Add parallel Print Page Options

14 For Jehovah will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in rest in their own land; and the stranger shall be united to them, and they shall be joined to the house of Jacob.

And the peoples shall take them and bring them to their place; and the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of Jehovah for servants and handmaids; and they shall take them captive whose captives they were, and they shall rule over their oppressors.

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 bondage wherein thou wast made to serve,

that thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased,—the exactress of gold ceased!

Jehovah hath broken the staff of the wicked, the sceptre of the rulers.

He that smote the peoples in wrath with a relentless stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted unsparingly.

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

Even the cypresses rejoice at thee, the cedars of Lebanon, [saying,] Since thou art laid down, no feller is come up against us.

Sheol from beneath is moved for thee to meet [thee] at thy coming, stirring up the dead for thee, all the he-goats of the earth; making to rise from their thrones all the kings of the nations.

10 All of them shall answer and say unto thee, Art thou also become powerless as we; art thou become like unto us!

11 —Thy pomp is brought down to Sheol, the noise of thy lyres: the maggot is spread under thee, and worms cover thee.

12 How art thou fallen from heaven, Lucifer, son of the morning! Thou art cut down to the ground, that didst prostrate the nations!

13 And thou that didst say in thy heart, I will ascend into the heavens, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God, and I will sit upon the mount of assembly, in the recesses of the north;

14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High:

15 none the less art thou brought down to Sheol, to the recesses of the pit.

16 They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee; they shall consider thee, [saying,] Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that shook kingdoms;

17 [that] made the world as a wilderness, and overthrew the cities thereof; [that] dismissed not his prisoners homewards?

18 —All the kings of the nations, 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, covered with the slain—those thrust through with the sword, that go down to the stones of the pit: like a carcase trodden under foot.

20 Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial; for thou hast destroyed thy land, hast slain thy people. Of the seed of evildoers no mention shall be made for ever.

21 Prepare ye slaughter for his children, because of the iniquity of their fathers; that they may not rise up and possess the earth, nor fill the face of the world with cities.

22 For I will rise up against them, saith Jehovah of hosts, and cut off from Babylon name and remnant, and scion and descendant, saith Jehovah.

23 And I will make it a possession for the bittern, and pools of water; and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, saith Jehovah of hosts.

24 Jehovah of hosts hath sworn saying, Assuredly as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, it shall stand:

25 to break the Assyrian in my land; and upon my mountains will I tread him under foot; and his yoke shall depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders.

26 This is the counsel which is purposed concerning the whole earth; and this is the hand which is stretched out upon all the nations.

27 For Jehovah of hosts hath purposed, and who shall frustrate [it]? And his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?

28 In the year of the death of king Ahaz was this burden:

29 Rejoice not thou, Philistia, all of thee, because the rod that smote thee is broken; for out of the serpent's root shall come forth a viper, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent.

30 And the firstborn of the poor shall feed, and the needy shall lie down in safety; but I will kill thy root with famine, and thy remnant shall be slain.

31 Howl, O gate! cry, O city! thou, Philistia, art wholly dissolved; for there cometh from the north a smoke, and none remaineth apart in his gatherings [of troops].

32 And what shall be answered to the messengers of the nation? That Jehovah hath founded Zion, and the afflicted of his people find refuge in it.

15 The burden of Moab: For in the night of being laid waste, Ar of Moab is destroyed; for in the night of being laid waste, Kir of Moab is destroyed!

He is gone up to Bajith, and to Dibon, to the high places, to weep; Moab howleth over Nebo, and over Medeba; on all their heads is baldness, every beard is cut off.

In their streets they are girded with sackcloth; on their roofs, and in their broadways, every one howleth, melted into tears.

And Heshbon crieth, and Elealeh: their voice is heard unto Jahaz. Therefore the armed men of Moab cry out: his soul trembleth in him.

My heart crieth out for Moab; their fugitives [have fled] unto Zoar, unto Eglath-Sheli-shijah: for by the ascent of Luhith, with weeping they go up by it; for in the way of Horonaim they raise up a cry of destruction.

For the waters of Nimrim shall be desolate; for the herbage is withered away, the grass hath failed, there is no green thing.

Therefore the abundance they have gotten, and that which they have laid up, do they carry away to the torrent of the willows.

For the cry goeth round about the borders of Moab; the howling thereof unto Eglaim, and the howling thereof unto Beer-elim.

For the waters of Dimon are full of blood, for I will lay yet more upon Dimon: a lion upon them that are escaped of Moab, and upon that which remaineth of the land.

16 Send the lamb of the ruler of the land from the rock to the wilderness,—unto the mount of the daughter of Zion.

And it shall be [that] as a wandering bird, [as] a scattered nest, so shall the daughters of Moab be at the fords of the Arnon.

Bring in counsel, execute justice; make thy shadow as the night in the midst of noonday; hide the outcasts, discover not the fugitive.

Let mine outcasts dwell with thee, Moab; be thou a covert to them from the face of the waster. For the extortioner is at an end, the wasting hath ceased, the oppressors are consumed out of the land.

And a throne shall be established in mercy: and in the tent of David there shall sit upon it, in truth, one judging and seeking justice and hastening righteousness.

We have heard of the arrogance of Moab,—[he is] very proud,—of his pride, and his arrogance, and his wrath: his pratings are vain.

Therefore shall Moab howl for Moab; every one of them shall howl. For the foundations of Kirhareseth shall ye mourn, verily afflicted.

For the fields of Heshbon languish, the vine of Sibmah; the lords of the nations have broken down its choice plants: they reached unto Jaazer, they wandered [through] the wilderness; its shoots stretched out, they went beyond the sea.

Therefore I will weep with the weeping of Jaazer for the vine of Sibmah; with my tears will I water thee, Heshbon, and Elealeh, for a cry is fallen upon thy summer fruits and upon thy harvest.

10 And joy and gladness is taken away out of the fruitful field; and in the vineyards there is no singing, neither is there shouting: the treaders tread out no wine in the presses, I have made the cry [of the winepress] to cease.

11 Therefore my bowels sound like a harp for Moab, and mine inward parts for Kirheres.

12 And it shall come to pass, when Moab shall appear, shall weary himself on the high place, and enter into his sanctuary to pray, that he shall not prevail.

13 This is the word which Jehovah hath spoken from of old concerning Moab.

14 And now Jehovah speaketh saying, Within three years, as the years of a hired servant, and the glory of Moab shall be brought to nothing, with all that great multitude; and the remnant shall be small, few, of no account.

14 The Lord will have compassion(A) on Jacob;
    once again he will choose(B) Israel
    and will settle them in their own land.(C)
Foreigners(D) will join them
    and unite with the descendants of Jacob.
Nations will take them
    and bring(E) them to their own place.
And Israel will take possession of the nations(F)
    and make them male and female servants in the Lord’s land.
They will make captives(G) of their captors
    and rule over their oppressors.(H)

On the day the Lord gives you relief(I) from your suffering and turmoil(J) and from the harsh labor forced on you,(K) you will take up this taunt(L) against the king of Babylon:(M)

How the oppressor(N) has come to an end!
    How his fury[a] has ended!
The Lord has broken the rod(O) of the wicked,(P)
    the scepter(Q) of the rulers,
which in anger struck down peoples(R)
    with unceasing blows,
and in fury subdued(S) nations
    with relentless aggression.(T)
All the lands are at rest and at peace;(U)
    they break into singing.(V)
Even the junipers(W) and the cedars of Lebanon
    gloat over you and say,
“Now that you have been laid low,
    no one comes to cut us down.”(X)

The realm of the dead(Y) below is all astir
    to meet you at your coming;
it rouses the spirits of the departed(Z) to greet you—
    all those who were leaders(AA) in the world;
it makes them rise from their thrones—
    all those who were kings over the nations.(AB)
10 They will all respond,
    they will say to you,
“You also have become weak, as we are;
    you have become like us.”(AC)
11 All your pomp has been brought down to the grave,(AD)
    along with the noise of your harps;(AE)
maggots are spread out beneath you
    and worms(AF) cover you.(AG)

12 How you have fallen(AH) from heaven,
    morning star,(AI) son of the dawn!
You have been cast down to the earth,
    you who once laid low the nations!(AJ)
13 You said in your heart,
    “I will ascend(AK) to the heavens;
I will raise my throne(AL)
    above the stars of God;
I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly,(AM)
    on the utmost heights(AN) of Mount Zaphon.[b]
14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds;(AO)
    I will make myself like the Most High.”(AP)
15 But you are brought down(AQ) to the realm of the dead,(AR)
    to the depths(AS) of the pit.(AT)

