THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET
ISAIAH

Isaiah 14

1God's merciful restoration of Israel. 3Their triumph in the fall of the king of Babylon. 24God's purpose against Assyria. 29Palestina is threatened.


1FOR1 the LORD will have 2mercy 3on Jacob, and 4will 5yet 6choose Israel, and 7set them 8in their own land: and 9the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob.

1 Here the prophet gives a reason why God would destroy the Babylonians by the Medes and the Persians, as is said in Isaiah 13, namely, in order that by such means He would deliver His people out of the Babylonian captivity.

2 This is not only to be understood of a physical deliverance from the Babylonian captivity, but also of the spiritual deliverance of the people of God by Jesus Christ.

3 That is, on the Jews who are in captivity in Babylon.

4 The Lord.

5 Or, further, henceforth.

6 That is, He will yet further have mercy on His chosen people, whom He just before called Jacob, making it really appear that He made choice of Israel to be His own peculiar people.

7 Namely, Jacob and Israel, that is, the Jews.

8 Namely, in the land of the Jews, delivering them out of the Babylonian captivity.

9 Namely, some of the Gentiles, even from among the Babylonians. This is a promise concerning the calling of the Gentiles unto Christ by the preaching of the Holy Gospel. See Romans 11.

2And 10the people shall take them, and bring them 11to their place: and 12the house of Israel shall possess them 13in the land of the LORD for servants and handmaids: and 14they shall take them captives, whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors.

10 This is first accomplished when certain nations among the Gentiles afforded all possible aid and service unto the Jews when they returned out of captivity unto Jerusalem, Ezra 1:6, and afterward when many Gentiles were by the believing Jews (by the apostles, their fellow helpers and followers) brought to the obedience of the Gospel, and to the fellowship of the christian church. See Isa. 11:14; 66:20.

11 Or, at their place, that is, to their own country.

12 The Israelites shall have the nations so under their authority and command, as if they were their servants and bondmen. But this is to be understood of a voluntary or willing servitude, proceeding from thence, that the strangers would embrace the religion of the Jews, and afterward the christian religion.

13 That is, in Judah, thus called because God had given them that land for an inheritance and had taken up His rest in the temple at Jerusalem.

14 This is accomplished when the Gentiles, by the preaching of the apostles, have subjected themselves unto Christ. See 2 Cor. 10:5, 6.

3And it shall come to pass in the day that the LORD shall give 15thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and froma the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve,

15 O my people of Israel.

a Deut. 28:48.

4¶That thou shalt 16take up this proverb 17against the king of Babylon, and say, 18How hath 19the oppressor ceased! 20the golden city ceased!

16 That is, use, take into thy mouth, as Psalm 50:16.

17 Or, of, or, concerning.

18 As if one would say: How is it possible that such a mighty and such a great kingdom would be ruined and destroyed in one night? From this place unto the 21st verse are described the joyful words of the people of God, concerning the ruin and destruction of the Babylonians.

19 That is, that tyrant, that cruel ruler.

20 Understand here by the golden the city of Babel, which was rich and stately, the garments and furniture of her inhabitants glistering of gold and silver. See Daniel 2; 3. Other, the gold-thirsty, or the gold-exacting. It comes from a Chaldean word, which signifies gold. The prophet mocks at Babel, the capital city of Chaldea, with a word taken from the Chaldean tongue.

5The LORD hath broken 21the staff of the wicked, and the sceptre of the rulers.

21 Or, stick, the hard and cruel dominion of the Babylonians. This is an answer to the question that is put forth in verse 4, intimating that God would certainly destroy the Babylonians, how impossible it seemed to be in the eyes or judgment of men.

6He who smote the people in wrath 22with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is 23persecuted, and none hindereth.

22 Other, with a plague which is not to be kept off or hindered, etc.

23 Namely, by the Persian and the Medes, and is not able to hinder it, yea, neither he himself, nor any man else. Other, if any man was persecuted or oppressed, he hindered it not. Understand herewith: but he suffered everyone to use violence and oppression according to his pleasure.

7The whole 24earth is 25at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing.

24 That is, the inhabitants of the earth; therefore it follows: they break, etc., in the plural number.

25 The sense is: Since the rapacious city and the land of Babel are subdued and destroyed, the entire world is at rest and in peace.

826Yea, the fir trees rejoice at thee, and the cedars of Lebanon, saying, Since thou art 27laid down, no fellerb is 28come up against us.

