Isaiah 14:5

5 The Lord hath all-broken the staff of wicked men, the rod of lords,

Isaiah 14:5 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 14:5

The Lord hath broken the staff of the wicked
This is an answer to the above question, how the exactor and his tribute came to cease; this was not by man, but by the Lord himself; for though he made use of Cyrus, the work was his own, he broke the power of the wicked kings of Babylon: [and] the sceptre of the rulers;
that were under the king of Babylon; or of the several kings themselves, Nebuchadnezzar, Evilmerodach, and Belshazzar; so Kimchi interprets it. This may be applied to the kingdom of antichrist, and the antichristian states, which shall be broken to shivers as a potter's vessel by Christ, the King of kings, and Lord of lords, ( Revelation 2:27 ) ( Revelation 19:15 Revelation 19:16 ) . The "staff" and "sceptre" are emblems of power and government; and "breaking" them signifies the utter destruction and cessation of authority and dominion.

Isaiah 14:5 In-Context

3 And it shall be in that day, when God shall give to thee rest of thy travail, and of thy shaking, and of hard servage, in which thou servedest before, (And it shall be on that day, when God shall give thee rest from thy labour, and from thy fear and trembling, and from the hard servitude, or from the slavery, in which thou servedest before,)

4 thou shalt take this parable against the king of Babylon, and thou shalt say, How ceased the wrongful asker, rested [the] tribute? (thou shalt take up this parable against the king of Babylon, and thou shalt say, How the oppressor hath fallen! the tribute is now ceased!/How the mighty have fallen! the oppression, or the servitude, is now ended!)

5 The Lord hath all-broken the staff of wicked men, the rod of lords,

6 that beat peoples in indignation, with uncurable wound, that subjected folks in strong vengeance, that pursued cruelly. (they who beat the peoples in anger, with incurable wounds, they who subjected the nations to strong vengeance, and who cruelly pursued them.)

7 Each land rested, and was still; it was joyful, and made full out joy.