Yeshayah 14

1 4 For Hashem will have compassion on Ya’akov, and will yet choose Yisroel, and set them in their own adamah (land); and the ger (alien) shall be joined with them, and they shall unite themselves to the Bais Ya’akov.

2 And the nations shall take them, and bring them to their makom (place, home); and Bais Yisroel shall possess them as an inheritance in the Admat Hashem (Land of Hashem) for avadim and shifchot; and they shall take their captors captive; and they shall rule over their oppressors.

3 And it shall come to pass in the day that Hashem shall give thee rest from thy etzev (sorrow), and from thy rogez (turmoil), and from the avodah hakashah (hard bondage) wherein thou wast made to serve,

4 That thou shalt take up this mashal against Melech Bavel, and say, How hath the nogesh (oppressor) ceased! How hast fury ceased!

5 Hashem hath broken the matteh (rod) of the resha’im (wicked), and the shevet (sceptre) of the moshlim (rulers).

6 Which struck the peoples in wrath with makkat bilti sarah (a continual stroke), which ruled the Goyim in anger, with unrestrained aggression.

7 Kol ha’aretz is at rest, and is quiet; they break forth into rinnah (joyful shouts).

8 Indeed, the cypress trees rejoice over thee, and the cedars of Levanon, saying, Since thou art laid down, no hakoret ([forest] cutter) is come up against us.

9 Sheol from beneath is astir for thee to meet thee at thy coming; it stirreth up the refa’im for thee, even all the attudei aretz (he-goat world leaders); it hath raised up from their kise’ot (thrones) all the melachim of the Goyim.

10 Kullam (all of them) shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? Art thou become like unto us?

11 Thy ga’on (pomp, pride) is brought down to Sheol, and the noise of thy nevalim (harps); the rimmah (graveworm) is spread out under thee, and the tola’at (worm) covers thee.

12 How art thou fallen from Shomayim, O Heilel Ben Shachar (Bright One of the Dawn, Day Star, Lucifer)! How art thou cast down to the earth, thou, which hast laid low the Goyim!

13 For thou hast said in thine lev, I will ascend into Shomayim, I will exalt my kisse above the kokhavim (stars) of El (G-d); I will sit also upon the har mo’ed (mount of assembly), on yarketei Tzafon (on the heights of Tzafon);

14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like Elyon (the Most High).

15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the bor (pit).

16 They that see thee shall gaze at thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the ish (man) that made ha’aretz to tremble, that did shake mamlechot (kingdoms);

17 That made the tevel (world) like a midbar (desert), and overthrew the towns thereof; that would not release his prisoners to go home?

18 Kol melachim (all kings) of the Goyim, even all of them, lie in kavod, every one in his own bais (house, i.e., tomb).

19 But thou art cast out of thy kever like a rejected netzer (branch, see Mt 2:23); and your raiment is those that are slain, thrust through with a cherev, that go down to the stones of the bor (pit); as a peger (corpse) trodden under feet.

20 Thou shalt not be joined with them in kevurah (burial), because thou hast destroyed thy land, and slain thy people; the zera of ra’im (evildoers) shall never be renowned.

21 Prepare the matbe’ach (slaughterhouse) for his banim for the avon (iniquity) of their avot; that they do not rise, nor inherit eretz, nor cover the surface of the tevel (earth) with towns.

22 For I will rise up against them, saith Hashem Tzva’os, and I will cut off from Bavel the shem, and she’ar (remainder), and offspring, and posterity, saith Hashem.

23 I will also make it a possession for the hedgehog, and swamps of mayim; and I will sweep it with the mat’ate (broom) of shmad (destruction), saith Hashem Tzva’os.

24 Hashem Tzva’os hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have intended, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand;

25 That I will break Ashur (the Assyrian) in My land, and upon My harim (mountains) trample him under foot; then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden be removed from off their shekhem (shoulder).

26 This is the etzah (plan) that is purposed upon kol ha’aretz; and this is the Yad (hand) that is stretched out over kol HaGoyim (all the nations).

27 For Hashem Tzva’os hath purposed, and who shall annul it? And His Yad is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?

28 In the year of the mot HaMelech Achaz came this massa (burden, oracle);

29 Rejoice not thou, all ye of Peleshet (Philistia), because the shevet (rod) of him that struck thee is broken; for out of the shoresh nachash (snake’s root) shall spring up a viper, and its pri (fruit) shall be a fiery flying serpent.

30 And the bechorei dalim (the firstborn of the poor ones) shall eat, and the evyonim (needy ones) shall lie down in safety; and I will kill thy shoresh (root) with ra’av (famine), and it shall slay thy she’erit (remnant, survivors).

31 Wail, O sha’ar (gate); howl, O ir; all ye of Peleshet, melt away; for there shall come from the tzafon (north) an ashan (smoke), and none shall be a straggler in his ranks.

32 What shall one then answer the malachim (messengers) of the nation? That Hashem hath established Tziyon, and the afflicted of His people shall take refuge in her.

