1The LORD will show tender love towards Jacob’s people. Once again he will choose Israel. He’ll give them homes in their own land. Outsiders will join them. They and the people of Jacob will become one people.2Nations will help Israel return to their own land. Israel will possess other nations. They will serve Israel as male and female servants in the LORD’s land. The Israelites will make prisoners of those who had held them as prisoners. Israel will rule over those who had crushed them.3The LORD will put an end to Israel’s suffering and trouble. They will no longer be forced to do hard labour. At that time,4they will make fun of the king of Babylon. They will say, ‘See how the one who crushed others has fallen! See how his anger has come to an end!5The LORD has taken away the authority of evil people. He has broken the power of rulers.6When they became angry, they struck down nations. Their blows never stopped. In their anger they brought nations under their control. They attacked them again and again.7All the lands now enjoy peace and rest. They break out into singing.8Even the juniper trees show how happy they are. The cedar trees of Lebanon celebrate too. They say, “Babylon, you have fallen. Now no one comes and cuts us down.”9‘King of Babylon, many people in the place of the dead are really excited. They’re excited about meeting you when you go down there. The spirits of the dead get up to welcome you. At one time all of them were leaders in the world. They were kings over the nations. They get up from their thrones.10All of them call out to you. They say, “You have become weak, just as we are. You have become like us.”11Your grand show of power has been brought down to the grave. The noise of your harps has come down here along with your power. Maggots are spread out under you. Worms cover you.12‘King of Babylon, you thought you were the bright morning star. But now you have fallen from heaven! You once brought down nations. But now you have been thrown down to the earth!13You said in your heart, “I will go up to the heavens. I’ll raise my throne above the stars of God. I’ll sit as king on the mountain where the gods meet. I’ll set up my throne on the highest slopes of Mount Zaphon.14I will rise above the tops of the clouds. I’ll make myself like the Most High God.”15But now you have been brought down to the place of the dead. You have been thrown into the deepest part of the pit.16‘Those who see you stare at you. They think about what has happened to you. They say to themselves, “Is this the man who shook the earth? Is he the one who made kingdoms tremble with fear?17Did he turn the world into a desert? Did he destroy its cities? Did he refuse to let his prisoners go home?”18‘All the kings of the nations are buried with honour. Each of them lies in his own tomb.19But you have been thrown out of your tomb. You are like a branch that is cut off and thrown away. You are covered with the bodies of those who have been killed by swords. You have been tossed into a stony pit along with them. You are like a dead body that people have walked on.20You won’t be buried like other kings. That’s because you have destroyed your land. You have killed your people. ‘Let the children of that evil man be killed. Let none of them be left to carry on the family name.21So prepare a place to kill his children. Kill them because of the sins of the rulers who lived before them. They must not rise to power. They must not rule over the world. They must not cover the earth with their cities.’22‘I will rise up against them,’ announces the LORD who rules over all. ‘I will destroy Babylon. It will not be remembered anymore. No one will be left alive there. I will destroy its people and their children after them,’ announces the LORD.23‘I will turn it into a place where nothing but owls can live. I will turn it into a swamp. I will sweep through it like a broom and destroy everything,’ announces the LORD who rules over all.24The LORD who rules over all has made a promise. He has said, ‘You can be sure that what I have planned will happen. What I have decided will take place.25I will crush the Assyrians in my land. On my mountains I will walk all over them. The yokes they put on my people will be removed. The heavy load they put on their shoulders will be taken away.’26That’s how the LORD carries out his plan all over the world. That’s how he reaches out his powerful hand to punish all the nations.27The LORD who rules over all has planned it. Who can stop him? He has reached out his powerful hand. Who can keep him from using it?
