Isaiah Chapter 14 Verse-by-Verse Commentary
Isaiah 14:1
For ADONAI will have compassion on Ya'akov - he will once again choose Isra'el and resettle them in their own land, where foreigners will join them, attaching themselves to the house of Ya'akov.
In this verse we see that God is faithful to his covenants as it says that he will show mercy to Israel and restore them to their land. We also see that there will also be gentiles with them and these gentiles will be joined with Israel in the land.
Isaiah 14:2
Peoples will take and escort them to their homeland, and the house of Isra'el will possess them in the land of ADONAI as male and female slaves. They will take their captors captive and rule over their oppressors.
Israel will settle these gentiles in the land of the Lord and they will recognize God's plan and purpose for Israel. This speaks of the time leading up to the establishment of the Millennial Reign.
Isaiah 14:3–4
Then, when ADONAI gives you rest from your suffering and trouble and from the hard service imposed on you, you will take up this taunt-song against the king of Bavel: "At last the oppressor is stilled, his arrogance is ended!
Upon Yeshua's return, the Jewish people will be delivered from the tribulation that they have faced. This new "king of Babylon" will be defeated and there will be joy and singing in Jerusalem.
Isaiah 14:5–6
ADONAI has broken the staff of the wicked, the scepter of the rulers, which furiously struck down peoples with unceasing blows, angrily beating down nations with relentless persecution.
This passage speaks of those that were under the power of the anti-christ and the fact that the rulers of these nations have been stripped of their power. It is acknowledged that it was Yeshua who accomplished this.
Isaiah 14:7
The whole earth is at rest and quiet. They break into song.
This is truly a time of peace like the world has never seen. This is another reason that we can say that this prophecy has yet to be fulfilled. We also notice that the land is at rest meaning it does not have to be tilled to produce crops to feed God's people.
Isaiah 14:8
The cypresses rejoice over you, with the cedars of the L'vanon - 'Now that you are laid low, no one comes to cut us down.'
This time will be a time of complete peace as even the trees of the earth will see peace. All of the earth will rejoice in the Lord.
Isaiah 14:9
"Sh'ol below is stirred up to meet you when you come. It awakens for you the ghosts of the dead who were leaders on earth; it makes all the kings of the nations arise from their thrones.
All of those who are a part of this new Babylonian system will be put in the holding place until the time of final judgment.
Isaiah 14:10–11
They all greet you with these words: 'Now you are as weak as we are, you have become like us! Your pride has been brought down to Sh'ol with the music of your lyres, under you a mattress of maggots, over you a blanket of worms.'
This passage speaks to the fact that Satan will also be cast down with those that took a part in his system. The reference to "harps" speaks to the fact that, before his fall, he was the worship leader in heaven.
Isaiah 14:12–14
"How did you come to fall from the heavens, morning star, son of the dawn? How did you come to be cut to the ground, conqueror of nations? You thought to yourself, 'I will scale the heavens, I will raise my throne above God's stars. I will sit on the Mount of Assembly far away in the north. I will rise past the tops of the clouds, I will make myself like the Most High.'
This speaks to the fact that Satan was the fairest of the angels and the leader of worship in heaven. The term "morning star" refers to the fact that the planet Venus appears in the heavens and shine brightly just before the coming dawn. Satan was created to be an angel of light but was cast down to the earth. Satan's goal on earth is seen in this passage as he wants to set up a kingdom on this earth where he can be worshipped in the place of God.
Isaiah 14:15–17
"Instead you are brought down to Sh'ol, to the uttermost depths of the pit. Those who see you will stare at you, reflecting on what has become of you: 'Is this the man who shook the earth, who made kingdoms tremble, who made the world a desert, who destroyed its cities, who would not set his prisoners free?'
Satan wanted to be worshiped like God but, in the end, winds up being mocked in hell. There are those who think hell is a place that Satan rules but it is not as it is a place of punishment.
Isaiah 14:18–20
"All other kings of the nations, all of them, lie in glory, each in his tomb. But you are discarded, unburied, like a loathed branch, clothed like the slain who were pierced by the sword, then fall to the stones inside a pit, like a corpse to be trampled underfoot. You will not be joined with those kings in the grave, because you destroyed your own land, you have brought death to your own people. The descendants of evildoers will be utterly forgotten.
This passage speaks of the events in Revelation 19 where the leaders of the armies of Satan are killed while the religious and political heads are not. They are thrown in the fiery lake and Satan is bound for a thousand years.
Isaiah 14:21–22
Get ready to slaughter his sons for the iniquity of their fathers; so they won't arise, take over the earth and cover the world with their cities." "I will arise against them," says ADONAI-Tzva'ot. "I will cut off from Bavel name and remnant, offshoot and offspring," says ADONAI.
This passage speaks of the coming battle of Armageddon which will be fought in the Jezreel Valley (see Revelation 16). It is here that Yeshua will defeat the armies of the nations (sons of Babylon). We see that "Lord Almighty" is the name of God that is given here. We are reminded that El Shaddai speaks of the fact that he is the only one that has the ability to supply. In this sense, Yeshua is the only one who has the ability to defeat these armies.
Isaiah 14:23
"I will make it a haunt for hedgehogs, it will become a swampy waste, I will sweep it with the broom of destruction," says ADONAI-Tzva'ot.
The focus shifts back to the Babylon of Isaiah's day and the judgment that fell upon it. This passage has been carried out as the ancient city of Babylon that is located in Iraq is not inhabited by anyone. As it was for that Babylon, it will also be for the kingdom of Satan and the anti-christ.
Isaiah 14:24
ADONAI-Tzva'ot has sworn, "Just as I thought it, it will occur; just as I planned it, so it will be.
If God says it, then, it is going to happen and he has his purposes for all things. The Babylon that we saw judged had not even came to power at the time that this prophecy was delivered but it was going to come to fulfill God's purpose. In the same way, God has a plan and a purpose for his people as a group and also as individuals. He has made plans for all of us and they will be fulfilled.
Isaiah 14:25–27
I will break Ashur in my land, I will trample him down on my mountains. Then his yoke will fall off them, his burden be removed from their shoulders." This is the program planned for all the earth, this is the hand stretched out over all the nations. ADONAI-Tzva'ot has made his decision. Who is there that can stop him? He has stretched out his hand. Who can turn it back?
At the time of this prophecy, the Assyrian empire was the greatest and most feared. They had oppressed God's people and so he raised up the Babylonians to defeat them. We see from this passage that it is God's plan to deal with all nations that mess with his people. We are reminded that he is in control and no nation can stand against his purpose. That was true in Isaiah's day and it is just as true today.
Isaiah 14:28–30
In the year that King Achaz died, this prophecy came: Do not rejoice, P'leshet, any of you, that the rod which struck you is broken; for out of the snake's root will come a viper, and his offspring will be a flying fiery serpent. While the firstborn of the poor graze and the needy lie down in safety, I will kill off your root with famine and slaughter the rest of you.
This warning was given to the Philistines which were in the coastal area of Israel. Syria and Israel had joined forces against Judah and they had captured parts of the land. They are warned that worse is yet to come.
Isaiah 14:31–32
Howl, gate! Cry, city! Melt away, P'leshet, all of you! For a smoke is coming from the north, with not a straggler in its ranks. And what is one to answer the messengers of the nation? That ADONAI founded Tziyon, and there the poor of his people will find refuge.
The Assyrians conquered Syria and Jerusalem was saved from them. We see, here, that it is God who has established this land and this city for his people. It is how it was during this time and it is the same today.