Israel’s Taunt against Babylon

14 When the Lord (A)has compassion on Jacob and again (B)chooses Israel, and settles them on their own land, then (C)strangers will join them and attach themselves to the house of Jacob. The peoples will take them along and bring them to their place, and the (D)house of Israel will make them their own possession in the land of the Lord (E)as male and female servants; and [a]they will take their captors captive and will rule over their oppressors.

And it will be on the day when the Lord gives you (F)rest from your hardship, your turmoil, and from the harsh service in which you have been enslaved, that you will (G)take up this [b]taunt against the king of Babylon, and say,

“How (H)the oppressor has ceased,
And how the [c]onslaught has ceased!
The Lord has broken the staff of the wicked,
The scepter of rulers,
(I)Which used to strike the peoples in fury with unceasing strokes,
Which [d]subdued the nations in anger with unrestrained persecution.
The whole earth is at rest and is quiet;
They (J)break forth into shouts of joy.
Even the (K)juniper trees rejoice over you, and the cedars of Lebanon, saying,
‘Since you have been laid low, no tree cutter comes up against us.’
(L)Sheol below is excited about you, to meet you when you come;
It stirs the [e]spirits of the dead for you, all the [f]leaders of the earth;
It raises all the kings of the nations from their thrones.
10 (M)They will all respond and say to you,
‘Even you have become weak as we,
You have become like us.
11 Your (N)pride and the music of your harps
Have been brought down to Sheol;
Maggots are spread out as your bed beneath you
And worms are your covering.’
12 How you have (O)fallen from heaven,
You [g](P)star of the morning, son of the dawn!
You have been cut down to the earth,
You who defeated the nations!
13 But you said in your heart,
‘I will (Q)ascend to heaven;
I will (R)raise my throne above the stars of God,
And I will sit on the mount of assembly
In the recesses of the north.
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;
(S)I will make myself like the Most High.’
15 Nevertheless you (T)will be brought down to Sheol,
To the recesses of the pit.
16 Those who see you will stare at you,
They will [h]closely examine you, saying,
‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble,
Who shook kingdoms,
17 Who made the world like a (U)wilderness
And overthrew its cities,
Who (V)did not [i]allow his prisoners to go home?’
18 All the kings of the nations lie in glory,
Each in his own [j]tomb.
19 But you have been (W)hurled out of your tomb
Like [k]a rejected branch,
[l]Clothed with those killed who have been pierced with a sword,
Who go down to the stones of the (X)pit
Like a (Y)trampled corpse.
20 You will not be united with them in burial,
Because you have ruined your country,
You have killed your people.
May the (Z)descendants of evildoers never be mentioned.
21 Prepare a place of slaughter for his sons
Because of the (AA)wrongdoing of their fathers.
They must not arise and take possession of the earth,
And fill the surface of the world with cities.”

22 “I will rise up against them,” declares the Lord of armies, “and eliminate from Babylon (AB)name and survivors, (AC)offspring and descendants,” declares the Lord. 23 “I will also make it the property of the (AD)hedgehog and swamps of water, and I will sweep it away with the broom of (AE)destruction,” declares the Lord of armies.

Judgment on Assyria

24 The Lord of armies has sworn, saying, “Certainly, (AF)just as I have intended, so it has happened, and just as I have planned, so it will stand, 25 to (AG)break Assyria in My land, and I will trample him on My mountains. Then his (AH)yoke will be removed from them, and his burden removed from their shoulders. 26 This is the (AI)plan [m]devised against the entire earth; and this is the (AJ)hand that is stretched out against all the nations. 27 For (AK)the Lord of armies has planned, and who can frustrate it? And as for His stretched-out hand, who can turn it back?”

Judgment on Philistia

28 In the (AL)year that King Ahaz died, this (AM)pronouncement came:

29 “Do not rejoice, (AN)Philistia, all of you,
Because the rod that (AO)struck you is broken;
For from the serpent’s root a (AP)viper will come out,
And its fruit will be a (AQ)winged serpent.
30 [n]Those who are most (AR)helpless will eat,
And the poor will lie down in security;
I will kill your root with (AS)famine,
And it will kill your survivors.
31 Wail, you (AT)gate; cry, you city;
[o]Melt away, (AU)Philistia, all of you!
For smoke comes from the (AV)north,
And (AW)there is no straggler in his ranks.
32 What answer will one give the (AX)messengers of the nation?
That (AY)the Lord has founded Zion,
And (AZ)the poor of His people will take refuge in it.”