A prophecy against the Philistines
28This prophecy came to me from the LORD in the year King Ahaz died. The LORD said,29‘The rod of Assyria has struck all of you Philistines. But do not be glad that it is broken. That rod is like a snake that will produce an even more poisonous snake. It will produce a darting, poisonous snake.30Even the poorest people in Israel will have plenty to eat. Those who are in need will lie down in safety. But I will destroy your families. They will die of hunger. I will kill any of them who are still left alive.31‘Cities of Philistia, cry out for help! Scream in pain! All you Philistines, melt away in fear! An army is coming from the north in a cloud of dust. No one in its ranks is falling behind.32What answer should be given to the messengers from that nation? Tell them, “The LORD has made Zion secure. His suffering people will find safety there.” ’
Isaiah 14
English Standard Version
The Restoration of Jacob
1For the Lord will have compassion on Jacob and will again choose Israel, and will set them in their own land, and sojourners will join them and will attach themselves to the house of Jacob. (2Ch 36:22; Ps 102:13; Zec 1:17; Zec 8:22; Eph 2:12)2And the peoples will take them and bring them to their place, and the house of Israel will possess them in the Lord’s land as male and female slaves.[1] They will take captive those who were their captors, and rule over those who oppressed them. (Isa 49:22; Isa 60:9; Isa 60:14; Isa 61:5; Isa 66:20; Joe 3:8)
Israel’s Remnant Taunts Babylon
3When the Lord has given you rest from your pain and turmoil and the hard service with which you were made to serve,4you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon: “How the oppressor has ceased, the insolent fury[2] ceased! (Jer 51:13; Mic 2:4; Hab 2:6; Re 18:16)5The Lord has broken the staff of the wicked, the scepter of rulers, (Isa 9:4)6that struck the peoples in wrath with unceasing blows, that ruled the nations in anger with unrelenting persecution. (Jer 50:23)7The whole earth is at rest and quiet; they break forth into singing. (Isa 44:23; Isa 49:13; Isa 54:1; Isa 55:12)8The cypresses rejoice at you, the cedars of Lebanon, saying, ‘Since you were laid low, no woodcutter comes up against us.’ (Isa 2:13; Isa 37:24; Eze 31:16)9Sheol beneath is stirred up to meet you when you come; it rouses the shades to greet you, all who were leaders of the earth; it raises from their thrones all who were kings of the nations.10All of them will answer and say to you: ‘You too have become as weak as we! You have become like us!’ (Jer 51:48)11Your pomp is brought down to Sheol, the sound of your harps; maggots are laid as a bed beneath you, and worms are your covers.12“How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! (Job 38:7; Isa 24:21; Isa 34:3)13You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north;[3] (Jer 51:53; Da 5:22; Am 9:2; Mt 11:23; Lu 10:15; 2Th 2:4)14I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’15But you are brought down to Sheol, to the far reaches of the pit. (Eze 32:23; Mt 11:23; Lu 10:15)16Those who see you will stare at you and ponder over you: ‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms, (Jer 50:23)17who made the world like a desert and overthrew its cities, who did not let his prisoners go home?’ (Jer 50:33)18All the kings of the nations lie in glory, each in his own tomb;[4]19but you are cast out, away from your grave, like a loathed branch, clothed with the slain, those pierced by the sword, who go down to the stones of the pit, like a dead body trampled underfoot. (Eze 32:20)20You will not be joined with them in burial, because you have destroyed your land, you have slain your people. “May the offspring of evildoers nevermore be named! (Job 18:19; Ps 21:10; Ps 109:13)21Prepare slaughter for his sons because of the guilt of their fathers, lest they rise and possess the earth, and fill the face of the world with cities.” (Ex 20:5; Mt 23:35)22“I will rise up against them,” declares the Lord of hosts, “and will cut off from Babylon name and remnant, descendants and posterity,” declares the Lord. (Ge 21:23; Job 18:19; Jer 51:50; Jer 51:62)23“And I will make it a possession of the hedgehog,[5] and pools of water, and I will sweep it with the broom of destruction,” declares the Lord of hosts. (Isa 34:11; Zep 2:14)
An Oracle Concerning Assyria
24The Lord of hosts has sworn: “As I have planned, so shall it be, and as I have purposed, so shall it stand, (Pr 19:21)25that I will break the Assyrian in my land, and on my mountains trample him underfoot; and his yoke shall depart from them, and his burden from their shoulder.” (Isa 9:4; Isa 10:27; Isa 37:36)26This is the purpose that is purposed concerning the whole earth, and this is the hand that is stretched out over all the nations. (De 4:34)27For the Lord of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, and who will turn it back? (2Ch 20:6; Job 9:12; Ps 33:11; Pr 21:30; Isa 14:26; Da 4:31; Da 4:33; Da 4:35)
An Oracle Concerning Philistia
28In the year that King Ahaz died came this oracle: (2Ki 16:20; Isa 13:1)29Rejoice not, O Philistia, all of you, that the rod that struck you is broken, for from the serpent’s root will come forth an adder, and its fruit will be a flying fiery serpent. (Ex 15:14; Nu 21:6; Ps 60:8; Ps 87:4; Ps 108:9; Isa 10:24; Isa 30:6; Jer 46:22)30And the firstborn of the poor will graze, and the needy lie down in safety; but I will kill your root with famine, and your remnant it will slay. (Isa 29:19; Zep 3:12)31Wail, O gate; cry out, O city; melt in fear, O Philistia, all of you! For smoke comes out of the north, and there is no straggler in his ranks. (Isa 13:6; Isa 14:29; Isa 20:1; Isa 24:12)32What will one answer the messengers of the nation? “The Lord has founded Zion, and in her the afflicted of his people find refuge.” (Ps 87:1; Ps 87:5; Ps 102:16; Ps 132:13; Isa 28:16)