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Isaiah 14
International Standard Version

Israel Mocks Babylon’s King

14 However, the Lord will have compassion on Jacob and will once again choose Israel. He will settle them in their own land, and foreigners will join them, affiliating themselves with the house of Jacob. 2 Many[a] nations will take them and bring them to their land and[b] their own place. The house of Israel will put those nations[c] to conscripted labor[d] in the Lord’s land. They will take captive those who were their captors, and will rule continually[e] over those who oppressed them.

3 At the time,[f] when the Lord gives you rest from your suffering, turmoil, and the cruel bondage which they forced you to serve,[g] 4 you will lift up this song of mockery against[h] the king of Babylon:

“How the oppressor has come to an end!
    How the attacker[i] has ceased!
5 The Lord has broken the staff of the wicked,
    the scepter of rulers,
6 that struck down peoples in anger
    with unceasing blows,
that oppressed nations in fury
    with relentless persecution.
7 The entire earth is at rest and peace;
    its inhabitants[j] break into song.
8 Even the cypresses rejoice over you,
    as do[k] the cedars of Lebanon, saying,
‘Now that you’ve been laid low,
    no woodcutter comes up against us.’[l]

9 “The afterlife[m] below is all astir
    to meet you when you arrive;[n]
it rouses up the spirits of the dead to greet you—
    everyone who used to be world leaders.
It has raised up from their thrones
    all who used to be kings of the nations.
10 In answer, all of them[o] will tell you,
    ‘You’ve also become as weak as we are!
You have become just like us!’
11 Your[p] pomp has been brought down to Sheol,[q]
    along with the noise of your harps.
Maggots are spread out beneath you,
    and worms are your covering.”[r]

The Fall of the Day Star

12 “How you have fallen from heaven,
    Day Star,[s] son of the Dawn![t]
How you have been thrown down to earth,
    you who laid low the nation![u]
13 You said in your heart,
    ‘I’ll ascend to heaven,
        above the stars of God.
I’ll erect my throne;
    I’ll sit[v] on the Mount of Assembly
        in the far reaches of the north;[w]
14 I’ll ascend above the tops of the clouds;
    I’ll make myself like the Most High.’
15 But you are brought down to join the dead,[x]
    to the far reaches of the Pit.[y]

16 “Those who see you will stare at you.
    They will wonder about you:
‘Is this the man who[z] made the earth tremble,
    who made kingdoms quake,
17 who made the world like a desert,
    who[aa] destroyed its cities,
        who would not open the jails for his prisoners?’
18 All the kings of the nations lie[ab] in state,
    each in his own tomb.
19 But you are cast away from your grave,
    like a repulsive branch,
your clothing is the slain,
    those pierced by the sword;
        those who go down to the Pit.[ac]
Like a dead body trampled underfoot,
20 you will not be united[ad] with them[ae] in burial,
for you have destroyed your land,
    you have slain your people.
People will never mention
    the descendants of those who practice evil again![af]
21 Prepare a massacre for his sons
    because of the guilt of their forefathers!
They are not to rise and inherit the earth,
    and cover[ag] the surface of the world with cities.”

Babylon’s Desolation

22 “I will rise up against them,” declares the Lord of the Heavenly Armies, “and I will eliminate from Babylon her name and survivors, her offspring and descendants,”[ah] declares the Lord. 23 “And[ai] I’m going to make it a possession of the hedgehog—pools[aj] of water—and I’ll sweep[ak] with the broom of destruction,” declares the Lord of the Heavenly Armies.

24 The Lord of the Heavenly Armies has sworn:

“Surely as I have planned,
    that’s what she[al] will become;[am]
and just as I have determined,
    so will it remain—
25 to crush the Assyrian in my land,
    and on my mountains I will trample him down.
His yoke[an] will turn away from you,[ao]
    and his burden from your[ap] shoulders.”

26 “This is what I’ve planned
    for the whole earth,
and this is the hand that is stretched out
    over all the nations.
27 For the Lord of the Heavenly Armies has planned,
    and who can thwart him?
His hand is stretched out,
    and who can turn it back?”

A Pronouncement against Philistia

28 In the year that King Ahaz died this message[aq] came:

29 “Don’t rejoice, all of you Philistines,
    that the rod that struck you is broken,
because from the snake’s root a viper will spring up,
    and its offspring[ar] will be a darting, poisonous serpent.
30 The firstborn of the poor will find pasture,
    and the needy will lie down in safety;
but I’ll kill your root[as] by famine,
    and I’ll[at] execute your survivors.
31 Wail, you gate!
    Cry out, you city!
        Melt away,[au] all you Philistines!
For smoke comes from the north,
    and there’s no one to take measure[av] in its festivals.[aw]
32 How will they[ax] answer the messengers of the nation?
    “The Lord has founded Zion,
        and in it[ay] the afflicted among his people will find refuge.”

