Worthy.Bible » STRONG » Isaiah » Chapter 14 » Verse 4-23

Isaiah 14:4-23 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

4 That thou shalt take up H5375 this proverb H4912 against the king H4428 of Babylon, H894 and say, H559 How hath the oppressor H5065 ceased! H7673 the golden city H4062 ceased! H7673

5 The LORD H3068 hath broken H7665 the staff H4294 of the wicked, H7563 and the sceptre H7626 of the rulers. H4910

6 He who smote H5221 the people H5971 in wrath H5678 with a continual H1115 H5627 stroke, H4347 he that ruled H7287 the nations H1471 in anger, H639 is persecuted, H4783 and none H1097 hindereth. H2820

7 The whole earth H776 is at rest, H5117 and is quiet: H8252 they break forth H6476 into singing. H7440

8 Yea, the fir trees H1265 rejoice H8055 at thee, and the cedars H730 of Lebanon, H3844 saying, Since thou art laid down, H7901 no feller H3772 is come up H5927 against us.

9 Hell H7585 from beneath is moved H7264 for thee to meet H7125 thee at thy coming: H935 it stirreth up H5782 the dead H7496 for thee, even all the chief ones H6260 of the earth; H776 it hath raised up H6965 from their thrones H3678 all the kings H4428 of the nations. H1471

10 All they shall speak H6030 and say H559 unto thee, Art thou also become weak H2470 as we? art thou become like H4911 unto us?

11 Thy pomp H1347 is brought down H3381 to the grave, H7585 and the noise H1998 of thy viols: H5035 the worm H7415 is spread H3331 under thee, and the worms H8438 cover H4374 thee.

12 How art thou fallen H5307 from heaven, H8064 O Lucifer, H1966 son H1121 of the morning! H7837 H3213 how art thou cut down H1438 to the ground, H776 which didst weaken H2522 the nations! H1471

13 For thou hast said H559 in thine heart, H3824 I will ascend H5927 into heaven, H8064 I will exalt H7311 my throne H3678 above H4605 the stars H3556 of God: H410 I will sit H3427 also upon the mount H2022 of the congregation, H4150 in the sides H3411 of the north: H6828

14 I will ascend H5927 above the heights H1116 of the clouds; H5645 I will be like H1819 the most High. H5945

15 Yet thou shalt be brought down H3381 to hell, H7585 to the sides H3411 of the pit. H953

16 They that see H7200 thee shall narrowly look H7688 upon thee, and consider H995 thee, saying, Is this the man H376 that made the earth H776 to tremble, H7264 that did shake H7493 kingdoms; H4467

17 That made H7760 the world H8398 as a wilderness, H4057 and destroyed H2040 the cities H5892 thereof; that opened H6605 not the house H1004 of his prisoners? H615

18 All the kings H4428 of the nations, H1471 even all of them, lie H7901 in glory, H3519 every one H376 in his own house. H1004

19 But thou art cast out H7993 of thy grave H6913 like an abominable H8581 branch, H5342 and as the raiment H3830 of those that are slain, H2026 thrust through H2944 with a sword, H2719 that go down H3381 to the stones H68 of the pit; H953 as a carcase H6297 trodden under feet. H947

20 Thou shalt not be joined H3161 with them in burial, H6900 because thou hast destroyed H7843 thy land, H776 and slain H2026 thy people: H5971 the seed H2233 of evildoers H7489 shall never H5769 be renowned. H7121

21 Prepare H3559 slaughter H4293 for his children H1121 for the iniquity H5771 of their fathers; H1 that they do not H1077 rise, H6965 nor possess H3423 the land, H776 nor fill H4390 the face H6440 of the world H8398 with cities. H6145 H5892

22 For I will rise up H6965 against them, saith H5002 the LORD H3068 of hosts, H6635 and cut off H3772 from Babylon H894 the name, H8034 and remnant, H7605 and son, H5209 and nephew, H5220 saith H5002 the LORD. H3068

23 I will also make H7760 it a possession H4180 for the bittern, H7090 and pools H98 of water: H4325 and I will sweep H2894 it with the besom H4292 of destruction, H8045 saith H5002 the LORD H3068 of hosts. H6635

Commentary on Isaiah 14 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible


CHAPTER 14

Isa 14:1-3. The Certainty of Deliverance from Babylon.

Isa 14:4-23. The Jews' Triumphal Song Thereat.

"It moves in lengthened elegiac measure like a song of lamentation for the dead, and is full of lofty scorn" [Herder].

