Isaiah 14:16

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

NIV Those who see you stare at you, they ponder your fate: "Is this the man who shook the earth and made kingdoms tremble,

NASB 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,

CSB 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,

NLT 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?

KJV 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;

NKJV “Those who see you will gaze at you, And consider you, saying: ‘ Is this the man who made the earth tremble, Who shook kingdoms,

What does Isaiah 14:16 mean?

The death of the king of Babylon, whichever one Isaiah is writing about, will be a challenge to the worldview of all who see it happen. Isaiah describes them coming across the king's dead body and pondering about how such a thing could have happened. Like the king himself, many people thought of the man as invincible. He was seen as an unstoppable, unmerciful force of nature. Now his body lies on the ground without even a proper burial.

This was a man who made the earth "tremble" and "shook kingdoms." Perhaps the trembling and shaking refers to the boots of his massive war machine rolling across the earth. The volume of the sound must have sounded like inevitable death to those nations terrified to be Babylon's target for destruction. How could such a man now be dead in the street?

Those in power, and those with none, must learn that all power is given by the Lord God of Israel. It is also taken away the Lord, as well. No human being is unstoppable, or bound for true glory, outside of the Lord's grace and mercy (Daniel 4:34–35; 1 Samuel 2:6).

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Context Summary
Chapter 14:3–23 contains a mocking, sarcastic dirge for the fallen king of Babylon. The song imitates the respects otherwise paid to honor a fallen king. Instead, this song describes celebration of both people and trees at his death. The fallen kings in Sheol rise to mock the man for his weakness. The king is sarcastically referred to as the "Day Star"—leading to speculation that this is also a description of Satan's fall from heaven. The fallen one had ambition to become like the Most High among the gods, but instead was cut down to nothing in his death.

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Chapter Summary
After the oracle against Babylon in the previous chapter, Isaiah briefly describes what will follow for Judah. In compassion, the Lord will choose His people once more. He will return them to their homeland. They will sing a mocking taunt-song against the fallen king of Babylon. Isaiah pronounces oracles from the Lord against Assyria and Philistia. The Lord will break the Assyrians in His land. With heavy symbolism, Isaiah seems to prophecy that the Assyrians will defeat the Philistines with a siege four years before it happens. God's people will find refuge in Zion.

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