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 14:2 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX lack Many
  2. Isaiah 14:2 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX read and to
  3. Isaiah 14:2 Lit. put them
  4. Isaiah 14:2 Lit. to male and female slavery
  5. Isaiah 14:2 So 1QIsaa; 4QIsac LXX MT read rule
  6. Isaiah 14:3 Lit. day
  7. Isaiah 14:3 So 1QIsaa 4QIsae; MT LXX read which you were forced to serve
  8. Isaiah 14:4 So 1QIsaa MT LXX; 4QIsae reads to
  9. Isaiah 14:4 1QIsaa LXX; MT reads. the golden city
  10. Isaiah 14:7 Lit. they
  11. Isaiah 14:8 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX lack as do
  12. Isaiah 14:8 So 1QIsaa MT LXX; 4QIsae reads against them
  13. Isaiah 14:9 Lit. Sheol, i.e. the realm of the dead
  14. Isaiah 14:9 Lit. at your coming
  15. Isaiah 14:10 So 1QIsaa MT LXX; 4QIsae lacks of them
  16. Isaiah 14:11 1QIsaa reads The; MT LXX lack Your
  17. Isaiah 14:11 I.e. the realm of the dead
  18. Isaiah 14:11 So LXX; MT reads and a worm covers you
  19. Isaiah 14:12 So MT; Vg reads Lucifer
  20. Isaiah 14:12 I.e. Lucifer
  21. Isaiah 14:12 So 1QIsaa; 4QIsae MT read the nations; LXX reads all the nations
  22. Isaiah 14:13 So 1QIsaa LXX; MT reads and I will sit
  23. Isaiah 14:13 Lit. Zaphon; or the Sacred Mountain
  24. Isaiah 14:15 Lit. to Sheol, i.e. the realm of the dead
  25. Isaiah 14:15 I.e. the realm of punishment in the afterlife
  26. Isaiah 14:16 So 1QIsaa LXX; the Heb. lacks who
  27. Isaiah 14:17 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX read and who
  28. Isaiah 14:18 So 1QIsaa LXX; MT reads nations, every one of them lies
  29. Isaiah 14:19 So 1QIsaa; i.e. to the realm of punishment in the afterlife; LXX reads to Hades; 1QIsaa corrector MT read to the stones of the Pit
  30. Isaiah 14:20 So 1QIsaa; Lit. under; MT reads joined
  31. Isaiah 14:20 I.e. with the dead
  32. Isaiah 14:20 So 1QIsaa; MT reads May the descendants of those who practice of evil never be mentioned again!; LXX reads May you not remain forever, you evil seed!
  33. Isaiah 14:21 Lit. fill
  34. Isaiah 14:22 So 1QIsaa; MT reads and her offspring and descendants; LXX lacks and descendants
  35. Isaiah 14:23 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX lack And
  36. Isaiah 14:23 So 1QIsaa; MT reads and pools
  37. Isaiah 14:23 So 1QIsaa; MT reads sweep it
  38. Isaiah 14:24 I.e. Babylon
  39. Isaiah 14:24 So 1QIsaa LXX; MT reads so has she been
  40. Isaiah 14:25 I.e. Assyria’s oppressive domination
  41. Isaiah 14:25 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX read from them
  42. Isaiah 14:25 So 1QIsaa; MT reads their
  43. Isaiah 14:28 Lit. oracle
  44. Isaiah 14:29 Lit. fruit
  45. Isaiah 14:30 I.e. the source of their strengths
  46. Isaiah 14:30 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX read he
  47. Isaiah 14:31 Or melt in fear
  48. Isaiah 14:31 So 1QIsaa; 4QIsao MT read no straggler
  49. Isaiah 14:31 So 1QIsaa; 4QIsao reads ranks
  50. Isaiah 14:32 So 1QIsaa LXX; MT reads one
  51. Isaiah 14:32 So 1QIsaa LXX; MT reads her
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Isaiah 14
New International Version

14 The Lord will have compassion(A) on Jacob;
    once again he will choose(B) Israel
    and will settle them in their own land.(C)
Foreigners(D) will join them
    and unite with the descendants of Jacob.
2 Nations will take them
    and bring(E) them to their own place.
And Israel will take possession of the nations(F)
    and make them male and female servants in the Lord’s land.
They will make captives(G) of their captors
    and rule over their oppressors.(H)

3 On the day the Lord gives you relief(I) from your suffering and turmoil(J) and from the harsh labor forced on you,(K) 4 you will take up this taunt(L) against the king of Babylon:(M)