Isa 14:24-27. Confirmation of This by the Hereforetold Destruction of the Assyrians under Sennacherib;

a pledge to assure the captives in Babylon that He who, with such ease, overthrew the Assyrian, could likewise effect His purpose as to Babylon. The Babylonian king, the subject of this prediction, is Belshazzar, as representative of the kingdom (Da 5:1-31).

1. choose—"set His choice upon." A deliberate predilection [Horsley]. Their restoration is grounded on their election (see Ps 102:13-22).

strangers—proselytes (Es 8:17; Ac 2:10; 17:4, 17). Tacitus, a heathen [Histories, 5.5], attests the fact of numbers of the Gentiles having become Jews in his time. An earnest of the future effect on the heathen world of the Jews' spiritual restoration (Isa 60:4, 5, 10; Mic 5:7; Zec 14:16; Ro 11:12).

2. the people—of Babylon, primarily. Of the whole Gentile world ultimately (Isa 49:22; 66:20; 60:9).

their place—Judea (Ezr 1:1-6).

possess—receive in possession.

captives—not by physical, but by moral might; the force of love, and regard to Israel's God (Isa 60:14).

3. rest—(Isa 28:12; Eze 28:25, 26).

Isa 14:4-8. A Chorus of Jews Express Their Joyful Surprise at Babylon's Downfall.

The whole earth rejoices; the cedars of Lebanon taunt him.

4. proverb—The Orientals, having few books, embodied their thoughts in weighty, figurative, briefly expressed gnomes. Here a taunting song of triumph (Mic 2:4; Hab 2:6).

the king—the ideal representative of Babylon; perhaps Belshazzar (Da 5:1-31). The mystical Babylon is ultimately meant.

golden city—rather, "the exactress of gold" [Maurer]. But the old translators read differently in the Hebrew, "oppression," which the parallelism favors (compare Isa 3:5).

5. staff—not the scepter (Ps 2:9), but the staff with which one strikes others, as he is speaking of more tyrants than one (Isa 9:4; 10:24; 14:29) [Maurer].

rulers—tyrants, as the parallelism "the wicked" proves (compare see on Isa 13:2).

6. people—the peoples subjected to Babylon.

is persecuted—the Hebrew is rather, active, "which persecuted them, without any to hinder him" [Vulgate, Jerome, and Horsley].

7. they—the once subject nations of the whole earth. Houbigant places the stop after "fir trees" (Isa 14:8), "The very fir trees break forth," &c. But the parallelism is better in English Version.

8. the fir trees—now left undisturbed. Probably a kind of evergreen.

rejoice at thee—(Ps 96:12). At thy fall (Ps 35:19, 24).

no feller—as formerly, when thou wast in power (Isa 10:34; 37:24).

Isa 14:9-11. The Scene Changes from Earth to Hell.

Hades (the Amenthes of Egypt), 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 [The 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.

9. moved—put into agitation.

for thee—that is, "at thee"; towards thee; explained by "to meet thee at thy coming" [Maurer].

chief ones—literally, "goats"; so rams, leaders of the flock; princes (Zec 10:3). The idea of wickedness on a gigantic scale is included (Eze 34:17; Mt 25:32, 33). Magee derives "Rephaim" (English Version, "the dead") from a Hebrew root, "to resolve into first elements"; so "the deceased" (Isa 26:14) "ghosts" (Pr 21:16). These being magnified by the imagination of the living into gigantic stature, gave their name to giants in general (Ge 6:4; 14:5; Eze 32:18, 21). "Rephaim," translated in the Septuagint, "giants" (compare see on 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.

10. They taunt him and derive from his calamity consolation under their own (Eze 31:16).

weak—as a shade bereft of blood and life. Rephaim, "the dead," may come from a Hebrew root, meaning similarly "feeble," "powerless." The speech of the departed closes with Isa 14:11.

11. "Pomp" and music, the accompaniment of Babylon's former feastings (Isa 5:12; 24:8), give place to the corruption and the stillness of the grave (Eze 32:27).

worm—that is bred in putridity.

worms—properly those from which the crimson dye is obtained. Appropriate here; instead of the crimson coverlet, over thee shall be "worms." Instead of the gorgeous couch, "under thee" shall be the maggot.

Isa 14:12-15. The Jews Address Him Again as a Fallen Once-bright Star.

The language is so framed as to apply to the Babylonian king primarily, and at the same time to shadow forth through him, the great final enemy, the man of sin, Antichrist, of Daniel, St. Paul, and St. John; he alone shall fulfil exhaustively all the lineaments here given.

