This chapter Isaiah 14 is a continuation of the prophecy respecting Babylon, which was commenced in the previous chapter. The prophecy is concluded at Isaiah 14:27. A considerable portion of the chapter is a poem of unequalled beauty and sublimity. It is to be remembered that this prophecy was utter... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE LORD WILL HAVE MERCY ON JACOB - That is, he will pity the captive Jews in Babylon. He will not abandon them, but will remember them, and restore them to their own land. AND WILL YET CHOOSE ISRAEL - Will show that he regards them as still his chosen people; or will again “choose” them by rec... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE PEOPLE SHALL TAKE THEM - That is, the people in Babylon. AND BRING THEM TO THEIR PLACE - That is, they shall attend them to the land of Judea, and aid in restoring them to their own country. There is reference here, doubtless, to the fact that Cyrus would assist them (compare Ezra 1:1), and... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS - That is, then thou shalt take up a taunting song against the king of Babylon Isaiah 14:4. THAT THE LORD SHALL GIVE THEE REST - (compare Isaiah 38:12). The nature of this predicted rest, is more fully described in Ezekiel 28:25. FROM THY SORROW - The long pain of thy cap... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT THOU SHALT TAKE UP - Thou shalt utter, declare, or commence. The word ‘take up,’ is used in the sense of utter, speak, or declare, in Exodus 20:7; Exodus 23:1; Psalms 15:2. THIS PROVERB - (המשׁל _hamâshâl_). Vulgate, ‘Parable.’ Septuagint Τὸν ρῆνον _ton_ _thrēnon_ - ‘Lamentation.’ The Hebr... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD HATH BROKEN - Yahweh, by the hand of Cyrus. THE STAFF OF THE WICKED - That is, the scepter of the king of Babylon. The word rendered ‘staff’ (מטה _maṭēh_) may mean either a bough, stick, staff, rod, or a scepter. The scepter was the symbol of supreme power. It was in the form of a staff,... [ Continue Reading ]
HE WHO SMOTE - This may either refer to the king of Babylon, or to the rod or scepter which he had used, and which was now broken. Herder refers it to the scepter, ‘that which smote the nations.’ (On the meaning of the word “smote,” see the notes at Isaiah 10:20) THE PEOPLE - The nations that were... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WHOLE EARTH IS AT REST - The kingdom of Babylonia, or Chaldea, extended nearly over the whole pagan world. Now that Babylon was fallen, and that those oppressions would cease, the world is represented as in peace and quietness. THEY BREAK FORTH INTO SINGING - That is, the inhabitants of all the... [ Continue Reading ]
YEA, THE FIR TREES REJOICE AT THEE - They join with the inhabitants of the nations in rejoicing at thy downfall - for they now, like those inhabitants, are suffered to remain undisturbed. (On the word rendered “fir trees,” see the notes at Isaiah 1:29.) It is evident that a species of evergreen is m... [ Continue Reading ]
HELL FROM BENEATH - The scene is now changed. The prophet had represented the people of all the subject nations as rejoicing that the king of Babylon had fallen, and had introduced even the trees of the forest as breaking forth into joy at this event. He now transfers the scene to the mournful regio... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THEY SHALL SPEAK ... - Language of astonishment that one so proud, and who apparently never expected to die, should be brought down to that humiliating condition. It is a severe taunt at the great change which had taken place in a haughty monarch.... [ Continue Reading ]
THY POMP - Thy magnificence (see the note at Isaiah 5:14). THE NOISE OF THY VIOLS - Instruments of music were often used in their feasts; and the meaning here is, that instead of being surrounded with splendor, and the instruments of music, the monarch was now brought down to the corruption and stil... [ Continue Reading ]
HOW ART THOU FALLEN FROM HEAVEN - A new image is presented here. It is that of the bright morning star; and a comparison of the once magnificent monarch with that beautiful star. He is now exhibited as having fallen from his place in the east to the earth. His glory is dimmed; his brightness quenche... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THOU HAST SAID IN THINE HEART - It was thy purpose or design. I WILL ASCEND INTO HEAVEN - Nothing could more strikingly show the arrogance of the monarch of Babylon than this impious design. The meaning is, that he intended to set himself up as supreme; he designed that all should pay homage to... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL BE LIKE THE MOST HIGH - There is a remarkable resemblance between this language and that used in 2 Thessalonians 2:4, in regard to antichrist: ‘He, as God, sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.’ And this similarity is the more remarkable, because antichrist is represen... [ Continue Reading ]