How the oppressor(N) has come to an end!
    How his fury[a] has ended!
5 The Lord has broken the rod(O) of the wicked,(P)
    the scepter(Q) of the rulers,
6 which in anger struck down peoples(R)
    with unceasing blows,
and in fury subdued(S) nations
    with relentless aggression.(T)
7 All the lands are at rest and at peace;(U)
    they break into singing.(V)
8 Even the junipers(W) and the cedars of Lebanon
    gloat over you and say,
“Now that you have been laid low,
    no one comes to cut us down.”(X)

9 The realm of the dead(Y) below is all astir
    to meet you at your coming;
it rouses the spirits of the departed(Z) to greet you—
    all those who were leaders(AA) in the world;
it makes them rise from their thrones—
    all those who were kings over the nations.(AB)
10 They will all respond,
    they will say to you,
“You also have become weak, as we are;
    you have become like us.”(AC)
11 All your pomp has been brought down to the grave,(AD)
    along with the noise of your harps;(AE)
maggots are spread out beneath you
    and worms(AF) cover you.(AG)

12 How you have fallen(AH) from heaven,
    morning star,(AI) son of the dawn!
You have been cast down to the earth,
    you who once laid low the nations!(AJ)
13 You said in your heart,
    “I will ascend(AK) to the heavens;
I will raise my throne(AL)
    above the stars of God;
I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly,(AM)
    on the utmost heights(AN) of Mount Zaphon.[b]
14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds;(AO)
    I will make myself like the Most High.”(AP)
15 But you are brought down(AQ) to the realm of the dead,(AR)
    to the depths(AS) of the pit.(AT)

16 Those who see you stare at you,
    they ponder your fate:(AU)
“Is this the man who shook(AV) the earth
    and made kingdoms tremble,
17 the man who made the world a wilderness,(AW)
    who overthrew(AX) its cities
    and would not let his captives go home?”(AY)

18 All the kings of the nations lie in state,
    each in his own tomb.(AZ)
19 But you are cast out(BA) of your tomb
    like a rejected branch;
you are covered with the slain,(BB)
    with those pierced by the sword,(BC)
    those who descend to the stones of the pit.(BD)
Like a corpse trampled underfoot,
20     you will not join them in burial,(BE)
for you have destroyed your land
    and killed your people.

Let the offspring(BF) of the wicked(BG)
    never be mentioned(BH) again.
21 Prepare a place to slaughter his children(BI)
    for the sins of their ancestors;(BJ)
they are not to rise to inherit the land
    and cover the earth with their cities.

22 “I will rise up(BK) against them,”
    declares the Lord Almighty.
“I will wipe out Babylon’s name(BL) and survivors,
    her offspring and descendants,(BM)”
declares the Lord.
23 “I will turn her into a place for owls(BN)
    and into swampland;
I will sweep her with the broom of destruction,(BO)”
    declares the Lord Almighty.(BP)

24 The Lord Almighty has sworn,(BQ)

“Surely, as I have planned,(BR) so it will be,
    and as I have purposed, so it will happen.(BS)
25 I will crush the Assyrian(BT) in my land;
    on my mountains I will trample him down.
His yoke(BU) will be taken from my people,
    and his burden removed from their shoulders.(BV)”

26 This is the plan(BW) determined for the whole world;
    this is the hand(BX) stretched out over all nations.
27 For the Lord Almighty has purposed,(BY) and who can thwart him?
    His hand(BZ) is stretched out, and who can turn it back?(CA)

A Prophecy Against the Philistines

28 This prophecy(CB) came in the year(CC) King Ahaz(CD) died:

29 Do not rejoice, all you Philistines,(CE)
    that the rod that struck you is broken;
from the root of that snake will spring up a viper,(CF)
    its fruit will be a darting, venomous serpent.(CG)
30 The poorest of the poor will find pasture,
    and the needy(CH) will lie down in safety.(CI)
But your root I will destroy by famine;(CJ)
    it will slay(CK) your survivors.(CL)

31 Wail,(CM) you gate!(CN) Howl, you city!
    Melt away, all you Philistines!(CO)
A cloud of smoke comes from the north,(CP)
    and there is not a straggler in its ranks.(CQ)
32 What answer shall be given
    to the envoys(CR) of that nation?
“The Lord has established Zion,(CS)
    and in her his afflicted people will find refuge.(CT)”

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 14:4 Dead Sea Scrolls, Septuagint and Syriac; the meaning of the word in the Masoretic Text is uncertain.
  2. Isaiah 14:13 Or of the north; Zaphon was the most sacred mountain of the Canaanites.
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Isaiah 14
King James Version

14 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:

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.

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