Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee.
Parallel translations
- WEB Your pomp is brought down to Sheol, with the sound of your stringed instruments. Maggots are spread out under you, and worms cover you.
- BSB Your pomp has been brought down to Sheol, along with the music of your harps. Maggots are your bed and worms your blanket.
- NKJV Your pomp is brought down to Sheol, And the sound of your stringed instruments; The maggot is spread under you, And worms cover you.’
- NASB ‘Your pride and the music of your harps Have been brought down to Sheol; Maggots are spread out as your bed beneath you And worms are your covering.’
- NLT Your might and power were buried with you. The sound of the harp in your palace has ceased. Now maggots are your sheet, and worms your blanket.’
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
The king's pomp and music are brought down to the grave, where maggots and worms now cover him. His splendor ends in corruption and decay.
Overview
The luxury and royal pageantry that surrounded the tyrant give way to the squalor of the grave. The contrast between his former magnificence and his bed of worms drives home the vanity of pride. Such judgment on human glory points to the futility of any kingdom built apart from God.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Dan 5:25–30And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.
- Mark 9:43–48And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
- Job 24:19–20Drought and heat consume the snow waters: so doth the grave those which have sinned.
- Dan 5:1–4Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand.
- Rev 18:11–19And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:
- Isa 21:4–5My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me.
- Isa 22:2Thou that art full of stirs, a tumultuous city, a joyous city: thy slain men are not slain with the sword, nor dead in battle.
- Job 17:13–14If I wait, the grave is mine house: I have made my bed in the darkness.
- Job 21:11–15They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance.
- Isa 66:24And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.
- Amos 6:3–7Ye that put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near;
- Ezek 32:19–20Whom dost thou pass in beauty? go down, and be thou laid with the uncircumcised.
- Ezek 26:13And I will cause the noise of thy songs to cease; and the sound of thy harps shall be no more heard.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Isaiah sees him most clearly: the virgin's son Immanuel, the child on David's throne, the shoot from Jesse, the light to the nations, and above all the Suffering Servant pierced for our transgressions (ch. 53).
How Isaiah 14:11 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.