17 Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you have corrupted your wisdom by reason of your brightness: I have cast you to the ground; I have laid you before kings, that they may see you.
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty,.... Riches, wealth, power, and authority; see Ezekiel 28:5, as the pope of Rome is, because of his dignity, the pomp and splendour of the Roman church, and the gaudy appearance it makes:
thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness; outward lustre and glory, which dazzled his eyes so that he could not see things in a true light; but neglecting the word of God, and setting up his own infallibility, corrupted his doctrine and worship, and became foolish, stupid, and sottish:
I will cast thee to the ground; from the throne and pinnacle of honour, to the lowest state and condition:
and I will lay thee before kings: prostrate at the feet of them, who heretofore has set his feet on the necks of them; or he shall fall before them, and be destroyed by them, when they shall hate the whore, and make her desolate, and burn her flesh with fire, Revelation 17:16, that they may behold thee; with contempt and disdain, and as an instance and example of divine vengeance.
brightness--thy splendor.
lay thee before kings--as an example of God's wrath against presumptuous pride.
Corrupted - Depraved, or lost thy wisdom. Behold thee - That thou mayst be a spectacle, and warning to them.
*More commentary available at chapter level.