Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Isaiah 14:3

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Isaiah 14:3. In the day - "In that day"] ביום ההוא bayom hahu. The word ההוא hahu is added in two MSS. of Kennicott's, and was in the copies from which the Septuagint and Vulgate translated: εν τῃ ἡμερᾳ εκεινῃ, in die illa, (ᾑ αναπαυσει, MS. Pachom. adding ה,) in that day. This is a matter of no great consequence: however, it restores the text to the common form, almost constantly used on such occasions; and is one among many instances of a word apparently lost out of the printed copies.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

13:1-23:18 MESSAGES FOR VARIOUS NATIONS

All the nations are under the rule of God, who controls their rise to power and their final destruction according to his purposes. This is the truth that the prophet teaches in the collection of prophecies against various nations in Chapters 13 to 23. The first message is for Babylon, which in Isaiah’s day had not yet risen to a position of international power. The fall of Babylon that is pictured in these chapters would not take place for more than one hundred and fifty years.

The pride and fall of Babylon (13:1-14:23)

Although a combined army of Medes and Persians overthrew Babylon, God was the one who moved them to do it. The prophet pictures the scene as the Medo-Persian army gets ready for battle, with soldiers shouting, signalling, organizing themselves and preparing their weapons (13:1-5). The people of Babylon shake with fear as they see that defeat is upon them (6-8). It is, for them, the day of the Lord, the day of God’s great intervention in judgment (9-10). The chief cause of Babylon’s punishment is its pride, for it boasted of its achievements, mocked God and dealt with people ruthlessly. When God decides that he will no longer tolerate the arrogance of the haughty, he pours out his wrath (11-13).
Enemy armies who invade the proud city show no mercy on its inhabitants, whether they be native Babylonians or foreigners (14-16). The Babylonians try to bribe the Medes into turning back, but the Medes will not listen. They carry on with the slaughter and destruction, till the people are wiped out (17-18). The city that was once beautiful is left a ruin, inhabited only by wild animals (19-22).
A further reason for the overthrow of Babylon is now revealed. God wants to break the power of Babylon, so that the captive Jews can be released and return to their homeland. Peoples who once oppressed the Jews will now help them rebuild their ruined nation (14:1-2). (The permission for the Jews’ return was given by the conquering Persian king, Cyrus.)
Then comes a song that the Jews sang to the disgrace of their former master, the king of Babylon. The king is seen as the embodiment of all Babylon’s pride and evil (3-6). Now that he is dead and the captive Jews are free from his rule, the whole world rejoices. Nations feel a sense of relief after years of Babylonian oppression (7-8).
Those in the world of the dead welcome the fallen king, reminding him that though he was all-powerful in life, he is no better than they in death (9-11). Arrogant and ambitious, seeking after the highest place, the greatest honour and supreme power, he is brought down to the lowest place, the greatest shame and complete weakness (12-15). Those who see him can scarcely recognize him as the one who destroyed kingdoms and enslaved entire nations. They find it hard to believe that one who terrified the world can come to such a humiliating end (16-17).
Most kings are buried with honour, but this king is treated with disgrace. He is left unburied, his corpse thrown out to rot in the sun. His sons also are to be killed, to make sure they have no opportunity to copy their father (18-21). The power of Babylon must be destroyed, so that the nation can never rise again (22-23).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

"And it shall come to pass in the day that Jehovah shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy trouble, and from the hard service wherein thou wast made to serve, that thou shalt take up this parable against the king of Babylon, and shall say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased! Jehovah hath broken the staff of the wicked, the scepter of the rulers; that smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, that ruled the nations in anger, with a persecution that none restrained. The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing. Yea, the fir trees rejoice at thee, and the cedars of Lebanon, saying, Since thou art laid low, no hewer is come up against us."

Who is this "King of Babylon," against whom these verses are pointed? We favor the view that he is a symbolical figure, standing in the passage for all of the evil rulers of that era, and symbolizing, ultimately, all of the wicked tyrants who ever lived. Barnes believed he was Belshazzar, the evil Babylonian ruler whose reign terminated the kingdom.Ibid., p. 278. Kidner believed it was "the whole dynasty";Kidner Kelley pointed out that many scholars identify the ruler here as an Assyrian king, perhaps Sargon II.Broadman Bible Commentary (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1971), p. 239 This latter suggestion violates the text which clearly says the "king of Babylon." It would appear that Hailey's comment is correct. "No one king is before the prophet's mind; Isaiah is simply personifying the whole spirit of Babylonian rulers."Homer Hailey, p. 137 It is also true that, here where we have the great kings sleeping on maggots and worms in death, "We are confronted with the last brutal truth for the hedonist,"The New Bible Commentary, Revised, p. 600. not just for some ancient king, or even for some ancient dynasty, but for all men of every age or nation who live solely for the world and its power and glory.

