HolyStudy
Bible IndexRead BibleNotesChurchesMissionPrivacyTermsContact
© 2026 HolyStudy
HomeRead BibleBible NotesChurchesSign in
HolyStudy
HomeRead BibleBible NotesChurches
Sign in

Isaiah 14

1

For the Lord will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land: and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob.

2

And the people shall take them, and bring them to their place: and the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of the Lord for servants and handmaids: and they shall take them captives, whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors.

3

And it shall come to pass in the day that the Lord shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve,

4

That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased!

5

The Lord hath broken the staff of the wicked, and the sceptre of the rulers.

6

He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth.

7

The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing.

8

Yea, the fir trees rejoice at thee, and the cedars of Lebanon, saying, Since thou art laid down, no feller is come up against us.

9

Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.

10

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

11

Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee.

12

How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

13

For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:

14

I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

15

Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

16

They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;

17

That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?

18

All the kings of the nations, even all of them, lie in glory, every one in his own house.

19

But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, and as the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcase trodden under feet.

20

Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land, and slain thy people: the seed of evildoers shall never be renowned.

21

Prepare slaughter for his children for the iniquity of their fathers; that they do not rise, nor possess the land, nor fill the face of the world with cities.

22

For I will rise up against them, saith the Lord of hosts, and cut off from Babylon the name, and remnant, and son, and nephew, saith the Lord.

23

I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools of water: and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, saith the Lord of hosts.

24

The Lord of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand:

1
25

That I will break the Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread him under foot: then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders.

26

This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth: and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations.

27

For the Lord of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?

28

In the year that king Ahaz died was this burden.

29

Rejoice not thou, whole Palestina, because the rod of him that smote thee is broken: for out of the serpent’s root shall come forth a cockatrice, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent.

30

And the firstborn of the poor shall feed, and the needy shall lie down in safety: and I will kill thy root with famine, and he shall slay thy remnant.

31

Howl, O gate; cry, O city; thou, whole Palestina, art dissolved: for there shall come from the north a smoke, and none shall be alone in his appointed times.

32

What shall one then answer the messengers of the nation? That the Lord hath founded Zion, and the poor of his people shall trust in it.

← Previous ChapterNext Chapter →

Isaiah 14

This chapter continues the oracle against Babylon, depicting Israel's eventual ascendancy over her oppressor and the restoration of the nation to her rightful place. The poem celebrating Babylon's fall employs vivid imagery of the king being stripped of power and descending to Sheol while the nations rejoice, establishing that divine judgment reduces the mighty to nothingness. The passage includes the famous "morning star" passage (verses 12-15), which later Christian tradition interpreted as describing Satan's fall, though in original context it refers to the king of Babylon and his arrogant claim to ascend above the stars of God. The promise that Israel will be restored to her land and that strangers will join the covenant people indicates that judgment opens the way for restoration and the expansion of the covenant community. Isaiah also announces judgment against Assyria, promising that the Assyrian yoke will be broken from Israel's shoulders and that the rod of the oppressor will be shattered, reassuring the people that even the dominant superpower of their time is subject to God's judgment. The chapter emphasizes that God's purpose toward Israel includes not mere survival but restoration to dignity and prominence, and that the reversal of fortunes that judgment brings will vindicate the righteousness of God's judgment. The message of this oracle provides hope during periods of exile and oppression, assuring the faithful that oppressive powers cannot permanently frustrate God's purposes. The chapter demonstrates Isaiah's conviction that history moves according to divine purpose toward the ultimate vindication of God's people and the judgment of nations that have arrogantly opposed the Lord's purposes.

Isaiah 14:22

For I will rise up against them, saith the LORD of hosts, and cut off from Babylon the name, and remnant, and son, and nephew, saith the LORD—the explicit declaration of God's action against Babylon, with the comprehensive elimination of all descendants and relatives. The cutting off of the name suggests that even memory will be erased. This verse grounds the taunt-song in the explicit divine purpose to eliminate Babylon entirely.

Isaiah 14:23

I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools of water; and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, saith the LORD of hosts—the transformation of Babylon into a desolate swamp inhabited by wild birds, with God actively sweeping it clean of inhabitants. The image of sweeping with destruction reinforces the thoroughness of the judgment. This verse paints the ultimate fate of Babylon in terms of complete desolation.

Isaiah 14:24

The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand—the divine oath guaranteeing the fulfillment of the prophecy against Babylon, with God's thought and purpose declared inviolable. The swearing of an oath emphasizes the certainty and reliability of the promise. This verse grounds the entire prophecy in divine determination.

