Isaiah 5:14

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.

Therefore hell {H7585} hath enlarged {H7337} herself {H5315}, and opened {H6473} her mouth {H6310} without measure {H2706}: and their glory {H1926}, and their multitude {H1995}, and their pomp {H7588}, and he that rejoiceth {H5938}, shall descend {H3381} into it.

Therefore Sh'ol has enlarged itself and opened its limitless jaws - and down go their nobles and masses, along with their noise and revels.

Therefore Sheol enlarges its throat and opens wide its enormous jaws, and down go Zion’s nobles and masses, her revelers and carousers!

Therefore Sheol hath enlarged its desire, and opened its mouth without measure; and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth among them, descend into it.

Commentary on Isaiah 5:14 (KJV)

Isaiah 5:14 delivers a stark prophetic warning, describing the inevitable consequence of the sins detailed in the preceding verses. It paints a vivid, almost personified, picture of destruction awaiting those who abandon God's ways.

Context

This verse is part of the "Song of the Vineyard" (Isaiah 5:1-7) and the subsequent "Woes" pronounced against the people of Judah and Jerusalem (Isaiah 5:8-23). The prophet Isaiah condemns various societal ills: greed, drunkenness, revelry, moral perversion, arrogance, and scoffing at God's work. Verse 14 serves as a direct and graphic consequence for these actions, particularly the heedlessness and pride described in Isaiah 5:12 and the captivity mentioned in Isaiah 5:13. The judgment depicted here foreshadows the coming exiles by Assyria and Babylon.

Key Themes

  • Divine Judgment: The verse underscores God's righteous judgment against sin. The "enlarged hell" is a metaphor for the vast and inescapable doom that will engulf the unrepentant.
  • Consequences of Sin: It powerfully illustrates that sin has severe and unavoidable consequences. The indulgence and moral decay described earlier lead directly to this catastrophic outcome.
  • Vanity of Worldly Glory: The passage highlights the futility of human "glory," "multitude," and "pomp" when faced with God's judgment. All earthly achievements and celebrations are shown to be transient and ultimately worthless in the face of divine wrath. This echoes the sentiment found in Ecclesiastes 1:2, "Vanity of vanities; all is vanity."
  • Inescapability of Destruction: The imagery of "hell" opening its mouth "without measure" conveys an insatiable and all-consuming destruction from which there is no escape.

Linguistic Insights

The term "hell" in this King James Version translation comes from the Hebrew word Sheol (שְׁאוֹל). In the Old Testament, Sheol generally refers to the grave, the realm of the dead, or the underworld, which is a place of darkness and silence. It is not necessarily the New Testament concept of eternal punishment, but rather a place of destruction, separation, and utter ruin. Here, Sheol is personified as an insatiable monster, consuming everything in its path, emphasizing the totality and severity of the impending doom.

Practical Application

Isaiah 5:14 serves as a timeless warning against the dangers of materialism, pride, moral compromise, and spiritual apathy. It reminds us that:

  • Worldly pursuits are fleeting: Our "glory," "multitude" (numbers, influence), and "pomp" (splendor, ostentation) are temporary and offer no protection from the consequences of unrighteous living.
  • God's justice is certain: Though judgment may seem delayed, it is inevitable for those who persistently reject God's ways and scoff at His warnings. This aligns with the biblical principle that the wages of sin is death.
  • Humility and righteousness are essential: Instead of seeking worldly acclaim, believers are called to live lives of humility, righteousness, and obedience to God, understanding that true security and lasting joy are found only in Him.

This verse challenges us to examine our priorities and ensure that our lives are built on a foundation that will endure God's scrutiny, rather than on the shifting sands of worldly success and fleeting pleasures.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Luke 21:34

    And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and [so] that day come upon you unawares.

  • Habakkuk 2:5

    ¶ Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, [he is] a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and [is] as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people:

  • Proverbs 30:16

    The grave; and the barren womb; the earth [that] is not filled with water; and the fire [that] saith not, [It is] enough.

  • Matthew 7:13

    Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide [is] the gate, and broad [is] the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

  • Proverbs 27:20

    ¶ Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.

  • Psalms 55:15

    Let death seize upon them, [and] let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness [is] in their dwellings, [and] among them.

  • Revelation 20:13

    And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

Add TrulyRandomVerse to your Home Screen for quick access!

← Back