26 These are the words of the people unto the king of Babel, using allegorical and poetical phrases, which may be first of all taken thus, namely, that after the destruction of the Babylonian monarchy the woods and trees would have cause to rejoice, because henceforward they would not be cut down for all kinds of building, and engines of war, as was wont to be done when that kingdom yet flourished. By the fir trees and cedars may also be understood the kings and princes whom the king of Babel had subdued.

27 Or, sleepeth, that is, art dead.

b lumberjack, tree surgeon

28 Or, to destroy us.

929Hell from beneath is moved for thee 30to meet thee 31at thy coming: 32it stirreth up 33the dead for thee, even 34all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from 35their thrones all the kings of the nations.

29 Or, The grave.

30 As they are wont to meet great lords and princes at their coming.

31 Namely, when thou, being dead, camest to them into the grave or into hell. As if he said: Seeing thou hast lost all thine honor and reputation among men upon the earth, the dead and those who are in hell, will show some kind of honor and respect unto thee. See the like figurative and poetical phrase Ezek. 31:16; 32:18 and elsewhere besides.

32 Namely, hell or the grave.

33 Other, the giants. See Gen. 14 on verse 5; Job 26 on verse 5.

34 Or, all the he-goats, that is, princes, rulers, who are called he-goats, because as the four footed goats or rams go before the flock and are strong, so do also princes, etc. See Jer. 50:8; Dan. 8:5; Zech. 10:3. And understand here the princes who lie in their graves.

35 The graves are the thrones, beds and seats of dead kings.

10All they shall 36speak and say unto thee, 37Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us?

36 Or, answer. See the annotation Judges 18 on verse 14.

37 Other, Art thou also become ill or feeble (that is, deprived of thy great power) as we? That is, as well as we? Art thou become like unto us? It is an ironical speech with admiration.

11Thy pomp is 38brought down 39to the grave, 40and the noise of thy viols: 41the worm is spread under thee, and 42the worms cover thee.

38 Come down, thrust down, crushed down.

39 Other, into hell.

40 That is, with the pleasant music, pleasure and delight, which ye were wont to have on earth. See Dan. 3:5, 10, 15.

41 As if he said: These shall be your tapestries, costly blankets and coverlets.

42 As if he said: These shall be your tapestries, costly blankets and coverlets.

12How art thou fallen 43from heaven, 44O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, 45which didst weaken the nations!

43 Or, out of heaven. By heaven is meant here the royal glory, luster and beauty.

44 Thus the prophet calls the king of Babel, because his glory here on earth was as the luster and brightness of the morningstar in heaven, or in the firmament, shining clearer and brighter than any other stars of heaven, insomuch that it alone gives a shadow.

45 Other, thou art maimed above other nations, that is, God has dealt harder with thee than with some other kings of the Gentiles.

13For thou hast said in thine heart, 46I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above 47the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of 48the congregation, 49in thec sides of the north:

46 As if he said: I will assume or take unto me the seat, honor, glory and power of God.

47 That is, above the highest and fairest stars.

48 Thus he calls mount Zion, whereon the city of Jerusalem was situated, and beside it the temple upon Mount Moriah, where the people met together for the service of God. And by these words is discovered the bold presumption of the kings of Babel, who imagined that when they would have overcome Jerusalem that they would then be seated on the throne of God, and that the same honor would be performed unto them, which was wont to be performed there unto the true God.

49 Here was situated Mount Zion, whereon the temple was built.

c Psalm 48:2.

14I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

1550Yet thou shalt be 51brought down 52to hell, to the sides of the pit.

50 Here the prophet speaks again in his own person.

51 Namely, by the Persians and the Medes.

52 Or, into the grave.

1653They that see thee 54shall narrowly look upon thee, and 55consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;

53 Namely, the dead that are already buried.

54 Namely, with admiration. Other, shall behold thee.

55 As if he said: They shall stand exceedingly amazed, doubting whether thou be that proud king of Babel.

17That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; 56that opened not the house of his prisoners?

56 The sense is: who was so cruel and irreconcilable, that they never released those whom he had once taken captive.

18All the kings of the nations, even 57all of them, 58lie in glory, every one in his own house.

57 That is, as many as there are of them.

58 That is, they died in honor, and are buried in the sepulchers, which they, or their ancestors, had caused to be made for themselves and for their families.