Judgment on Moab

15 The pronouncement concerning (BA)Moab:

Certainly in a night (BB)Ar of Moab is devastated and ruined;
Certainly in a night Kir of Moab is devastated and ruined.
[p]The people have gone up to the [q]temple and to (BC)Dibon, to the high places to weep.
Moab wails over Nebo and Medeba;
Everyone’s head is (BD)bald and every beard is cut off.
In their streets they have put on (BE)sackcloth;
(BF)On their housetops and in their public squares
Everyone is wailing, [r](BG)overcome with weeping.
(BH)Heshbon and Elealeh also cry out,
Their voice is heard all the way to Jahaz;
Therefore the [s]armed men of Moab cry aloud;
His soul trembles within him.
My heart cries out for Moab;
His fugitives are as far as (BI)Zoar and Eglath-shelishiyah,
For they go up the (BJ)ascent of Luhith weeping;
Indeed, on the road to Horonaim they raise a cry of distress (BK)over their collapse.
For the (BL)waters of Nimrim are [t]desolate.
Indeed, the grass is withered, the new growth has died,
There is (BM)no greenery.
Therefore the (BN)abundance which they have acquired and stored up,
They carry it off over the brook of [u]Arabim.
For the cry of distress has gone around the territory of Moab,
Its wailing goes as far as Eglaim and its howling to Beer-elim.
For the waters of Dimon are full of [v]blood;
I will certainly bring added woes upon Dimon,
A (BO)lion upon the fugitives of Moab and the remnant of the land.

Prophecy of Moab’s Devastation

16 (BP)Send the tribute lamb to the ruler of the land,
From [w](BQ)Sela by way of the wilderness to the (BR)mountain of the daughter of Zion.
Then, like (BS)fluttering birds or scattered nestlings,
The daughters of (BT)Moab will be at the crossing places of the (BU)Arnon.
[x]Give us advice, make a decision;
[y]Cast your (BV)shadow like night [z]at high noon;
(BW)Hide the outcasts, do not betray the fugitive.
Let the [aa]outcasts of Moab stay with you;
Be a hiding place to them from the destroyer.”
For the oppressor has come to an end, destruction has ceased,
(BX)Oppressors have been removed from the land.
A (BY)throne will be established in faithfulness,
And a judge will sit on it in trustworthiness in the tent of (BZ)David;
Moreover, he will seek justice,
And be prompt in righteousness.

(CA)We have heard of the pride of Moab, an excessive pride;
Even of his arrogance, pride, and fury;
(CB)His idle boasts are [ab]false.
Therefore Moab will wail; everyone of Moab will wail.
You will moan for the (CC)raisin cakes of (CD)Kir-hareseth
As those who are utterly stricken.
For the fields of (CE)Heshbon have [ac]withered, the vines of (CF)Sibmah as well;
The lords of the nations have trampled down its choice clusters
Which reached as far as Jazer and wandered to the deserts;
(CG)Its [ad]tendrils spread themselves out and passed over the sea.
Therefore I will (CH)weep bitterly for Jazer, for the vine of Sibmah;
I will drench you with my tears, (CI)Heshbon and Elealeh;
For the shouting over your (CJ)summer fruits and your harvest has fallen away.
10 (CK)Gladness and joy are taken away from the fruitful field;
In the (CL)vineyards also there will be no cries of joy or jubilant shouting,
No (CM)treader treads out wine in the presses,
For I have made the shouting to cease.
11 Therefore my [ae](CN)inner being sounds like a harp for Moab.
And my [af]heart for Kir-hareseth.
12 So it will come about when Moab (CO)presents himself,
When he (CP)tires himself upon his (CQ)high place
And comes to his sanctuary to pray,
That he will not prevail.

13 This is the word which the Lord spoke earlier concerning Moab. 14 But now the Lord has spoken, saying, “Within three years, as [ag](CR)a hired worker would count them, the glory of (CS)Moab will become contemptible along with all his great population, and his remnant will be very small and [ah]impotent.”