Isaiah 14:1

For the LORD will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land—the affirmation that Israel's judgment is temporary and that God's compassion and election continue even after judgment. The statement that God 'will yet choose Israel' suggests that despite seeming rejection through judgment, the covenant relationship remains permanent. This verse marks the transition from judgment against Babylon to promise of restoration for Israel.

Isaiah 14:2

And the people shall take them, and bring them to their place; and the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of the LORD for servants and handmaids; and they shall take them captives, whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors—the reversal of fortunes, in which Israel regains dominion over the nations that had oppressed them. The reversal is not merely political but involves the literal return of captives and the subjugation of former oppressors. This verse emphasizes that restoration includes vindication and the recovery of dignity.

Isaiah 14:3

And it shall come to pass in the day that the LORD shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve—the promise of relief from the suffering and servitude that characterized the exile experience. The rest provided by God contrasts with the labor of bondage and suggests peace that comes from God's intervention. This verse emphasizes that restoration includes psychological and emotional healing.

Isaiah 14:4

That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased!—the introduction of a taunt-song (proverb) that Israel will sing against the king of Babylon, celebrating the cessation of oppression and the fall of Babylon's glory. The question form emphasizes the dramatic nature of the change, with the oppressor who seemed eternal suddenly silenced. This verse introduces the specific taunt-song that will occupy the remainder of the section.

Isaiah 14:5

The LORD hath broken the staff of the wicked, and the sceptre of the rulers—the affirmation that God has destroyed the instruments of oppression and the authority of the rulers. The breaking of the staff and scepter (symbols of rulership) indicates the complete removal of Babylon's power to dominate. This verse grounds the taunt-song in the divine action that has made it possible.

Isaiah 14:6

He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth—the characterization of the Babylonian king as one who wielded power with cruelty and anger, yet now finds himself persecuted and helpless. The contrast between former omnipotence and present persecution establishes the reversal of power. This verse emphasizes the poetic justice of the judgment.

Isaiah 14:7

The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet; they break forth into singing—the reaction of the world to Babylon's fall, with rest and peace replacing the constant military campaigns and oppression. The breaking forth into singing establishes universal rejoicing at Babylon's defeat. This verse emphasizes that Babylon's judgment brings relief to all peoples affected by its oppression.

Isaiah 14:8

Yea, the fir trees rejoice at thee, and the cedars of Lebanon, saying, Since thou art laid down, no feller is come up against us—the personification of the trees of Lebanon, which had been subject to Babylonian exploitation, now rejoicing that their oppressor is defeated. The specific reference to cedar exploitation suggests that Babylon's imperial project had extended even to the natural resources of surrounding lands. This verse establishes that judgment against Babylon benefits creation itself.

Isaiah 14:9

Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming; it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations—the underworld itself becoming active to receive the fallen Babylon king, with the deceased kings rising from their seats to witness his arrival. The stirring of the dead suggests that Babylon's king will be consigned to the realm of the dead, joining other conquered kings in humiliation. This verse introduces the mythological dimension of the taunt-song.

Isaiah 14:10

All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us—the taunting words of the deceased kings who have preceded Babylon's king into the underworld, mocking his weakness. The equation of the king with ordinary dead emphasizes the stripping away of his divine pretensions and royal privilege. This verse shows the Babylonian king reduced to equality with other condemned rulers.

Isaiah 14:11

Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols; the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee—the graphic image of the burial of the proud king, with his instruments of pleasure (viols) accompanying him to the grave and his corpse subject to decomposition. The worms covering the body suggest the degradation of the formerly magnificent king. This verse emphasizes the humiliation of the dead king.

Isaiah 14:12

How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!—the application of cosmic imagery to the fall of the Babylon king, with the comparison to the fall of the morning star (Lucifer). The reference to weakening nations suggests that the king's power extended even to destabilizing the cosmic order. This verse elevates the taunt-song to mythological heights, comparing the fall of the king to the fall of a heavenly being.

Isaiah 14:13

For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will sit upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north—the revelation of the king's inner thoughts, which express blasphemous ambition to ascend above God and to assume divine prerogatives. The specific references to heaven, the stars of God, and the divine assembly suggest that the king has entertained dreams of divine status. This verse exposes the spiritual roots of political tyranny: the delusion of transcendent power.

Isaiah 14:14

I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the most High—the culmination of the king's blasphemous ambition, expressed in the desire to equal the Most High God Himself. The progression through the previous verses establishes the escalation of ambition from earthly kingship to cosmic rebellion. This verse makes explicit that political tyranny is rooted in spiritual rebellion against God.

Isaiah 14:15

Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit—the immediate contradiction of the king's ambitions, with the promise that his aspiration toward heaven issues in descent into the underworld. The specificity of the descent (sides of the pit) emphasizes the complete reversal of his attempted ascent. This verse establishes that rebellion against God leads inevitably to judgment.

