Isaiah 14
14
1The Lord will show tender love toward 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 labor. 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 honor.
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 serpent.
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.’ ”
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Isaiah 14: NIrV
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Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®
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Isaiah 14
14
The Lord's People Will Come Home
1The Lord will have mercy on Israel and will let them be his chosen people once again. He will bring them back to their own land, and foreigners will join them as part of Israel. 2Other nations will lead them home, and Israel will make slaves of them in the land that belongs to the Lord. Israel will rule over those who once governed and mistreated them.
Death to the King of Babylonia!
3The Lord will set you free from your sorrow, suffering, and slavery. 4Then you will make fun of the King of Babylonia by singing this song:
That cruel monster is done for!
He won't attack us again.#14.4 He … again: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
5The Lord has crushed the power
of those evil kings,
6who were furious
and never stopped abusing
the people of other nations.
7Now all the world is at peace;
its people are celebrating
with joyful songs.
8King of Babylonia,
even the cypress trees
and the cedars of Lebanon
celebrate and say,
“Since you were put down,
no one comes along
to chop us down.”
9The world of the dead
eagerly waits for you.
With great excitement,
the spirits of ancient rulers
hear about your coming.
10Each one of them will say,
“Now you are just as weak
as any of us!
11Your pride and your music
have ended here
in the world of the dead.
Worms are your blanket,
maggots are your bed.”
12 #
Rev 8.10; 9.1. You, the bright morning star,
have fallen from the sky!
You brought down other nations;
now you are brought down.
13 #
Mt 11.23; Lk 10.15. You said to yourself,
“I'll climb to heaven
and place my throne
above the highest stars.
I'll sit there with the gods
far away in the north.
14I'll be above the clouds,
just like God Most High.”
15But now you are deep
in the world of the dead.
16Those who see you will stare
and wonder, “Is this the man
who made the world tremble
and shook up kingdoms?
17Did he capture every city
and make earth a desert?
Is he the one who refused
to let prisoners go home?”
18When kings die, they are buried
in glorious tombs.
19But you will be left unburied,
just another dead body
lying underfoot
like a broken branch.
You will be one of many
killed in battle and gone down
to the deep rocky pit.#14.19 deep rocky pit: The world of the dead.
20You won't be buried with kings;
you ruined your country
and murdered your people.
You evil monster!
We hope that your family
will be forgotten forever.
21We will slaughter your sons
to make them pay for the crimes
of their ancestors.
They won't take over the world
or build cities
anywhere on this earth.
22The Lord All-Powerful has promised to attack Babylonia and destroy everyone there, so that none of them will ever be remembered again. 23The Lord will sweep out the people, and the land will become a swamp for wild animals.
Assyria Will Be Punished
24 #
Is 10.5-34; Nh 1.1—3.19; Zep 2.13-15. The Lord All-Powerful
has made this promise:
Everything I have planned
will happen just as I said.
25I will wipe out every Assyrian
in my country,
and I will crush those
on my mountains.
I will free my people
from slavery
to the Assyrians.
26I have planned this
for the whole world,
and my mighty arm
controls every nation.
27I, the Lord All-Powerful,
have made these plans.
No one can stop me now!
The Philistines Will Be Punished
28 #
2 K 16.20; 2 Ch 28.27. This message came from the Lord in the year King Ahaz died:#14.28 King Ahaz died: 715 b.c.
29 #
Jr 47.1-7; Ez 25.15-17; Jl 3.4-8; Am 1.6-8; Zep 2.4-7; Zec 9.5-7. Philistines, don't be happy
just because the rod
that punished you
is broken.
That rod will become
a poisonous snake, and then
a flying fiery dragon.
30The poor and needy will find
pastures for their sheep
and will live in safety.
But I will starve some of you,
and others will be killed.
31Cry and weep in the gates
of your towns,
you Philistines!
Smoke blows in from the north,#14.31 north: The Assyrian and Babylonian attacks came from the north.
and every soldier is ready.
32If a messenger comes
from a distant nation,
you must say:
“The Lord built Zion.
Even the poorest of his people
will find safety there.”
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
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