12. Lucifer—"day star." A title truly belonging to Christ (Re 22:16), "the bright and morning star," and therefore hereafter to be assumed by Antichrist. Gesenius, however, renders the Hebrew here as in Eze 21:12; Zec 11:2, "howl."

weaken—"prostrate"; as in Ex 17:13, "discomfit."

13. above … God—In Da 8:10, "stars" express earthly potentates. "The stars" are often also used to express heavenly principalities (Job 38:7).

mount of the congregation—the place of solemn meeting between God and His people in the temple at Jerusalem. In Da 11:37, and 2Th 2:4, this is attributed to Antichrist.

sides of the north—namely, the sides of Mount Moriah on which the temple was built; north of Mount Zion (Ps 48:2). However, the parallelism supports the notion that the Babylonian king expresses himself according to his own, and not Jewish opinions (so in Isa 10:10) thus "mount of the congregation" will mean the northern mountain (perhaps in Armenia) fabled by the Babylonians to be the common meeting-place of their gods. "Both sides" imply the angle in which the sides meet; and so the expression comes to mean "the extreme parts of the north." So the Hindus place the Meru, the dwelling-place of their gods, in the north, in the Himalayan mountains. So the Greeks, in the northern Olympus. The Persian followers of Zoroaster put the Ai-bordsch in the Caucasus north of them. The allusion to the stars harmonizes with this; namely, that those near the North Pole, the region of the aurora borealis (compare see on Job 23:9; Job 37:22) [Maurer, Septuagint, Syriac].

14. clouds—rather, "the cloud," singular. Perhaps there is a reference to the cloud, the symbol of the divine presence (Isa 4:5; Ex 13:21). So this tallies with 2Th 2:4, "above all that is called God"; as here "above … the cloud"; and as the Shekinah-cloud was connected with the temple, there follows, "he as God sitteth in the temple of God," answering to "I will be like the Most High" here. Moreover, Re 17:4, 5, represents Antichrist as seated in Babylon, to which city, literal and spiritual, Isaiah refers here.

15. to hell—to Sheol (Isa 14:6), thou who hast said, "I will ascend into heaven" (Mt 11:23).

sides of the pit—antithetical to the "sides of the north" (Isa 14:13). Thus the reference is to the sides of the sepulcher round which the dead were arranged in niches. But Maurer here, as in Isa 14:13, translates, "the extreme," or innermost parts of the sepulchre: as in Eze 32:23 (compare 1Sa 24:3).

Isa 14:16-20. The Passers-by Contemplate with Astonishment the Body of the King of Babylon Cast Out, Instead of Lying in a Splendid Mausoleum, and Can Hardly Believe Their Senses that It Is He.

16. narrowly look—to be certain they are not mistaken.

consider—"meditate upon" [Horsley].

17. opened not … house … prisoners—But Maurer, as Margin, "Did not let his captives loose homewards."

18. All—that is, This is the usual practice.

in glory—in a grand mausoleum.

house—that is, "sepulchre," as in Ec 12:5; "grave" (Isa 14:19). To be excluded from the family sepulcher was a mark of infamy (Isa 34:3; Jer 22:19; 1Ki 13:22; 2Ch 21:20; 24:25; 28:27).

19. cast out of—not that he had lain in the grave and was then cast out of it, but "cast out without a grave," such as might have been expected by thee ("thy").

branch—a useless sucker starting up from the root of a tree, and cut away by the husbandman.

raiment of those … slain—covered with gore, and regarded with abhorrence as unclean by the Jews. Rather, "clothed (that is, covered) with the slain"; as in Job 7:5, "My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust" [Maurer].

thrust through—that is, "the slain who have been thrust through," &c.

stones of … pit—whose bodies are buried in sepulchres excavated amidst stones, whereas the king of Babylon is an unburied "carcass trodden under foot."

20. not … joined with them—whereas the princes slain with thee shall be buried, thou shalt not.

thou … destroyed … land—Belshazzar (or Naboned) oppressed his land with wars and tyranny, so that he was much hated [Xenophon, Cyropædia 4.6, 3; 7.5, 32].

seed … never be renowned—rather, "shall not be named for ever"; the Babylonian dynasty shall end with Belshazzar; his family shall not be perpetuated [Horsley].

Isa 14:21-23. God's Determination to Destroy Babylon.