Yeshayah 14 Commentary

Chapter 14

The destruction of Babylon, and the death of its proud monarch. (1-23) Assurance of the destruction of Assyria. (24-27) The destruction of the Philistines. (28-32)

Verses 1-23 The whole plan of Divine Providence is arranged with a view to the good of the people of God. A settlement in the land of promise is of God's mercy. Let the church receive those whom God receives. God's people, wherever their lot is cast, should endeavour to recommend religion by a right and winning conversation. Those that would not be reconciled to them, should be humbled by them. This may be applied to the success of the gospel, when those were brought to obey it who had opposed it. God himself undertakes to work a blessed change. They shall have rest from their sorrow and fear, the sense of their present burdens, and the dread of worse. Babylon abounded in riches. The king of Babylon having the absolute command of so much wealth, by the help of it ruled the nations. This refers especially to the people of the Jews; and it filled up the measure of the king of Babylon's sins. Tyrants sacrifice their true interest to their lusts and passions. It is gracious ambition to covet to be like the Most Holy, for he has said, Be ye holy, for I am holy; but it is sinful ambition to aim to be like the Most High, for he has said, He who exalts himself shall be abased. The devil thus drew our first parents to sin. Utter ruin should be brought upon him. Those that will not cease to sin, God will make to cease. He should be slain, and go down to the grave; this is the common fate of tyrants. True glory, that is, true grace, will go up with the soul to heaven, but vain pomp will go down with the body to the grave; there is an end of it. To be denied burial, if for righteousness' sake, may be rejoiced in, ( Matthew 5:12 ) . But if the just punishment of sin, it denotes that impenitent sinners shall rise to everlasting shame and contempt. Many triumphs should be in his fall. God will reckon with those that disturb the peace of mankind. The receiving the king of Babylon into the regions of the dead, shows there is a world of spirits, to which the souls of men remove at death. And that souls have converse with each other, though we have none with them; and that death and hell will be death and hell indeed, to all who fall unholy, from the height of this world's pomps, and the fulness of its pleasures. Learn from all this, that the seed of evil-doers shall never be renowned. The royal city is to be ruined and forsaken. Thus the utter destruction of the New Testament Babylon is illustrated, ( Revelation 18:2 ) . When a people will not be made clean with the besom of reformation, what can they expect but to be swept off the face of the earth with the besom of destruction?

Verses 24-27 Let those that make themselves a yoke and a burden to God's people, see what they are to expect. Let those that are the called according to God's purpose, comfort themselves, that whatever God has purposed, it shall stand. The Lord of hosts has purposed to break the Assyrian's yoke; his hand is stretched out to execute this purpose; who has power to turn it back? By such dispensations of providence, the Almighty shows in the most convincing manner, that sin is hateful in his sight.

Verses 28-32 Assurance is given of the destruction of the Philistines and their power, by famine and war. Hezekiah would be more terrible to them than Uzziah had been. Instead of rejoicing, there would be lamentation, for the whole land would be ruined. Such destruction will come upon the proud and rebellious, but the Lord founded Zion for a refuge to poor sinners, who flee from the wrath to come, and trust in his mercy through Christ Jesus. Let us tell all around of our comforts and security, and exhort them to seek the same refuge and salvation.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 14

This chapter contains prophecies of the restoration of the Jews, of the fall of the king of Babylon, and the destruction of the Assyrian empire, and of the ruin of Palestine. The moving cause of the restoration of the Jews, and their settlement in their own land, is the distinguishing mercy of God towards them; the accomplishment of it, proselytes joined unto them; the means, people of other nations, who should bring them into it, and whom they should possess and rule over; and the consequence of it, rest from sorrow, fear, and hard bondage, Isa 14:1-3 upon which they are introduced as taking up a proverb, or a triumphant song, concerning the king of Babylon, wondering at his fall, and ascribing it to the Lord, Isa 14:4,5 representing the inhabitants of the earth, and great men of it, as at peace, and rest, and rejoicing, who before were continually disturbed, and smitten by him, Isa 14:6-8 introducing the dead, and those in hell, meeting him, and welcoming him into their regions, with taunts and jeers; upbraiding him with his weakness, shame, and disgrace he was come into; putting him in mind of his former pomp and splendour, pride, arrogance, and haughtiness, Isa 14:9-15 spectators are brought in, as amazed at the low, mean, and despicable condition he was brought into, considering what he had done in the world, in kingdoms and cities, but was now denied a burial, when other kings lay in their pompous sepulchres, Isa 14:16-20 and then it is foretold that that whole royal family should be cut off, and Babylon, the metropolis of his kingdom, should be utterly destroyed, Isa 14:21-23 all which was settled and fixed by the purpose of God, which could not be made void, Isa 14:24-27 and next follows a prophecy of the destruction of Palestine; the date of the prophecy is given Isa 14:28 the inhabitants of Palestine are bid not to rejoice at the death of one of the kings of Judah, since another should arise, who would be fatal to them, Isa 14:29 and while the Jews would be in safety, they would be destroyed by famine and war, Isa 14:30,31 from all which it would appear, and it might be told the messengers of the nations, or any inquiring persons, that Zion is of the Lord's founding, and under his care and protection, and that his people have great reason and encouragement to trust in him, Isa 14:32.