YET THOU SHALT BE BROUGHT DOWN TO HELL - Hebrew, ‘To sheol’ (compare Isaiah 14:9). TO THE SIDES OF THE PIT - The word ‘pit,’ here, is evidently synonymous with “hell” or “hades,” represented as a deep, dark region under ground. The dead were often buried in caves, and the descent was often dark and... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY THAT SEE THEE - That is, after thou art dead. The scene here changes, and the prophet introduces those who would contemplate the body of the king of Babylon after he should be slain - the passers-by arrested with astonishment, that one so proud and haughty was at last slain, and cast out among... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT MADE THE WORLD AS A WILDERNESS - That made cities and kingdoms desolate. THAT OPENED NOT THE HOUSE OF HIS PRISONERS - This is a description of his oppression and cruelty. Of course many prisoners would be taken in war. Instead of giving them liberty, he threw them into prison and kept them the... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THE KINGS OF THE NATIONS - That is, this is the common way in which the kings are buried. LIE IN GLORY - They lie in a magnificent mausoleum; they are surrounded with splendor even in their tombs. It is well known that vast sums of money were expended to rear magnificent mausoleums as the burial... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THOU ART CAST OUT OF THY GRAVE - Thou art not buried like other kings in a magnificent sepulchre, but art cast out like the common dead. This was a mark of the highest infamy (see Isaiah 34:3; Ezekiel 29:5; Jeremiah 22:19). Nothing was considered more disgraceful than to be denied the privileges... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT NOT BE JOINED WITH THEM IN BURIAL - That is, even with those who are slain with the sword in battle, and to whom is granted the privilege of a decent burial. HAST DESTROYED THY LAND - Hast been a cruel, harsh, and oppressive prince. THE SEED OF EVIL-DOERS - The posterity of the wicked.... [ Continue Reading ]
PREPARE SLAUGHTER FOR HIS CHILDREN - That is, cut them off not only from inheriting the honor of their father, but from life. This command seems to be directed to the Medes and Persians, and denotes that they would thus cut off his children. FOR THE INIQUITY OF THEIR FATHERS - On account of the cri... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR I WILL RISE UP AGAINST THEM, SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS - That is, against the family of, the king of Babylon. AND CUT OFF FROM BABYLON THE NAME - That is, all the “males” of the royal family, so that the name of the monarch shall become extinct (compare Ruth 4:5; Isaiah 56:5). AND REMNANT - All... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL ALSO MAKE IT A POSSESSION FOR THE BITTERN - The word ‘bittern,’ in English, means a bird with long legs and neck, that stalks among reeds and sedge, feeding upon fish. The Hebrew word (קפד _qı̂ppod_), occurs but five times Isaiah 34:11; Zephaniah 2:14. According to Bochart and Gesenius, it me... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD OF HOSTS - (see the note at Isaiah 1:9). It is evident that this verse and the three following, is not directly connected with that which goes before, respecting Babylon. This pertains to the Assyrian; that had relation to Babylon. Vitringa says that this is attached to the prophecy respect... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT I WILL BREAK - That I will break his power; that I will discomfit and destroy his army. THE ASSYRIAN - Sennacherib (see Isaiah 10.) IN MY LAND - That is, in the land of Canaan. This is often called his land; and this expression shows that the passage does not and cannot refer to the king of B... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS IS THE PURPOSE - This is the sum of the whole design - a design that embraces the destruction both of the king of Assyria, and of Babylon. UPON THE WHOLE EARTH - The successive kingdoms of Assyria and Babylonia embraced the whole earth, and to destroy them would in fact affect all the nations.... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE LORD OF HOSTS - (see the note at Isaiah 1:9). WHO SHALL DISANNUL IT? - Who has power to defeat his purposes? Difficult as they may be in appearance, and incredible as their fulfillment may seem, yet his purposes are formed in full view of all the circumstances; and there is no power to resis... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE YEAR THAT KING AHAZ DIED - This is the caption or title to the following prophecy, which occupies the remainder of this chapter. This prophecy has no connection with the preceding; and should have been separated from it in the division into chapters. It relates solely to Philistia; and the de... [ Continue Reading ]
REJOICE NOT THOU - Rejoice not at the death of Ahaz, king of Judah. It shall be no advantage to thee. It shall not be the means of making an invasion on Judah more practicable. WHOLE PALESTINA - We apply the name “Palestine” to the whole land of Canaan. Formerly, the name referred only to Philistia,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE FIRST-BORN OF THE POOR SHALL FEED - That is, there shall be safety to those parts of Judah which have long been exposed to the invasions of the Philistines. Philistia bordered on Judea, and was constantly making wars upon it, so that there was no safety felt. Isaiah now says, that Hezekiah w... [ Continue Reading ]
HOWL, O GATE - That is, ye who throng the gate. The gates of a city were the chief places of concourse. CRY, O CITY - The prophet here fixes the attention upon some principal city of Philistia, and calls upon it to be alarmed in view of the judgments that were about to come upon the whole land. AR... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT SHALL ONE THEN ANSWER - The design of this verse is obvious. It is to show that Judea would be safe from the invasions of the Philistines, and that God was the protector of Zion. For this purpose the prophet refers to messengers or ambassadors who should be sent for any purpose to Jerusalem, ei... [ Continue Reading ]