"The golden city (Isaiah 14:4)" This title was given to Babylon, because she was an exactress who extorted gold from her victims and stored great quantities of it.

"Broken the staff of the wicked" The staff, or scepter, was a symbol of the power great rulers exercised over their subjects. What is meant is that God would thwart the purposes of evil rulers.

The metaphor of the firs and cedars joining in the song of joy that the evil ruler has fallen is in keeping with many similar passages in God's Word. "Let the heavens rejoice… the sea roar… the field be joyful… the trees rejoice" (Psalms 96:11-13).

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

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 28:25-26.

From thy sorrow - The long pain of thy captivity in Babylon.

And from thy fear - Hebrew, ‘Trembling.’ That is, the apprehension of the ills to which they were continually exposed. Trembling is usually one effect of fear.

And from thy hard bondage - The severe and galling servitude of seventy years.

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

3.And it shall be in that day. He adds a confirmation of the former promises. In this way the Lord provides for our weakness; for we find it difficult to render a full belief to his word, especially when the state of our affairs appears to contradict it. But by this method the Lord chooses to put our faith to the test, when he still promises the salvation of which all hope has been taken away.

From thy sorrow, and from thy trembling, and from thy hard bondage. He confirms what he has said by a variety of expressions, that, by removing all doubt, we may not cease to rely on his promises, even when our affairs are desperate. Yet by the same considerations he at the same time exhorts the Jews to gratitude, that they may never bury in forgetfulness a work of God so excellent and so worthy of remembrance. He expressly intended to mention the yoke and bondage, that the Jews might be fully aware that the Lord would take away these obstructions whenever he pleased, and that they could not at all prevent him from immediately delivering his people, when he thought fit. We ought also to apply this to our own use, in the present day, with reference to the wretched bondage and wicked yoke of Antichrist by which Christians are bound. Though they are confined and bound by snares and chains in every direction, they have God for their deliverer, who will quickly remove all difficulties and every kind of annoyances; and this ought to be extended to all sorrows, distresses, and afflictions.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Chapter 14

For the LORD will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land: and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob ( Isaiah 14:1 ).

Again, now he moves out to the end of the Kingdom Age where Israel is restored and exalted among the world.

The people shall take them, and bring them to their place: and the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of the LORD for servants and handmaids: and they shall take them captives, whose captives they were; and they shall rule over the oppressors. And it shall come to pass in the day that the LORD shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou was made to serve. That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased! The LORD hath broken the staff of the wicked, and the sceptre of the rulers ( Isaiah 14:2-5 ).

Now you remember that in Revelation, the angel in the fourteenth chapter flies through the midst of the heaven saying, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city" ( Revelation 14:8 ), and so forth, and declares the fall of this Babylonian system. "The LORD has broken the staff of the wicked, the sceptre of the rulers."

He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth. The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing. Yea, the fir trees rejoice at thee, and the cedars of Lebanon, saying, Since thou art laid down, no feller is come up against us ( Isaiah 14:6-8 ).

The trees have an opportunity to grow.

Now we are getting into the area of the beast, the man of sin, the son of perdition, the one who is anointed with Satan's power as he makes reference to

Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations. All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us? Your pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee ( Isaiah 14:9-11 ).

This man that the whole world marvels at, his reception in hell will be an interesting thing. As the kings rise up and say, "Hey, you... "

Now the prophecy lapses from the beast to the power behind the beast, or the antichrist to Satan who gave him the power.

How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High ( Isaiah 14:12-14 ).

These five "I wills" of Satan. This was the beginning of sin in the universe. This was the beginning of the rebellion against God's government and God's kingdom, and they came with Satan's willing against the will of God.

