Here the dead kings address the former king of Babylonia directly and welcome him with derisive words. Modern versions do not agree on the length of their speech. It is only verse 10b in RSV/NRSV, Bible en français courant and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, but Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version include verses 10b-11 while New Jerusalem Bible has verses 10b-14. We recommend a shorter quote here as in Revised Standard Version or Good News Translation since verse 12 begins the second half of the taunt song to be sung by the people of Judah (see the introductory comments on this section [14.3-21]).

All of them will speak and say to you: The verbs speak and say may be rendered “mock” or “scorn” since that is exactly what the dead kings are doing (see verse 4).

You too have become as weak as we!: The Hebrew verb rendered become weak is often associated with being sick, but it can also refer to being in deep sorrow. For this line New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says “So you have been stricken as we were.” Revised English Bible has “So you too are impotent as we are,” which reflects a loss of power and not just physical weakness. Bible en français courant uses “You too, there you are without strength.”

You have become like us is parallel to the previous line, so it emphasizes what has happened to Babylonia’s king. Good News Translation provides a good equivalent in English with “You are one of us!” Revised English Bible says “and have become like one of us!”

For the translation of this verse consider the following models:

• All of those kings will mock and say, ‘You too, king of Babylonia, have become as weak as we are! You are [now] just like us!’

• Then the kings will laugh at the king of Babylonia. They will mock him, saying, ‘You are now just like us! You too are as powerless as we are!’

Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Sterk, Jan. A Handbook on Isaiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .