And they shall scoff at the kings, and the princes shall be a scorn unto them: they shall deride every strong hold; for they shall heap dust, and take it.
Parallel translations
- WEB Yes, he scoffs at kings, and princes are a derision to him. He laughs at every stronghold, for he builds up an earthen ramp, and takes it.
- BSB They scoff at kings and make rulers an object of scorn. They laugh at every fortress and build up siege ramps to seize it.
- NKJV They scoff at kings, And princes are scorned by them. They deride every stronghold, For they heap up earthen mounds and seize it.
- NASB “They make fun of kings, And dignitaries are an object of laughter to them. They laugh at every fortress, Then heap up dirt and capture it.
- NLT They scoff at kings and princes and scorn all their fortresses. They simply pile ramps of earth against their walls and capture them!
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Babylon scoffs at kings and rulers and laughs at fortified cities, easily overcoming them with siege ramps. It depicts the empire's contempt for all earthly defenses and powers.
Overview
No king, prince, or stronghold can withstand this nation; they mock human power and military fortification alike. The earthen ramp recalls Babylon's effective siege warfare against walled cities. Yet this very arrogance toward all authority foreshadows their guilt, for the one who derides every power forgets the God who raised them up and will bring them down.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- 2 Chr 36:6Against him came up Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and bound him in fetters, to carry him to Babylon.
- Jer 32:24Behold the mounts, they are come unto the city to take it; and the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans, that fight against it, because of the sword, and of the famine, and of the pestilence: and what thou hast spoken is come to pass; and, behold, thou seest it.
- 2 Chr 36:10And when the year was expired, king Nebuchadnezzar sent, and brought him to Babylon, with the goodly vessels of the house of the LORD, and made Zedekiah his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem.
- Isa 14:16They 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;
- 2 Kgs 25:6–7So they took the king, and brought him up to the king of Babylon to Riblah; and they gave judgment upon him.
- Jer 33:4For thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city, and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah, which are thrown down by the mounts, and by the sword;
- 2 Kgs 24:12And Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon, he, and his mother, and his servants, and his princes, and his officers: and the king of Babylon took him in the eighth year of his reign.
- Jer 52:4–7And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it, and built forts against it round about.
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Original language
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