Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.
-The scene changes from earth to hell-Sheol or Hades, the unseen abode of the departed. Some of its tenants, once mighty monarchs, are represented by a bold personification as rising from their seats in astonishment at the descent among them of the humbled King of Babylon. This proves, in opposition to Warburton, 'Divine Legation,' that the belief existed among the Jews that there was a Sheol or Hades, in which the "Rephaim," or manes of the departed, abode.
Verse 9. Hell from beneath is moved - put into agitation.
For thee - i:e., at thee; toward thee: explained by "to meet thee at thy coming."
It stirreth up the dead for thee, (even) all the chief ones - literally, goats: so rams, leaders of the flock: princes (Zechariah 10:3). The idea of wickedness on a gigantic scale is included (Ezekiel 34:17; Matthew 25:32-33). Magee derives Rephaim (the English version, "the dead") from a Hebrew root, raapah (H7503), to resolve into first elements: so the deceased (Isaiah 26:14), ghosts (Proverbs 21:16). These being magnified by the imagination of the living into gigantic stature, gave their name to giants in general (Genesis 6:4; Genesis 14:5; Ezekiel 32:18; Ezekiel 32:21). "Rephaim" is translated in the Septuagint, giants (cf. note, Job 26:5-6). Thence, as the giant Rephaim of Canaan were notorious even in that guilty land, enormous wickedness became connected with the term. So the Rephaim came to be the wicked spirits in Gehenna, the lower of the two portions into which Sheol is divided. Gesenius connects the national Rephaim with an Arabic root, 'tail.' This may have been the original idea. Then giants in guilt, whose place is in Gehenna with fallen spirits. So the "manes" in general.
Verse 10. They taunt him, and derive from his calamity consolation under their own (Ezekiel 31:16).
Art thou also become weak as we? - as a shade bereft of blood and life. Rephaim, "the dead," may come from a Hebrew root, raapaah (H7497), meaning, similarly, feeble, powerless. The speech of the departed closes with next verse.
Verse 11. Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols. "Pomp" and music, the accompaniment of Babylon's former feastings (Isaiah 5:12; Isaiah 24:8), give place to corruption and the stillness of the grave (Ezekiel 32:27).
The worm is spread under thee - "the worm" ( rimaah (H7415)) that is bred in putridity.
And the worms - properly, those from which the crimson dye is obtained. The same word as in Isaiah 1:18, towlee`aah (H8438). Appropriate here; instead of the crimson coverlet, over thee shall be "worms." Instead of the gorgeous couch, "under thee" shall be the maggot.