Isaiah 14:3-23 - G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

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Bible Comments

Anticipating the great day of restoration, the prophet puts into the mouth of Israel the great parable or song which celebrates the downfall of Assyria. This moves in five distinct strophes. In the first (verses Isa 14:4-8), the deliverance wrought for the whole earth through the overthrow of Assyria is described. The golden city had been the seat of widespread oppression, and when by the action of Jehovah it is destroyed, the whole earth is at rest. In the second (verses Isa 14:9-11), the consternation of the underworld at the fall of Assyria is described. All the great dead ones are astonished that at last even Assyria had become weak. In the third, the sin which had culminated in such destruction is revealed (verses Isa 14:12-15). The sin was that rebellion against God, the ambition which attempted to thwart His purpose and contest with Him the right of empire. The completeness of Assyria's destruction is the subject of the fourth (verses Isa 14:16-19). While other kings sleep in glory, the king of Assyria is to be flung out unburied as utterly evil. The fifth strophe (verses Isa 14:20-21) announces the utter extermination of Assyria, even to its name and remnant.

The prophecy concerning Assyria ends with a summary of the sentence which affirms the act of Jehovah and the consequent doom of Assyria. While the first application of this great prophecy was undoubtedly to the actual kingdom of Assyria, it is impossible to study it without seeing how graphically it sets forth the ultimate issue of the principle of rebellion which is based on unbelief.

Related Commentaries of Isaiah 14:3

Isaiah 14:3-23

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,

4 That thou shalt take up this proverba against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased!

5 The LORD hath broken the staff of the wicked, and the sceptre of the rulers.

6 He who smote the people in wrath with a continualb stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth.

7 The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into 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.

9 Hellc 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.

10 All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto 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.

12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer,d son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken 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:

14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

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;

17 That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that openede not the house of his prisoners?

18 All the kings of the nations, even all of them, lie in glory, every one in his own house.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.