" in this verse, represent the place of the dead — the grave. This place of the dead is spoken of in the Bible as a very deep place (Deuteronomy 32:22; Job 11:8; Psalm 139:7, 8). As a very dark place (Job 10:21, 22). And as a place having gates into it (Isaiah 38:10).

I. THE GROWING POWER OF THE GRAVE. The grave is here represented as having "enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure." The words refer, undoubtedly, to a period when, through famine, pestilence, or war, mortality was on the increase. This increase of mortality teaches us —

1. The fruitlessness of all human efforts to avert death. Men have been struggling against death for six thousand years, and his dominion is wider today than ever.

2. How soon we shall be in the grave world. The mouth is opening for us; it is yawning at our feet.

II. THE LEVELLING POWER OF THE GRAVE. "And their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it. And the mean man shall be brought down, and the mighty man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled." Learn from this —

1. How foolish it is to be proud of adventitious distinctions. They are only as flowers of the field, evanescent forms, and hues that variegate the common grass.

2. How important to seek an alliance with the eternally great and good. Seek "a city which hath foundations," a kingdom that cannot be shaken.

III. THE ETERNAL SOVEREIGN OF THE GRAVE. "But the Lord of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness."

1. He survives all dissolutions.

2. He will be increasingly honoured. "The Lord of hosts shall be exalted in judgment."

(Homilist.)

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KJV: Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it.

WEB: Therefore Sheol has enlarged its desire, and opened its mouth without measure; and their glory, their multitude, their pomp, and he who rejoices among them, descend into it.