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 14:2 Lit the captors will become their captives
  2. Isaiah 14:4 Or proverb
  3. Isaiah 14:4 As in DSS and ancient versions; MT uncertain
  4. Isaiah 14:6 Or ruled
  5. Isaiah 14:9 Or shades (Heb Repha’im)
  6. Isaiah 14:9 Lit male goats
  7. Isaiah 14:12 Heb Helel; i.e., shining one
  8. Isaiah 14:16 Lit show themselves attentive to
  9. Isaiah 14:17 Lit open
  10. Isaiah 14:18 Lit house
  11. Isaiah 14:19 Lit an abhorred branch
  12. Isaiah 14:19 Or As the clothing of those who are slain
  13. Isaiah 14:26 Lit planned
  14. Isaiah 14:30 Lit The firstborn of the helpless
  15. Isaiah 14:31 Or Become demoralized
  16. Isaiah 15:2 Lit He has gone; i.e., Moab, meaning the people of Moab
  17. Isaiah 15:2 Lit house
  18. Isaiah 15:3 Lit going down in weeping
  19. Isaiah 15:4 Another reading is the loins of
  20. Isaiah 15:6 Lit desolations
  21. Isaiah 15:7 Or the poplars
  22. Isaiah 15:9 Heb dam (a wordplay)
  23. Isaiah 16:1 I.e., Petra in Edom
  24. Isaiah 16:3 Lit Bring
  25. Isaiah 16:3 Lit Set
  26. Isaiah 16:3 Lit in the midst of the noon
  27. Isaiah 16:4 As in most ancient versions; MT My outcasts, as for Moab
  28. Isaiah 16:6 Lit not so
  29. Isaiah 16:8 Or dried out
  30. Isaiah 16:8 I.e., parts of a climbing plant that attach to its support
  31. Isaiah 16:11 Lit entrails murmur
  32. Isaiah 16:11 Lit inward parts
  33. Isaiah 16:14 Lit the years of a hired
  34. Isaiah 16:14 Lit not mighty

Mercy on Jacob

14 For the Lord (A)will have mercy on Jacob, and (B)will still choose Israel, and settle them in their own land. (C)The strangers will be joined with them, and they will cling to the house of Jacob. Then people will take them (D)and bring them to their place, and the house of Israel will possess them for servants and maids in the land of the Lord; they will take them captive whose captives they were, (E)and rule over their oppressors.

Fall of the King of Babylon

It shall come to pass in the day the Lord gives you rest from your sorrow, and from your fear and the hard bondage in which you were made to serve, that you (F)will take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say:

“How the oppressor has ceased,
The (G)golden[a] city ceased!
The Lord has broken (H)the staff of the wicked,
The scepter of the rulers;
He who struck the people in wrath with a continual stroke,
He who ruled the nations in anger,
Is persecuted and no one hinders.
The whole earth is at rest and quiet;
They break forth into singing.
(I)Indeed the cypress trees rejoice over you,
And the cedars of Lebanon,
Saying, ‘Since you [b]were cut down,
No woodsman has come up against us.’

“Hell(J)[c] from beneath is excited about you,
To meet you at your coming;
It stirs up the dead for you,
All the chief ones of the earth;
It has raised up from their thrones
All the kings of the nations.
10 They all shall (K)speak and say to you:
‘Have you also become as weak as we?
Have you become like us?
11 Your pomp is brought down to Sheol,
And the sound of your stringed instruments;
The maggot is spread under you,
And worms cover you.’

The Fall of Lucifer

12 “How(L) you are fallen from heaven,
O [d]Lucifer, son of the morning!
How you are cut down to the ground,
You who weakened the nations!
13 For you have said in your heart:
(M)‘I will ascend into heaven,
(N)I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;
I will also sit on the (O)mount of the congregation
(P)On the farthest sides of the north;
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds,
(Q)I will be like the Most High.’
15 Yet you (R)shall be brought down to Sheol,
To the [e]lowest depths of the Pit.

16 “Those who see you will gaze at you,
And consider you, saying:
Is this the man who made the earth tremble,
Who shook kingdoms,
17 Who made the world as a wilderness
And destroyed its cities,
Who [f]did not open the house of his prisoners?’

18 “All the kings of the nations,
All of them, sleep in glory,
Everyone in his own house;
19 But you are cast out of your grave
Like an [g]abominable branch,
Like the garment of those who are slain,
[h]Thrust through with a sword,
Who go down to the stones of the pit,
Like a corpse trodden underfoot.
20 You will not be joined with them in burial,
Because you have destroyed your land
And slain your people.
(S)The brood of evildoers shall never be named.
21 Prepare slaughter for his children
(T)Because of the iniquity of their fathers,
Lest they rise up and possess the land,
And fill the face of the world with cities.”

Babylon Destroyed

22 “For I will rise up against them,” says the Lord of hosts,
“And cut off from Babylon (U)the name and (V)remnant,
(W)And offspring and posterity,” says the Lord.
23 “I will also make it a possession for the (X)porcupine,
And marshes of muddy water;
I will sweep it with the broom of destruction,” says the Lord of hosts.

