Therefore Sheol has enlarged its appetite and opened its mouth beyond measure, and the nobility of Jerusalem and her multitude will go down, her revelers and he who exults in her.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse personifies Sheol, the realm of the dead, as having an insatiable appetite, opening its mouth "beyond measure." This imagery highlights that death will claim not just the marginalized, but the entire spectrum of Jerusalem's society – its "nobility," "multitude," "revelers," and those who "exult," emphasizing the comprehensive and indiscriminate nature of the coming judgment.
Therefore Sheol has enlarged its appetite and opened its mouth beyond measure, and the nobility of Jerusalem and her multitude will go down, her revelers and he who exults in her.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Following a series of woes against the wealthy and powerful for their greed and oppression, Isaiah shifts to a more direct prophecy of judgment. This verse describes the inevitable, massive descent into the grave (Sheol) not just for the common people, but for all the "glory," "multitude," and "pomp" of Jerusalem, signifying the complete destruction of the city and its people. This imagery vividly portrays the vastness of the coming devastation, showing that the grave itself will be overwhelmed by the sheer number of the dead.
Have you ever felt like death is a gaping, endless void? Isaiah paints a vivid picture of Sheol (the grave, the realm of the dead) as a monstrous, consuming entity.
A Devouring Monster
In this verse, Sheol isn't just a passive resting place; it's personified as an active, hungry entity.
Jerusalem's 'nobility' and 'multitude,' its 'revelers' and those who 'exult' – all destined for the same fate. What does this say about human pride?
Pride Comes Before a Fall
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Isaiah directly contrasts the vibrant life and pride of Jerusalem with the desolate end awaiting them in Sheol. It’s a stark warning against trusting in worldly status and fleeting pleasures.
Understand the original words
šəʾôl · Hebrew Noun
The place of the dead, the grave, or the underworld. In this context, it is personified as a ravenous entity that consumes those who have rejected God, illustrating the finality of judgment.
Isaiah's prophecy in this verse reflects the terrifying reality of the Assyrian invasions, where the vast empire acted like an insatiable force, consuming the lives and glory of the land. It speaks to the consequences of unfaithfulness, where even the proudest would be swallowed by the 'grave' of destruction and exile.
c. 750-701 BC
Assyrian expansion and influence
The Neo-Assyrian Empire was a dominant power in the Near East, exerting significant political and military pressure on the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. This era saw periods of Assyrian invasion, tribute, and increasing control over the region.
c. 730s BC
Reign of Pekah in Israel and Ahaz in Judah
This period was marked by political instability and the Syro-Ephraimite War. Pekah of Israel allied with Syria against Judah, then ruled by Ahaz, who sought Assyrian aid.
722 BC
Fall of Samaria and end of Israel
The northern Kingdom of Israel was conquered by the Assyrian Empire under Sargon II. Its capital, Samaria, fell, and the ten tribes were exiled, leaving Judah as the sole remaining Israelite kingdom.
c. 701 BC— this verse
Assyrian invasion of Judah under Sennacherib
Sennacherib, king of Assyria, invaded Judah, conquering many cities and besieging Jerusalem. While Jerusalem itself was not captured, the event marked a period of great distress and loss for the kingdom.
This passage describes a similar insatiable 'desire' of greed and destruction, paralleling the 'enlarged appetite' of Sheol in Isaiah's prophecy.
Proverbs 30:15-16These verses speak of the insatiable demands of the grave and the barren womb, directly echoing the 'without measure' aspect of Sheol's hunger in Isaiah.
Luke 16:23In the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, Hades is depicted as a place of suffering with 'opened mouth,' reflecting the imagery of Sheol consuming its victims.
Revelation 6:8This passage introduces Death and Hades as entities that follow a rider on a pale horse, with death being given authority over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine, pestilence, and wild beasts, echoing the consuming nature of Sheol.
Job 11:8This verse refers to Sheol as being deeper than the netherworld, emphasizing its vastness and depth, which aligns with the 'enlarged' and 'opened mouth without measure' description in Isaiah.
barnesIsaiah 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 - The word transated "hell," שׁאול she'ôl, has not the same meaning that we now attach to that word; its usual signification, among the Hebrews, was "the lower world, the region of departed spirits." It corresponded to the Greek ἅδης Hadēs, "hades," or place of the dead. This word occur…
gillIsaiah 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 hath enlarged herself,.... That is, the grave, to receive the dead which die with famine and thirst; signifying that the number of the dead would be so great, that the common burying places would not be sufficient to hold them; but additions must be made to them; or some vast prodigious pit m…
The verse personifies Sheol, the realm of the dead, as having an insatiable appetite, opening its mouth "beyond measure." This imagery highlights that death will claim not just the marginalized, but the entire spectrum of Jerusalem's society – its "nobility," "multitude," "revelers," and those who "exult," emphasizing the comprehensive and indiscriminate nature of the coming judgment.
Following a series of woes against the wealthy and powerful for their greed and oppression, Isaiah shifts to a more direct prophecy of judgment. This verse describes the inevitable, massive descent into the grave (Sheol) not just for the common people, but for all the "glory," "multitude," and "pomp" of Jerusalem, signifying the complete destruction of the city and its people. This imagery vividly portrays the vastness of the coming devastation, showing that the grave itself will be overwhelmed by the sheer number of the dead.
Following a series of woes against the wealthy and powerful for their greed and oppression, Isaiah shifts to a more direct prophecy of judgment. This verse describes the inevitable, massive descent into the grave (Sheol) not just for the common people, but for all the "glory," "multitude," and "pomp" of Jerusalem, signifying the complete destruction of the city and its people. This imagery vividly portrays the vastness of the coming devastation, showing that the grave itself will be overwhelmed by the sheer number of the dead.
"Therefore Sheol has enlarged its appetite and opened its mouth beyond measure, and the nobility of Jerusalem and her multitude will go down, her revelers and he who exults in her." — The verse personifies Sheol, the realm of the dead, as having an insatiable appetite, opening its mouth "beyond measure." This imagery highlights that death will claim not just the marginalized, but…
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Last reviewed October 2026