In Ezekiel we are told concerning Satan that he at one time was an anointed cherub. Cherubim, the B-I-M, or the I-M, is actually a plural suffix in the Hebrew language. So a cherub would be singular. But there are cherubim; there are many of these angelic beings. Satan was one of these exalted angelic beings. Interesting it would seem that the cherubim are there to guard the holiness of God. And perhaps he was the chief over the cherubim. It would seem to indicate that as Ezekiel addresses him in the form of the king of Tyre, "the anointed cherub that covers. Thou has been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, beryl, onyx, sapphire, carbuncle," and so forth. "Thou wast perfect in beauty, perfect in wisdom, perfect in all of your ways until the day that iniquity was found in thee" ( Ezekiel 28:13-15 ). And then he speaks of his fall.

Now Isaiah tells us exactly what the iniquity was. It was his declaring, "I will," in opposition to God's will. And anytime you declare your will in opposition to God's will, that's sin. That's rebellion. Rebellion against God. Sin is the failure to do the will of God, to surrender, to submit to the will of God. "I will ascend into heaven. I will sit also. I will exact my throne above the stars of God." Stars of God being the angels of God. "I'm going to exalt above them. I will sit also on the mount of the congregation on the sides of the north. I will ascend above the heights. I will be like the Most High." Interesting. The climactic "I will" of Satan: "I will be like God."

Shakespeare in the one play has someone addressing Cromwell, "Oh, Cromwell, flee ambition. For by this sin the angels fell." I will be like God.

It is interesting when Satan came into the garden to tempt Eve, what was the hook? "God doesn't want you to eat that fruit, for He knows that the day that you eat that fruit, you will be like God. You want to be like God? Eat this fruit." And that was the hook. It was the thing that tripped him up, and so it's the very thing then that he used to trip Eve up--to be like God. "God doesn't want you to eat it. He's afraid you're going to be like Him."

So any of these religions today that make you like God, that put you in a God category, "When you die, you and your wife can be as gods. You go to your own little planet," be careful. That was the hook that got Satan. That was the hook that he used for Eve. These that make a god out of you. "Recognize the god in you." The self-realizations. What is the self-realization concept? "I am God," that's what I need to realize. Isn't that wonderful? Tragic! But so many people are being drawn by this desire to be God. And so the god in me blesses the god in you, the self-realization of who I am. So Satan's fall: "I will be like the Most High."

Now the interesting thing is that God is making us again in His image. When God first created man, He created man in His image and after His likeness. But man through disobedience, in his desire to be like God, fell from that image of God. And "by one man sin entered the world, and death by sin; so that death passed unto all men, for all sinned" ( Romans 5:12 ). So if I want to know what God intended when He created man, I can't look around the world and find it. Because in the world that doesn't exist, because I see fallen man. I see man that is filled with greed. I see man that is filled with hatred, with avarice. I see a man who is controlled by his own desires and lust. That isn't the way God intended man to live. That isn't what God intended for man.

We see man in his fallen state. But God reached down to touch man in his fallen state, and the purpose of God in working in your life tonight is to restore unto you that which was lost through the fall. God wants to restore you back into His image. And so Paul said, "We, with open face beholding the glory of the Lord, are changed from glory to glory into the same image" ( 2 Corinthians 3:18 ). That doesn't mean I'm God. It doesn't mean I'm going to be God. I'm always going to be me. But I will be conformed again by the Spirit of God into the image of Jesus Christ, where love will once again dominate instead of greed or selfishness, and made again into the image of Jesus Christ. That's the purpose of God's work in our lives tonight.

So Satan fell. "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning?" You said you're going to exalt yourself. You're going to be like God.

Yet you will be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms ( Isaiah 14:15-16 );

Man, when you see Satan down there, you'll say, "Wow, is that the guy that gave me such a bad time? The man that created all of the problems for this universe? The one that started the whole rebellion against God. Is that? Wow, look at him." What a sight that's going to be.

That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities; that opened not the house of his prisoners? [All the kingdoms of the earth, or] all the kings of the nations, even all of them that lie in glory, every one in his own house. But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, and as the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcass that is trodden under foot ( Isaiah 14:17-19 ).

The kings are buried in tombs, sepulchers and so forth. But you're going to be cast out of the grave. You're going to be like the coat of a man who has fallen in battle that's just cast aside to be trodden down under the feet.

Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land, and slain thy people: the seed of evildoers shall never be renowned. Prepare slaughter for his children for the iniquity of their fathers; that they do not rise, nor possess the land, nor fill the face of the world with cities. For I will rise up against them, saith the LORD of hosts, and cut off from Babylon the name, and the remnant, and son, and nephew, saith the LORD ( Isaiah 14:20-22 ).

How many of you have met a Babylonian lately? They don't exist. God cut them off. The name, the son, the nephew, they are no more family, Babylonians.

I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools of water: and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, saith the LORD of hosts. The LORD of hosts has sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand ( Isaiah 14:23-24 ):

That is one powerful verse. God said. He's sworn. This is, men take an oath to confirm what they have said as being really true. Well, God who has never spoken anything but truth, when God swears to something, man, how true can you get? How firm can it be? How well can a thing be established? When God has sworn, "Surely as I have thought, it shall come to pass." God's Word shall surely be fulfilled.

When the Lord told Daniel to write these things, He said, "For the prophecy is certain" ( Daniel 2:45 ). It's going to be fulfilled. God declares, "Surely as I have thought, so it's going to be. And as I have purposed, so shall it stand." The purposes of God are set. They cannot be changed. The plan of God will be fulfilled.

That I will break the Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread him under foot: then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders. This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth: and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations. For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who can disannul it? his hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back? ( Isaiah 14:25-27 )

The tremendous, awesome sovereignty of God.

In the year that king Ahaz died was this burden ( Isaiah 14:28 ).

So now we're moving on into a new area. It is not distinguished by a chapter change, but it is distinguished by the fact that he introduces this new section by, "In the year that king Ahaz died was this burden."

Rejoice not thou, whole Palestina, because the rod of him that smote thee is broken: for out of the serpent's root shall come forth a cockatrice, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent ( Isaiah 14:29 ).

Now he's just spoken of the destruction of Assyria, but don't rejoice because Assyria is broken by Babylon, because now God is going to bring the Babylonians against you.

And the firstborn of the poor shall feed, and the needy shall lie down in safety: and I will kill thy root with famine, and he shall slay thy remnant. Howl, O gate; cry, O city; thou, whole Palestina, art dissolved: for there shall come from the north a smoke, and none shall be alone in his appointed times. What shall one then answer the messengers of the nation? That the LORD hath founded Zion, and the poor of his people shall trust in it ( Isaiah 14:30-32 ).

So God is going to found Zion, the ultimate bottom line. "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Having described the future destruction of Babylon (Isaiah 13:17-22), Isaiah now related the coming destruction of Babylon’s king.

After Yahweh gave Israel rest following her captivity, she would taunt (Heb. mashal, bring to light the truth about) Babylon’s proud ruler who had formerly taunted her (Isaiah 14:3-4 a; cf. Revelation 18). His death would be an occasion for joy, not sorrow. In view of the description that follows, Isaiah evidently did not describe one particular past king of Babylon, but ascribed traits of many kings of Babylon to this representative official. One writer believed Isaiah described Sennacherib (705-681 B.C.), but there are many differences between what Isaiah wrote here and what Sennacherib experienced. [Note: J. Martin, pp. 1061-62.] Another identified him as Merodach-Baladan, who sent the delegation to King Hezekiah in Jerusalem (cf. ch. 39). [Note: Watts, p. 204,] The king in view may be the eschatological Antichrist, since these verses describe conditions that will exist during the first half of the Tribulation.

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

And it shall come to pass in the day that the Lord shall give thee rest from thy sorrow,.... In captivity, and on account of that, being out of their own land, deprived of the free exercise of their religion, and at a distance from the house of God, and continually hearing the reproaches and blaspheming of the enemy, and seeing their idolatrous practices, and their ungodly conversation; all which must create sorrow of heart to the sincere lovers and worshippers of God:

and from thy fear; of worse evils, most cruel usage, and death itself, under the terror of which they lived:

and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve; as before in Egypt, so now in Babylon; but what that was is not particularly expressed anywhere, as the former is, see Exodus 1:13 and when they had rest from all this in their own land, then they should do as follows:

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      1 For the LORD will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land: and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob.   2 And the people shall take them, and bring them to their place: and the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of the LORD for servants and handmaids: and they shall take them captives, whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors.   3 And it shall come to pass in the day that the LORD shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve,

