The imagery in this verse changes although the thought it contains is parallel to that of verse 13. Here descending into the world of the dead is a metaphor for exile.

Therefore begins this verse as it did verse 13. It has the same function, namely, to introduce the result of the evils mentioned in the previous Woe Oracle(s).

Sheol has enlarged its appetite is literally “Sheol has made wide its throat.” Sheol is the Hebrew name for “the place for the dead.” It is similar to the Greek word Hades, which the Septuagint uses here. In Old Testament times there probably was not a clear distinction between a “good” and a “bad” section in Sheol, so the Christian word for “hell” is not a good equivalent. Sheol was simply the name of the place to which those who died went, and translators should try and render it that way, for example, “the world [or, place] of the dead” (so Good News Translation). It is personified here and likened to a hungry person or a monster wanting to devour the leaders and people of Jerusalem. This way of speaking of Sheol as a hungry person who is never satisfied is not unusual in the Old Testament (see Pro 30.16; Hab 2.5). In most languages such personification will be well understood, especially since this is a poetic text. Has enlarged its appetite probably means it longs to have more people to eat. If the “eating” metaphor is difficult in translation, a nonfigurative rendering such as “desires [or, welcomes] more dead” may work.

And opened its mouth beyond measure is parallel to the previous line. Here Sheol or death has a mouth opened so wide that it cannot be measured. La Bible de Jérusalem: Nouvelle édition revue et corrigée translates the first two lines literally, saying “That is why Sheol extends its throat and gapes with a [animal’s] mouth immeasurably open.” (In some languages, as in French, the mouth of a human and the mouth of an animal are different words. If so, translators may consider using the word for an animal’s mouth here.)

The nobility of Jerusalem and her multitude go down, her throng and he who exults in her: This is the result of the first two lines. Nobility refers to those who are the traditional leaders of society, for example, the tribal elders. It probably refers to the “honored men” of verse 13. Multitude is the same word as in verse 13. The third line may be rendered “the nobles of Jerusalem and her crowds go down [into it].” A throng is a large and noisy crowd. He who exults in her refers to those people who are proud to be associated with the city of Jerusalem. The Hebrew text of these two lines is literally “and go down her honor and her noisy multitude, and her uproar and those who are celebrating in her.” Four groups of people are mentioned, but there is no specific mention of Jerusalem. Grammatically speaking, the pronoun “her” could point to “Sheol” since the feminine suffixes here in Hebrew could refer to either Jerusalem or Sheol. But Jerusalem is probably in view, because it more easily fits the context of “those who are celebrating in her.” It is difficult to see dead people celebrating something in Sheol. For these two lines La Bible du Semeur has “The dignitaries of the town and its noisy crowd will descend into it together, and their joyful noise will go with them.” It combines the two groups in the last line into one. Revised English Bible also does this with “her noisy throng of revellers.” Good News Translation also combines ideas in these lines by saying “It gulps down the nobles of Jerusalem along with the noisy crowd of common people.” In a general sense Good News Translation is correct but the tendency to combine four ideas into essentially two does not reflect Isaiah’s presentation. As we noted earlier, Isaiah frequently piles up three or four synonymous terms to achieve a powerful effect. Translators should aim to achieve a similar result.

The general picture of this verse is quite clear. It presents God’s judgment on the people in terms of Sheol swallowing them up. We suggest that a fairly literal rendering will give an accurate reflection of the text; for example, New Revised Standard Version has “Therefore Sheol has enlarged its appetite and opened its mouth beyond measure; the nobility of Jerusalem and her multitude go down, her throng and all who exult in her.”

Translation possibilities for this difficult verse are:

• Therefore Sheol, the land of the dead, has opened its mouth,
opened it so wide it cannot be measured.
Down into it go the nobles of Jerusalem and her people,
her noisy crowd of those who enjoy living there.

• So the land of the dead opens its mouth,
opens it incredibly wide;
down go the nobles and the people,
the noisy crowd of all those who enjoy Jerusalem.

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 .