Assyria Destroyed

24 The Lord of hosts has sworn, saying,
“Surely, as I have thought, so it shall come to pass,
And as I have purposed, so it shall (Y)stand:
25 That I will break the (Z)Assyrian in My land,
And on My mountains tread him underfoot.
Then (AA)his yoke shall be removed from them,
And his burden removed from their shoulders.
26 This is the (AB)purpose that is purposed against the whole earth,
And this is the hand that is stretched out over all the nations.
27 For the Lord of hosts has (AC)purposed,
And who will annul it?
His hand is stretched out,
And who will turn it back?”

Philistia Destroyed

28 This is the [i]burden which came in the year that (AD)King Ahaz died.

29 “Do not rejoice, all you of Philistia,
(AE)Because the rod that struck you is broken;
For out of the serpent’s roots will come forth a viper,
(AF)And its offspring will be a fiery flying serpent.
30 The firstborn of the poor will feed,
And the needy will lie down in safety;
I will kill your roots with famine,
And it will slay your remnant.
31 Wail, O gate! Cry, O city!
All you of Philistia are dissolved;
For smoke will come from the north,
And no one will be alone in his [j]appointed times.”

32 What will they answer the messengers of the nation?
That (AG)the Lord has founded Zion,
And (AH)the poor of His people shall take refuge in it.

Proclamation Against Moab

15 The (AI)burden[k] against Moab.

Because in the night (AJ)Ar of (AK)Moab is laid waste
And destroyed,
Because in the night Kir of Moab is laid waste
And destroyed,
He has gone up to the [l]temple and Dibon,
To the high places to weep.
Moab will wail over Nebo and over Medeba;
(AL)On all their heads will be baldness,
And every beard cut off.
In their streets they will clothe themselves with sackcloth;
On the tops of their houses
And in their streets
Everyone will wail, (AM)weeping bitterly.
Heshbon and Elealeh will cry out,
Their voice shall be heard as far as (AN)Jahaz;
Therefore the [m]armed soldiers of Moab will cry out;
His life will be burdensome to him.

“My(AO) heart will cry out for Moab;
His fugitives shall flee to Zoar,
Like [n]a three-year-old heifer.
For (AP)by the Ascent of Luhith
They will go up with weeping;
For in the way of Horonaim
They will raise up a cry of destruction,
For the waters (AQ)of Nimrim will be desolate,
For the green grass has withered away;
The grass fails, there is nothing green.
Therefore the abundance they have gained,
And what they have laid up,
They will carry away to the Brook of the Willows.
For the cry has gone all around the borders of Moab,
Its wailing to Eglaim
And its wailing to Beer Elim.
For the waters of [o]Dimon will be full of blood;
Because I will bring more upon Dimon,
(AR)Lions upon him who escapes from Moab,
And on the remnant of the land.”

Moab Destroyed

16 Send (AS)the lamb to the ruler of the land,
(AT)From [p]Sela to the wilderness,
To the mount of the daughter of Zion.
For it shall be as a (AU)wandering bird thrown out of the nest;
So shall be the daughters of Moab at the fords of the (AV)Arnon.

“Take counsel, execute judgment;
Make your shadow like the night in the middle of the day;
Hide the outcasts,
Do not betray him who escapes.
Let My outcasts dwell with you, O Moab;
Be a shelter to them from the face of the [q]spoiler.
For the extortioner is at an end,
Devastation ceases,
The oppressors are consumed out of the land.
In mercy (AW)the throne will be established;
And One will sit on it in truth, in the tabernacle of David,
(AX)Judging and seeking justice and hastening (AY)righteousness.”

We have heard of the (AZ)pride of Moab—
He is very proud—
Of his haughtiness and his pride and his wrath;
(BA)But his [r]lies shall not be so.
Therefore Moab shall (BB)wail for Moab;
Everyone shall wail.
For the foundations (BC)of Kir Hareseth you shall mourn;
Surely they are stricken.

For (BD)the fields of Heshbon languish,
And (BE)the vine of Sibmah;
The lords of the nations have broken down its choice plants,
Which have reached to Jazer
And wandered through the wilderness.
Her branches are stretched out,
They are gone over the (BF)sea.
Therefore I will bewail the vine of Sibmah,
With the weeping of Jazer;
I will drench you with my tears,
(BG)O Heshbon and Elealeh;
For [s]battle cries have fallen
Over your summer fruits and your harvest.

