Bible Commentaries
Isaiah 14

Verse 1

choose. See note on Isaiah 1:29 .

set them = make them rest. Compare Isaiah 14:3 .

land = soil

strangers = sojourners, foreign proselytes. Isaiah sees far beyond the Captivity. Hebrew. gur. See note on Isaiah 5:17 . Thus, the mention of strangers is not confined to latter part of Isaiah as alleged by some. See App-79 .

the house of Jacob. See note on Isaiah 2:5 .

Verse 2

the people = peoples.

their place = their own place. See Isaiah 49:22 ; Isaiah 60:9 ; Isaiah 66:20 .

the house of Israel. See note on Isaiah 5:7 .

possess them. For servants and handmaids. This is to be fulfilled at a later day: still future (Isaiah 49:23 ; Isaiah 60:9-14 ; Isaiah 61:5 ).

oppressors. Compare Isaiah 60:14 .

Verse 4

take up this proverb. Reference to Pentateuch (Numbers 23:7 , Numbers 23:24 ; Numbers 24:3 , Numbers 24:15 , Numbers 24:20 , Numbers 24:21 , Numbers 24:23 ). Elsewhere only in Micah 2:4 .Habakkuk 2:6 , and Job 27:1 ; Job 29:1 .

proverb = triumph-song.

king of Babylon. Figure of speech Polyonymia . One of the names for the Antichrist. See note on Daniel 7:8 .

How. ! Figure of speech Chleuasmos. App-6 .

golden city: or exactress of gold. Some, by reading (= R) for (= D) read "oppression".

Verse 5

wicked = lawless ones (plural) Hebrew. rasha'. App-44 .

Verse 6

continual = unremitting.

ruled the nations = trod down nations.

is persecuted, and none hindereth = with an unsparing persecution.

Verse 7

break forth into singing. This word (Hebrew. pazah) occurs once in the "former" portion (here), and five times in the "latter" portion (Isaiah 44:23 ; Isaiah 49:13 ; Isaiah 52:9 ; Isaiah 54:1 ; Isaiah 55:12 ). See App-92 .

Verse 8

fir trees. Compare Isaiah 37:24 ; Isaiah 41:19 ; Isaiah 55:13 ; Isaiah 60:13 .

the cedars of Lebanon, Baying, &c. It refers to Nebuchadnezzar's and Esar-haddon's cutting down, as recorded in their Inscriptions, p. 58 (published by Oppert, Paris, 1865). They tell how they "brought the greatest trees from the summits of Lebanon to Babylon". Nebuchadnezzar moreover boasts that he will do it in his message to Hezekiah (Isaiah 37:28 . See App-67 .).

laid down = laid low.

Verse 9

Hell = the grave. Hebrew Sheol. App-85 .

dead = Rephaim. See App-23 and App-25 . Compare Isaiah 26:14 , Isaiah 26:19 .

Verse 10

speak. say. Figure of speech Prosopopoeia , by which the dead are represented as speaking.

Verse 11

the grave. Hebrew Sheol. App-35 . Same word as "hell", Isaiah 14:9 and Isaiah 14:15 .

worm. This shows the meaning to be given to Hebrew "Sheol" in verses: Isaiah 14:9 , Isaiah 14:15 ; as worms are material, not spirit. Compare Isaiah 66:24 .Mark 9:44 , Mark 9:46 , Mark 9:48 .

cover thee = are thy coverlet.

Verse 12

Lucifer = Morning-star. Worshipped by the Assyrians as male at sunrise, female at sunset. A name of Satan.

weaken = subdue.

Verse 13

For = And.

hast said = saidst.

ascend = mount up.

heaven = the heavens.

mount of the congregation. Not Zion, but the Divine assembly of judgment. Compare Psalms 75:2 ; Psalms 82:1 .Ezekiel 28:12-14 .

sides = recesses. Same word as in Isaiah 14:16 ; Isaiah 37:24 , and 1 Samuel 24:3 .Ezekiel 32:23 .

the north. This helps us to localize the dwelling place of God. No "Semitic conception", but Divine revelation of Him Who knows what Satan "said in his heart". Compare Psalms 75:6 . Job 26:7 .

Verse 14

of = that is to say. Genitive of Apposition. App-17 .

the MOST HIGH. Hebrew. Elyon. App-4 .

Verse 16

Is this the man. ? Figure of speech Dialogismos .

tremble = quake, forming the Figure of speech Paronomasia , with "shake. "

Verse 17

world = the habitable world. Hebrew. tebel.

opened not the house of = loosed not.

Verse 18

lie = sleep. Hebrew. shakab. So rendered twelve times in O.T.

glory = state or honour.

house = burial-house, or mausoleum. 1 Kings 2:10 , 1Ki 2:34 ; 1 Samuel 25:1 ; 1 Samuel 28:3 Ecclesiastes 12:5 .

Verse 19

cast out = flung out: out, or far away.

grave = sepulchre. Heb keber. See App-35 .

abominable branch = a detested or despised scion.

that go down, &c. As those that go down . . . as, &c.

to. One school of Massorites reads "upon", another reads "up to".

stones. Cast upon those who were buried. No word has "evidently dropped out" of Isaiah 14:20 ; for Isaiah 14:19 does state that they were buried, but he was not.

pit = a rock-hewn burying place, as in Psalms 28:1 ; Psalms 30:3 ; Psalms 88:5 . Hebrew. bor. See note on Genesis 21:19 , showing the sense in which we are to understand Sheol in verses: Isaiah 11:15 . Compare English word "bore. "Hebrew. bor rendered cistern, four times; dungeon, thirteen; fountain, one; well, nine; pit, thirty-nine times.

Verse 21

slaughter = a slaughter-house, or, instruments of slaughter. Hebrew. matbeah. Occurs only here.

children = sons.

for the iniquity of their fathers. Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 20:5 ). App-92 .

face = surface.

cities. The triumph-song which began in Isaiah 14:4 ends here.

Verse 22

name and remnant. Note the Figure of speech Homoeopropheron in this sentence and the next: "renown and remnant, scion and seed".

and. Some codices, with two early printed editions, omit this "and".

son, and nephew = scion and seed, or, son and son's son.

Verse 24

as = according as.

thought = intended.

Verse 25

break. yoke. Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 27:40 ).

the Assyrian. Another name for the Antichrist, See note on Daniel 7:8 .

Verse 26

purpose. hand. Note the Alternation of these two words in Isaiah 14:26 and Isaiah 14:27 .

stretched out: i.e. in judgment.

Verse 28

king Ahaz died. Compare Isaiah 6:1 .

burden = rod: i.e. Babylon.

Verse 29

Rejoice not thou: i.e. at the death of Ahaz, and because the Davidic dominion was broken by the Syro- Ephraimitic war.

Palestina = Philistia.

him = the Davidic power.

for out of the serpent's root, &c. That was how Philistia regarded Judah and Ahaz.

cocktrice = viper (see note on Isaiah 11:8 ), which they would find in his son Hezekiah in the immediate future (2 Kings 18:8 ).

Verse 30

firstborn of the poor = the poorest of the poor. Hebrew idiom. Hebrew. dal , impoverished, reduced. See Isaiah 11:4 . This looks forward to the fulfilment by Messiah (Isaiah 14:32 ).

Verse 31

gate. city. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Subject), for the people in them.

none shall be alone = there shall be no stragglers.

in = at.

Verse 32

one then answer = what report shall the messengers or ambassadors of the nations take back?

the nation = a nation.

That, &c. This is the report.

the poor = oppressed ones. Hebrew. 'ani.

trust in it = flee for refuge to it. Hebrew. hasah.