19But thou art cast out 59of thy grave like 60an abominable branch, and 61as the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through 62with a sword, 63that go down 64to the stones of the pit; as a carcase trodden under feet.

59 That is, from the grave wherein thou intendedst to have been buried. Or, thou art cast away or concealed in order that thou art not buried in a royal sepulcher, or with kingly honor and solemnity.

60 That is, like a filthy, rotten, contemptible stick or piece of wood. Others take it thus: Thou art a degenerate evil sprout, that is, son or offspring, not worthy to be buried near his ancestors.

61 Which is rent and full of holes, filthy and defiled with blood and mire, which is therefore of no value or esteem, but is cast with the dead body into the grave.

62 Hebr. the pierced ones of the sword. Other, the laden or covered ones of the sword, that are laden or covered with swords. We say likewise sometimes that a man is well covered, that is, smitten and wounded, with swords and sticks.

63 That is, thou shalt not be honorable buried nor to the common custom, but they shall let thee lie above ground upon the earth, and cast only a heap of stones upon thee, as a dead carcass is covered with earth, stones and dung.

64 Or, into a stone pit.

20Thou shalt not be joined 65with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed 66thy land, and slain 67thy people: thed68seed 69of evildoers shall 70never be 71renowned.

65 Namely, with the other kings of the Gentiles, as verse 18. That is, thou shalt not be buried in such honor and pomp, as they were buried.

66 Namely, thine own land, and thine own people.

67 Namely, thine own land, and thine own people.

d Job 18:19; Psalm 21:10; 37:28; 109:13.

68 That is, the children or family.

69 Such was Belshazzar and other ancestors of this king. Or, of evil doers, that is, thy seed. Understand herewith: but it shall be cut off.

70 That is, not always.

71 That is, not be remembered, namely, in honor, or with praise and renown, but with contempt, and with reproach and dishonor.

2172Prepare slaughter for his children fore the iniquity of their fathers; that they do not rise, nor 73possess the land, nor 74fill the face of the world 75with cities.

72 Or, make. The sense is: Ye Persians and Medes order and prepare yourselves for it, that ye slay and kill the children or sons of the king of Babel. For, God speaks here unto the Persians and the Medes, as likewise unto all those, whom besides them, He would use to kill and cut off the king and his own.

e Exod. 20:5; Mat. 23:35.

73 Or, possess hereditarily.

74 That is, that they do not increase and multiply themselves as such to build cities, fill them with men and to enlarge their jurisdiction or dominion.

75 Other, with enemies, namely, with enemies and persecutors of God’s church, and of all godly persons.

22For I will rise up 76against them, saith the LORD of hosts, and cut off from Babylon the name, and 77remnant, andf78son, and nephew,g saith the LORD.

76 Namely, against the children of the king of Babel.

77 That is, those who were left.

f Job 18:19; Psalm 21:10; 37:28.

78 Other, both the son as the grandson.

g grandson

23I will also 79make it 80a possessionh81for the bittern, and pools of water: and I will sweep it with the besomi of destruction, saith the LORD of hosts.

79 Namely, the city of Babel.

80 Other, unto an hereditary possession.

h Isa. 34:11; Zeph. 2:14.

81 Other, of urchins or hedgehogs. Other, of owls. Other, of beavers. Other, of pool-eagles. The prophet intimates that Babel shall lie so desolate that none shall dwell in it but wild savage beasts.

i broom

24¶The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, 82Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have 83purposed, so shall it stand:

82 Other, Surely it shall come to pass, etc. It is a manner of swearing an oath. See Psalm 89 on verse 35.

83 Or, have decreed in my counsel.

25That I will break the 84Assyrian 85in my land, and upon 86my mountains tread him under foot: 87then shall 88his yoke depart 89from off them, and 90his burden depart from off 91their shoulders.

84 That is, the Assyrians in the reign of Sennacherib. Others understand here the Babylonians, who are so called, because they did at that time possess that which the Assyrians had possessed in times past, having brought them under their obedience and subjection. See the like phrase Ezra 6:22.

85 Namely, in the land of the Jews, before Libnah, or in their march toward Jerusalem, 2 Kings 19:8, 35.

86 That is, upon the mountains which were situated in the land of the Jews, which was God’s land. See Psalm 125:2.

87 Other, that his yoke may depart from off them.

88 Namely, the yoke of the king of Assyria, that is, the bondage whereby he oppresses the Jews, compelling them to pay tribute to him.