21. Prepare, &c.—charge to the Medes and Persians, as if they were God's conscious instruments.

his children—Belshazzar's (Ex 20:5).

rise—to occupy the places of their fathers.

fill … with cities—Maurer translates, "enemies," as the Hebrew means in 1Sa 28:16; Ps 139:20; namely, lest they inundate the world with their armies. Vitringa translates, "disturbers." In English Version the meaning is, "lest they fill the land with such cities" of pride as Babylon was.

22. against them—the family of the king of Babylon.

name—all the male representatives, so that the name shall become extinct (Isa 56:5; Ru 4:5).

remnant—all that is left of them. The dynasty shall cease (Da 5:28-31). Compare as to Babylon in general, Jer 51:62.

23. bittern—rather, "the hedgehog" [Maurer and Gesenius]. Strabo (16:1) states that enormous hedgehogs were found in the islands of the Euphrates.

pools—owing to Cyrus turning the waters of the Euphrates over the country.

besom—sweep-net [Maurer], (1Ki 14:10; 2Ki 21:13).

Isa 14:24-27. A Fragment as to the Destruction of the Assyrians under Sennacherib.

This would comfort the Jews when captives in Babylon, being a pledge that God, who had by that time fulfilled the promise concerning Sennacherib (though now still future), would also fulfil His promise as to destroying Babylon, Judah's enemy.

24. In this verse the Lord's thought (purpose) stands in antithesis to the Assyrians' thoughts (Isa 10:7). (See Isa 46:10, 11; 1Sa 15:29; Mal 3:6).

25. That—My purpose, namely, "that."

break … yoke—(Isa 10:27).

my mountains—Sennacherib's army was destroyed on the mountains near Jerusalem (Isa 10:33, 34). God regarded Judah as peculiarly His.

26. This is … purpose … whole earth—A hint that the prophecy embraces the present world of all ages in its scope, of which the purpose concerning Babylon and Assyria, the then representatives of the world power, is but a part.

hand … stretched out upon—namely, in punishment (Isa 5:25).

27. (Da 4:35).

Isa 14:28-32. Prophecy against Philistia.

To comfort the Jews, lest they should fear that people; not in order to call the Philistines to repentance, since the prophecy was probably never circulated among them. They had been subdued by Uzziah or Azariah (2Ch 26:6); but in the reign of Ahaz (2Ch 28:18), they took several towns in south Judea. Now Isaiah denounces their final subjugation by Hezekiah.

28. In … year … Ahaz died—726 B.C. Probably it was in this year that the Philistines threw off the yoke put on them by Uzziah.

29. Palestina—literally, "the land of sojourners."

rod … broken—The yoke imposed by Uzziah (2Ch 26:6) was thrown off under Ahaz (2Ch 28:18).

serpent's root—the stock of Jesse (Isa 11:1). Uzziah was doubtless regarded by the Philistines as a biting "serpent." But though the effects of his bite have been got rid of, a more deadly viper, or "cockatrice" (literally, "viper's offspring," as Philistia would regard him), namely, Hezekiah awaits you (2Ki 18:8).

30. first-born of … poor—Hebraism, for the most abject poor; the first-born being the foremost of the family. Compare "first-born of death" (Job 18:13), for the most fatal death. The Jews, heretofore exposed to Philistine invasions and alarms, shall be in safety. Compare Ps 72:4, "Children of the needy," expressing those "needy in condition."

feed—image from a flock feeding in safety.

root—radical destruction.

He shall slay—Jehovah shall. The change of person, "He" after "I," is a common Hebraism.

31. gate—that is, ye who throng the gate; the chief place of concourse in a city.

from … north—Judea, north and east of Palestine.

smoke—from the signal-fire, whereby a hostile army was called together; the Jews' signal-fire is meant here, the "pillar of cloud and fire," (Ex 13:21; Ne 9:19); or else from the region devastated by fire [Maurer]. Gesenius less probably refers it to the cloud of dust raised by the invading army.

none … alone … in … appointed times—Rather, "There shall not be a straggler among his (the enemy's) levies." The Jewish host shall advance on Palestine in close array; none shall fall back or lag from weariness (Isa 5:26, 27), [Lowth]. Maurer thinks the Hebrew will not bear the rendering "levies" or "armies." He translates, "There is not one (of the Philistine watch guards) who will remain alone (exposed to the enemy) at his post," through fright. On "alone," compare Ps 102:7; Ho 8:9.

32. messengers of the nation—When messengers come from Philistia to enquire as to the state of Judea, the reply shall be, that the Lord … (Ps 87:1, 5; 102:16).

poor—(Zep 3:12).