Isaiah 14
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.
Yahweh will have compassion on Jacob; he will again choose Israel and restore them into their own land. Foreigners will join with them and attach themselves 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.
The nations will bring them to their own place. Then the house of Israel will take them in the land of Yahweh as male and female servants. They will take captive those who had captured them, and they will 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,
On the day that Yahweh gives you rest from your suffering and anguish, and from the hard labor which you were required to perform,
4 That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased!
you will sing this taunt song against the king of Babylon, “How the oppressor has come to an end, the proud fury ended!
5 The LORD hath broken the staff of the wicked, [and] the sceptre of the rulers.
Yahweh has broken the staff of the wicked, the scepter of those rulers,
6 He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, [and] none hindereth.
that struck the peoples in wrath with unceasing blows, that ruled the nations in anger, with an attack that was unrestrained.
7 The whole earth is at rest, [and] is quiet: they break forth into singing.
The whole earth is at rest and is quiet; they begin celebrating with singing.
8 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.
Even the cypress trees rejoice over you with the cedars of Lebanon; they say, 'Since you are laid low, no woodcutter comes up to cut us down.'
9 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. (Sheol h7585)
Sheol below is eager to meet you when you go there. It arouses the dead for you, all the kings of the earth, making them rise up from their thrones, all the kings of the nations. (Sheol h7585)
10 All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us?
They all will speak and say to you, 'You have become as weak as us. You have become like us.
11 Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, [and] the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee. (Sheol h7585)
Your pomp has been brought down to Sheol with the sound of your string instruments. Maggots are spread under you, and worms cover you.' (Sheol h7585)
12 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!
How you are fallen from heaven, daystar, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who conquered the nations!
13 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:
You had said in your heart, 'I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God, and I will sit on the mount of assembly, in the far reaches of the north.
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High God.'
Yet you are now brought down to Sheol, to the depths of the pit. (Sheol h7585)
16 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;
Those who see you will gaze at you and they will pay attention to you. They will say, 'Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms,
17 [That] made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; [that] opened not the house of his prisoners?
who made the world like a wilderness, who overthrew its cities and did not let his prisoners go home?'
18 All the kings of the nations, [even] all of them, lie in glory, every one in his own house.
All the kings of the nations, all of them lie down in honor, each one in his own tomb.
19 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 carcase trodden under feet.
But you are cast out of your grave like a branch thrown away. The dead cover you like a garment, those pierced by the sword, who go down to the stones of the pit.
20 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.
You will not join them in burial, because you have destroyed your land and killed your people. The offspring of evildoers will never be mentioned again.”
21 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.
Prepare your slaughter for his children, for the iniquity of their ancestors, so they will not rise up and possess the earth and fill the whole world with cities.
22 For I will rise up against them, saith the LORD of hosts, and cut off from Babylon the name, and remnant, and son, and nephew, saith the LORD.
“I will rise up against them”—this is the declaration of Yahweh of hosts. “I will cut off from Babylon name, descendant, and posterity”—this is Yahweh's declaration.
23 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.
“I will also make her into a possession of owls, and into pools of water, and I will sweep her with the broom of destruction”—this is the declaration of Yahweh of hosts.
24 The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, [so] shall it stand:
Yahweh of hosts has sworn, “Surely, as I have intended, so it will come about; and as I have purposed, so it will be:
25 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.
I will break the Assyrian in my land, and on my mountains trample him underfoot. Then his yoke will be lifted from off them and his burden from off their shoulder.” Then his yoke will be lifted from off them and his burden from off their shoulder.”
26 This [is] the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth: and this [is] the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations.
This is the plan that is intended for the whole earth, and this is the hand that is raised over all the nations.
27 For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul [it]? and his hand [is] stretched out, and who shall turn it back?
For Yahweh of hosts has planned this; who will stop him? His hand is raised, and who will turn it back?
28 In the year that king Ahaz died was this burden.
In the year that king Ahaz died this declaration came:
29 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.
Do not rejoice, all you Philistines, that the rod that struck you is broken. For out of the serpent's root will grow out an adder, and his offspring will be a fiery flying serpent.
30 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.
The firstborn of the poor will graze their sheep in my pastures, and the needy will lie down in safety. I will kill your root with famine that will put to death all your survivors.
31 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.
Howl, gate; cry, city; all of you will melt away, Philistia. For out of the north comes a cloud of smoke, and there is no straggler in his ranks.
32 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.
How will they respond to the messengers of that nation? “Yahweh has founded Zion, and in her the afflicted of his people will find refuge.”