89 Namely, from off the Jews who dwelt in that country.

90 Namely, the burden of the king of Assyria.

91 Namely, of My people.

26This is the purpose that 92is purposed 93upon the whole earth: and this is the hand that is stretched out 94upon all the nations.

92 Namely, by the Lord.

93 Namely, upon the land of Babylon, and thereof the subjects and inhabitants.

94 Namely, upon all the nations that were under the monarchy of the king of Babel, who reigned almost over all people and nations.

27For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and whoj shall 95disannul it? and hisk hand is stretched out, and who shall 96turn it back?97

j 2 Chron. 20:6; Job 9:12; Prov. 21:30.

95 Or, break.

k Dan. 4:35.

96 Or, turn it away.

97 Some do here put an end to the 14th chapter, and they make a particular chapter of the next five verses.

28In the year thatl king Ahaz died 98was this 99burden.

l 2 Kings 16:20.

98 That is, was revealed, namely, to the prophet Isaiah in a Divine vision.

99 That is, the prophecy concerning the punishment that would come upon the Philistines. See Isa. 13:1.

29¶Rejoice not thou, whole Palestina, because 100the rod of him 101that smote thee is broken: for out of the serpent's root shall come forth 102a cockatrice,m and 103his 104fruit shall be 105a fiery flying serpent.

100 Understand here by the rod or staff king Uzziah, 2 Chron. 26:6, who like a serpent stung and wounded the Philistines. The sense is: Rejoice not in this that thou thinkest to be at liberty, because of the death of king Uzziah, for, out of him shall come forth another king (namely, Hezekiah), who shall plague thee yet harder.

101 Other, of him that smote thee.

102 Understand king Hezekiah, the son of Ahab, who would set himself against the Philistines like a cockatrice, hurting them more than his grandfather Uzziah had done. See 2 Kings 18:8.

m adder, cobra

103 Namely, of that serpent.

104 Namely, king Hezekiah, who descended from Uzziah.

105 Such kind of snakes or serpents are found in Egypt, Libya, and elsewhere. See the annotation Num. 21 on verse 6.

30And 106the firstborn of the poor shall feed, and the needy 107shall lie down in safety: and I will kill 108thy root with famine, and 109he shall slay thy remnant.

106 That is, the most important among the lowly, that is, the poorest, namely, in the kingdom of Judah. See Job 18 on verse 13. Or, understand here by the firstborn of the poor the Jews in general, who for some space of time were the most miserable among the miserable ones. These shall dwell in safety and prosper in king Hezekiah’s days. This is here intimated by the word feed, as Isa. 5:17.

107 Namely, as cattle do, when they have fed sufficiently, and eaten their bellies full.

108 The sense is: O ye Philistines, I will destroy you with famine, to the very root, both young and old, citizens and farmers.

109 Namely, that cockatrice, king Hezekiah. See the fulfillment of this prophecy 2 Kings 18:8.

31Howl, 110O gate; cry, 111O city; thou, whole Palestina, art 112dissolved: for there shall come 113from the north 114a smoke, and 115none shall be alone 116in his appointed times.

110 Understand here by the gate the regents and the most important ones of the Philistines, who met together in the gates of the city.

111 That is, ye cities, namely, which are situated in the land of the Philistines.

112 Namely, for fear and terror.

113 That is, out of Judah, which was situated northward of the Philistines.

114 That is, an army, which shall bite through and pierce through like a smoke; namely, Hezekiah with his army.

115 The sense is: No man shall absent himself, but the Jews shall with one accord and set upon in great troops and companies and assault thee; they shall be ready to fall upon thee all at once.

116 That is, in his army. Other, in his appointed time, that is, when that time shall be come, which the Lord has appointed to march forth.

32What shall one then answer 117the messengers of the nation? 118That the LORD hath founded 119Zion, 120and the poor of his people shall trust in it.

117 Or, ambassadors. Understand here the ambassadors of the Philistines, who would desire that Hezekiah would cease from warring against them; or to dispute the right which they pretended to have unto the land of Judah; or whatsoever action Hezekiah had against them.

118 This is the answer to the question.

119 See Psalm 87:1, 5; 102:16.

120 He wants to say: that God gave the land of Judah for an inheritance unto His people, and that He will know how to defend and protect them in it by His mighty power.