Isaiah 14:16

They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that shook kingdoms—the observation of the Babylon king in his degradation, with those who knew him comparing his former power to his present weakness. The questions emphasize the irony of the transformation, with the mighty reduced to insignificance. This verse suggests that the visual evidence of the king's fall will testify to God's judgment.

Isaiah 14:17

That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners—the catalogue of the king's crimes, with the specific mention of destruction of cities and refusal to release prisoners suggesting a pattern of cruelty and destruction. The characterization of the world made a wilderness emphasizes the totality of devastation caused by the king's reign. This verse establishes the moral justification for the judgment.

Isaiah 14:18

All the kings of the nations, even all of them, lie in glory, every one in his own house—the contrast between the graves of other kings, who lie in magnificence and honor, and the fate of the Babylon king who will be cast out unburied. The statement that all other kings retain their dignity in death suggests that the Babylon king alone is denied this minimal honor. This verse emphasizes the unique dishonor of the Babylon king's judgment.

Isaiah 14:19

But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, and as the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcase trodden under feet—the vivid depiction of the king cast out without burial, treated as refuse and corpse. The comparisons to a branch and to raiment of the slain suggest that the king is reduced to worthlessness. This verse emphasizes the extreme degradation of the Babylon king's final state.

Isaiah 14:20

Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land, and slain thy people; the seed of evildoers shall never be renowned—the explanation for the denial of burial: the king's destruction of his own land and people renders him unworthy of the honor accorded to other kings. The mention of the seed of evildoers never being renowned suggests that the judgment extends to the king's dynasty, which will be cut off. This verse establishes that the judgment is proportionate to the crime.

Isaiah 14:21

Prepare slaughter for his children for the iniquity of their fathers; that they do not rise up, and possess the land, and fill the face of the world with cities—the judgment extended to the Babylon king's offspring, suggesting that the dynasty will be eliminated to prevent future dynasties from arising. The prevention of the seed from inheriting the land and building cities indicates a permanent end to Babylonian imperial aspirations. This verse indicates that dynastic judgment is part of God's comprehensive response.

Isaiah 14:25

That I will break the Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread him under foot; then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulder—the promise that in addition to Babylon, Assyria will also be judged on God's land (Israel), with the removal of Assyrian oppression. The breaking and treading under foot of Assyria establishes that God's judgment extends to multiple oppressors. This verse broadens the judgment prophecy to include Assyria.

Isaiah 14:26

This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth; and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations—the universal scope of God's judgment, extending to all nations on the entire earth. The outstretched hand symbolizes God's power actively directed toward judgment. This verse establishes that the judgment of Babylon and Assyria is part of a comprehensive divine plan affecting all peoples.

Isaiah 14:27

For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back—the rhetorical question establishing the absolute impossibility of thwarting God's purposes or turning back His hand of judgment. The expectation of a negative answer ('no one') establishes God's absolute sovereignty. This verse reaffirms the certainty and finality of the divine judgment.

Isaiah 14:28

In the year that king Ahaz died was this burden—the dating of the oracle to the year of King Ahaz's death (approximately 715 BCE), providing historical context for the prophecies that follow. The specification of the date grounds the prophecy in specific history. This verse marks the transition to oracles against other nations.

Isaiah 14:29

Rejoice not thou, whole Philistia, because the rod of him that smote thee is broken; for out of the serpent's root shall come forth a cockatrice, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent—the warning to Philistia that the fall of Assyria does not mean safety for them; instead, a new threat will arise. The imagery of the serpent and cockatrice suggests danger lurking in the future. This verse begins the oracle against Philistia.

Isaiah 14:30

And the firstborn of the poor shall feed, and the needy shall lie down in safety; and I will kill thy root with famine, and he shall slay thy remnant—the promise that in contrast to the threat to Philistia, the poor of Israel will find safety and provision, while Philistia's root will be destroyed through famine. The care for the poor stands in contrast to the judgment on the enemy. This verse emphasizes that God's judgment on enemies brings restoration for the vulnerable.

Isaiah 14:31

Howl, O gate; cry, O city; thou, whole Philistia, art dissolved; for there shall come from the north a smoke, and none shall be alone in his appointed times—the summons to lamentation for Philistia, with the threat coming from the north (Assyria or other northern powers). The dissolution of Philistia and the smoke suggesting warfare establish the severity of the coming judgment. This verse concludes the oracle against Philistia with imagery of total destruction.

Isaiah 14:32

What shall one then answer the messengers of the nation—the rhetorical question introducing the final thought of chapter 14, suggesting that messengers from the nations may ask about Israel's response to the judgment prophecies. The openness of the question invites consideration of the significance of the prophecies. This verse concludes the series of judgment prophecies with a reflection on their meaning.