      This comes in here as the reason why Babylon must be overthrown and ruined, because God has mercy in store for his people, and therefore, 1. The injuries done to them must be reckoned for and revenged upon their persecutors. Mercy to Jacob will be wrath and ruin to Jacob's impenitent implacable adversaries, such as Babylon was. 2. The yoke of oppression which Babylon had long laid on their necks must be broken off, and they must be set at liberty; and, in order to this, the destruction of Babylon is as necessary as the destruction of Egypt and Pharaoh was to their deliverance out of that house of bondage. The same prediction is a promise to God's people and a threatening to their enemies, as the same providence has a bright side towards Israel and a black or dark side towards the Egyptians. Observe,

      I. The ground of these favours to Jacob and Israel--the kindness God had for them and the choice he had made of them (Isaiah 14:1; Isaiah 14:1): "The Lord will have mercy on Jacob, the seed of Jacob now captives in Babylon; he will make it to appear that he has compassion on them and has mercy in store for them, and that he will not contend for ever with them, but will yet choose them, will yet again return to them; though he has seemed for a time to refuse and reject them, he will show that they are his chosen people and that the election stands sure." However it may seem to us, God's mercy is not gone, nor does his promise fail, Psalms 77:8.

      II. The particular favours he designed them. 1. He would bring them back to their native soil and air again: The Lord will set them in their own land, out of which they were driven. A settlement in the holy land, the land of promise, is a fruit of God's mercy, distinguishing mercy. 2. Many should be proselyted to their holy religion, and should return with them, induced to do so by the manifest tokens of God's favourable presence with them, the operations of God's grace in them, the operations of God's grace in them, and his providence for them: Strangers shall be joined with them, saying, We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you,Zechariah 8:23. It adds much to the honour and strength of Israel when strangers are joined with them and there are added to the church many from without, Acts 2:47. Let not the church's children be shy of strangers, but receive those whom God receives, and own those who cleave to the house of Jacob. 3. These proselytes should not only be a credit to their cause, but very helpful and serviceable to them in their return home: The people among whom they live shall take them, take care of them, take pity on them, and shall bring them to their place--as friends, loth to part with such good company--as servants, willing to do them all the good offices they could. God's people, wherever their lot is cast, should endeavour thus, by all the instances of an exemplary and winning conversation, to gain an interest in the affections of those about them, and recommend religion to their good opinion. This was fulfilled in the return of the captives from Babylon, when all that were about them, pursuant to Cyrus's proclamation, contributed to their removal (Ezra 1:4; Ezra 1:6), not as the Egyptians, because they were sick of them, but because they loved them. 4. They should have the benefit of their service when they had returned home, for many would of choice go with them in the meanest post, rather than not go with them: They shall possess them in the land of the Lord for servants and handmaids; and as the laws of that land saved it from being the purgatory of servants, providing that they should not be oppressed, so the advantages of that land made it the paradise of those servants that had been strangers to the covenants of promise, for there was one law to the stranger and to those that were born in the land. Those whose lot is cast in the land of the Lord, a land of light, should take care that their servants and handmaids may share in the benefit of it, who will then find it better to be possessed in the Lord's land than possessors in any other. 5. They should triumph over their enemies, and those that would not be reconciled to them should be reduced and humbled by them: They shall take those captives whose captives they were and shall rule over their oppressors, righteously, but not revengefully. The Jews perhaps bought Babylonian prisoners out of the hands of the Medes and Persians and made slaves of them. Or this might have its accomplishment in their victories over their enemies in the times of the Maccabees. It is applicable to the success of the gospel (when those were brought into obedience to it who had made the greatest opposition to it, as Paul) and to the interest believers have in Christ's victories over their spiritual enemies, when he led captivity captive, to the power they gain over their own corruptions, and to the dominion the upright shall have in the morning, Psalms 49:14. 6. They should see a happy termination of all their grievances (Isaiah 14:3; Isaiah 14:3): The Lord shall give thee rest from thy sorrow and thy fear, and from thy hard bondage. God himself undertakes to work a blessed change, (1.) In their state. They shall have rest from their bondage; the days of their affliction, though many, shall have an end; and the rod of the wicked, though it lie long, shall not always lie on their lot. (2.) In their spirit. They shall have rest from their sorrow and fear, sense of their present burdens and dread of worse. Sometimes fear puts the soul into a ferment as much as sorrow does, and those must needs feel themselves very easy to whom God has given rest from both. Those who are freed from the bondage of sin have a foundation laid for true rest from sorrow and fear.