10 (BH)Gladness is taken away,
And joy from the plentiful field;
In the vineyards there will be no singing,
Nor will there be shouting;
No treaders will tread out wine in the presses;
I have made their shouting cease.
11 Therefore (BI)my [t]heart shall resound like a harp for Moab,
And my inner being for [u]Kir Heres.

12 And it shall come to pass,
When it is seen that Moab is weary on (BJ)the high place,
That he will come to his sanctuary to pray;
But he will not prevail.

13 This is the word which the Lord has spoken concerning Moab since that time. 14 But now the Lord has spoken, saying, “Within three years, (BK)as the years of a hired man, the glory of Moab will be despised with all that great multitude, and the remnant will be very small and feeble.”

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 14:4 Or insolent
  2. Isaiah 14:8 have lain down
  3. Isaiah 14:9 Or Sheol
  4. Isaiah 14:12 Lit. Day Star
  5. Isaiah 14:15 Lit. recesses
  6. Isaiah 14:17 Would not release
  7. Isaiah 14:19 despised
  8. Isaiah 14:19 Pierced
  9. Isaiah 14:28 oracle, prophecy
  10. Isaiah 14:31 Or ranks
  11. Isaiah 15:1 oracle, prophecy
  12. Isaiah 15:2 Heb. bayith, lit. house
  13. Isaiah 15:4 So with MT, Tg., Vg.; LXX, Syr. loins
  14. Isaiah 15:5 Or The Third Eglath, an unknown city, Jer. 48:34
  15. Isaiah 15:9 So with MT, Tg.; DSS, Vg. Dibon; LXX Rimon
  16. Isaiah 16:1 Lit. Rock
  17. Isaiah 16:4 devastator
  18. Isaiah 16:6 Lit. vain talk
  19. Isaiah 16:9 Or shouting has
  20. Isaiah 16:11 Lit. belly
  21. Isaiah 16:11 Kir Hareseth, v. 7

Jesus Is Risen!

28 (A)Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, (B)Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the tomb. And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for (C)an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away (D)the stone, and sat upon it. And (E)his appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. The guards shook from fear of him and became like dead men. And the angel said to the women, “[a](F)Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, (G)just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you (H)to Galilee. There you will see Him; behold, I have told you.”

And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to report to His disciples. And behold, Jesus met them [b]and said, [c]Rejoice!” And they came up and took hold of His feet, and worshiped Him. 10 Then Jesus *said to them, [d](I)Do not be afraid; go, bring word to (J)My brothers to leave (K)for Galilee, and there they will see Me.”

11 Now while they were on their way, some of (L)the men from the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all that had happened. 12 And when they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, 13 and said, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came at night and stole Him while we were asleep.’ 14 And if this comes to (M)the governor’s ears, we will appease him and [e]keep you out of trouble.” 15 And they took the money and did as they had been instructed; and this story was widely (N)spread among the Jews and is (O)to this day.

The Great Commission

16 But the eleven disciples proceeded (P)to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated to them. 17 And when they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but (Q)some [f]were doubtful. 18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, (R)All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. 19 [g](S)Go, therefore, and (T)make disciples of (U)all the nations, (V)baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to [h]follow all that I commanded you; and behold, (W)I am with you [i]always, to (X)the end of the age.”

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 28:5 Or Stop being afraid
  2. Matthew 28:9 Lit saying
  3. Matthew 28:9 Or Greetings
  4. Matthew 28:10 Or Stop being afraid
  5. Matthew 28:14 Lit make you free from care
  6. Matthew 28:17 Or hesitated
  7. Matthew 28:19 Or Having gone (Gr aorist part.)
  8. Matthew 28:20 Or keep
  9. Matthew 28:20 Lit all the days

He Is Risen(A)

28 Now (B)after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene (C)and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for (D)an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone [a]from the door, and sat on it. (E)His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like (F)dead men.

But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, (G)as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed (H)He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.”

So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.

The Women Worship the Risen Lord

And [b]as they went to tell His disciples, behold, (I)Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell (J)My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.”

The Soldiers Are Bribed

11 Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened. 12 When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, 13 saying, “Tell them, ‘His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.’ 14 And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will appease him and make you secure.” 15 So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.

The Great Commission(K)

16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain (L)which Jesus had appointed for them. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some (M)doubted.

18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, (N)“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 (O)Go [c]therefore and (P)make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 (Q)teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am (R)with you always, even to the end of the age.” [d]Amen.

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 28:2 NU omits from the door
  2. Matthew 28:9 NU omits as they went to tell His disciples
  3. Matthew 28:19 M omits therefore
  4. Matthew 28:20 NU omits Amen.