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.
Isaiah 14
New American Standard Bible
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. 2 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.
3 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, 4 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!
5 The Lord has broken the staff of the wicked,
The scepter of rulers,
6 (I)Which used to strike the peoples in fury with unceasing strokes,
Which [d]subdued the nations in anger with unrestrained persecution.
7 The whole earth is at rest and is quiet;
They (J)break forth into shouts of joy.
8 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.’
9 (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.”
Footnotes
- Isaiah 14:2 Lit the captors will become their captives
- Isaiah 14:4 Or proverb
- Isaiah 14:4 As in DSS and ancient versions; MT uncertain
- Isaiah 14:6 Or ruled
- Isaiah 14:9 Or shades (Heb Repha’im)
- Isaiah 14:9 Lit male goats
- Isaiah 14:12 Heb Helel; i.e., shining one
- Isaiah 14:16 Lit show themselves attentive to
- Isaiah 14:17 Lit open
- Isaiah 14:18 Lit house
- Isaiah 14:19 Lit an abhorred branch
- Isaiah 14:19 Or As the clothing of those who are slain
- Isaiah 14:26 Lit planned
- Isaiah 14:30 Lit The firstborn of the helpless
- Isaiah 14:31 Or Become demoralized
Isaiah 14
Tree of Life Version
God’s People Restored
14 For Adonai will have compassion on Jacob
and will again choose Israel
and settle them in their own land.
The outsider will join himself with them
and will cling to the house of Jacob.
2 The peoples will take them
and escort them to their place.
The house of Israel will possess them
in the land of Adonai as servants and handmaids.
They will take their captors captive,
and rule over their oppressors.
Taunt Against Babylon’s King
3 Now in the day when Adonai will give you rest from your sorrow and your turmoil, and from the hard service you were forced to do, 4 you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon and say:
“How the taskmaster has ceased!
The raging oppressor, exacter of gold, has ceased!
5 Adonai has broken the rod of the wicked,
the scepter of the rulers,
6 which struck the people in wrath
with continual strokes,
which ruled the nations in fury,
with relentless persecution.
7 The whole earth is at rest, and quiet.
They break forth with a ringing cry!
8 Even the cypress trees rejoice over you,
along with the cedars of Lebanon:
“Since you were laid low,
no woodcutter comes up against us.”
9 Sheol from below is excited about you,
to meet you at your coming!
He stirs up the dead spirits for you,
even the chief ones[a] of the earth.
He makes all the kings of the nations
rise up from their thrones.
10 They all answer and say to you:
“Even you have become as weak as us?
Have you become like us?
11 Your pomp is brought down to Sheol
with the music of your harps.
Maggots are spread out under you,
and worms cover you.”
Shining One Fallen From Heaven
12 How you have fallen from heaven,
O brighstar[b], son of the dawn![c]
How you are cut down to the earth,
you who made the nations prostrate!
13 You said in your heart:
“I will ascend to heaven,
I will exalt my throne above the stars of God.[d]
I will sit upon the mount of meeting,
in the uttermost parts of the north.
14 I will ascend above the high places of the clouds—
I will make myself like Elyon.”
15 Yet you will be brought down to Sheol,
to the lowest parts of the Pit.
16 Those who see you will stare at you,
reflecting on what has become of you:
“Is this the one who shook the earth,
who made kingdoms tremble,
17 who made the world a wilderness
and destroyed its cities,
who never opened the house of his prisoners?”
18 All the kings of the nations, all of them,
lie in glory, each in his own house.
19 But you are cast out of your tomb
as a discarded branch,
garment of the slain,
pierced with a sword,
dumped into a stony pit,
a corpse trodden underfoot.
20 You will not join with them in burial,
because you ruined your land,
you slaughtered your own people.
The offspring of evildoers will never be named.
21 Prepare slaughter for his children
for the iniquity of their fathers,
so they would not rise up and possess the land,
or fill the face of the earth with cities.
22 “For I will rise up against them”—it is a declaration of Adonai-Tzva’ot—“and I will cut off from Babylon name and remnant, offshoot and offspring,” declares Adonai. 23 “I will also make it a possession for the porcupine, with marshes of water, and I will sweep it with the broom of destruction.” It is a declaration of Adonai-Tzva’ot.
24 Adonai Tzva’ot has sworn, saying:
“Surely, as I thought it, so it will be.
As I have purposed, so it will stand.
25 I will break Assyria in My land.
On My mountains I will trample him.
Then his yoke will be taken off them,
his burden removed from their shoulder.
26 This is the purpose planned for the whole earth,
and this is the hand that is stretched out over all the nations.”
27 For Adonai-Tzva’ot has purposed,
so who will annul it?
Since His hand is stretched out,
who will turn it back?
Doom of Philistia
28 In the year king Ahaz died came this burden:
29 Do not rejoice, all you of Philistia,
that the rod that struck you is broken.
For from the serpent’s root comes a viper
and its fruit will be a flying serpent.
30 The firstborn of the poor will feed,
and the needy will lie down in safety.
I will kill your root with famine,
and your survivors will be slain.
31 Wail, O gate! Cry, O city!
Melt away, all you of Philistia!
For smoke is coming from the north,
and there is no straggler in its ranks.
32 What will they answer the messengers of the nation?
For Adonai has founded Zion,
and the afflicted of His people will find refuge in her.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 14:9 Lit. rams.
- Isaiah 14:12 Or shining one.
- Isaiah 14:12 cf. Luke 10:18.
- Isaiah 14:13 cf. 2 Thes. 2:3-4.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.