16 Those who see you stare at you,
    they ponder your fate:(AU)
“Is this the man who shook(AV) the earth
    and made kingdoms tremble,
17 the man who made the world a wilderness,(AW)
    who overthrew(AX) its cities
    and would not let his captives go home?”(AY)

18 All the kings of the nations lie in state,
    each in his own tomb.(AZ)
19 But you are cast out(BA) of your tomb
    like a rejected branch;
you are covered with the slain,(BB)
    with those pierced by the sword,(BC)
    those who descend to the stones of the pit.(BD)
Like a corpse trampled underfoot,
20     you will not join them in burial,(BE)
for you have destroyed your land
    and killed your people.

Let the offspring(BF) of the wicked(BG)
    never be mentioned(BH) again.
21 Prepare a place to slaughter his children(BI)
    for the sins of their ancestors;(BJ)
they are not to rise to inherit the land
    and cover the earth with their cities.

22 “I will rise up(BK) against them,”
    declares the Lord Almighty.
“I will wipe out Babylon’s name(BL) and survivors,
    her offspring and descendants,(BM)
declares the Lord.
23 “I will turn her into a place for owls(BN)
    and into swampland;
I will sweep her with the broom of destruction,(BO)
    declares the Lord Almighty.(BP)

24 The Lord Almighty has sworn,(BQ)

“Surely, as I have planned,(BR) so it will be,
    and as I have purposed, so it will happen.(BS)
25 I will crush the Assyrian(BT) in my land;
    on my mountains I will trample him down.
His yoke(BU) will be taken from my people,
    and his burden removed from their shoulders.(BV)

26 This is the plan(BW) determined for the whole world;
    this is the hand(BX) stretched out over all nations.
27 For the Lord Almighty has purposed,(BY) and who can thwart him?
    His hand(BZ) is stretched out, and who can turn it back?(CA)

A Prophecy Against the Philistines

28 This prophecy(CB) came in the year(CC) King Ahaz(CD) died:

29 Do not rejoice, all you Philistines,(CE)
    that the rod that struck you is broken;
from the root of that snake will spring up a viper,(CF)
    its fruit will be a darting, venomous serpent.(CG)
30 The poorest of the poor will find pasture,
    and the needy(CH) will lie down in safety.(CI)
But your root I will destroy by famine;(CJ)
    it will slay(CK) your survivors.(CL)

31 Wail,(CM) you gate!(CN) Howl, you city!
    Melt away, all you Philistines!(CO)
A cloud of smoke comes from the north,(CP)
    and there is not a straggler in its ranks.(CQ)
32 What answer shall be given
    to the envoys(CR) of that nation?
“The Lord has established Zion,(CS)
    and in her his afflicted people will find refuge.(CT)

A Prophecy Against Moab(CU)

15 A prophecy(CV) against Moab:(CW)

Ar(CX) in Moab is ruined,(CY)
    destroyed in a night!
Kir(CZ) in Moab is ruined,
    destroyed in a night!
Dibon(DA) goes up to its temple,
    to its high places(DB) to weep;
    Moab wails(DC) over Nebo(DD) and Medeba.
Every head is shaved(DE)
    and every beard cut off.(DF)
In the streets they wear sackcloth;(DG)
    on the roofs(DH) and in the public squares(DI)
they all wail,(DJ)
    prostrate with weeping.(DK)
Heshbon(DL) and Elealeh(DM) cry out,
    their voices are heard all the way to Jahaz.(DN)
Therefore the armed men of Moab cry out,
    and their hearts are faint.

My heart cries out(DO) over Moab;(DP)
    her fugitives(DQ) flee as far as Zoar,(DR)
    as far as Eglath Shelishiyah.
They go up the hill to Luhith,
    weeping as they go;
on the road to Horonaim(DS)
    they lament their destruction.(DT)
The waters of Nimrim are dried up(DU)
    and the grass is withered;(DV)
the vegetation is gone(DW)
    and nothing green is left.(DX)
So the wealth they have acquired(DY) and stored up
    they carry away over the Ravine of the Poplars.
Their outcry echoes along the border of Moab;
    their wailing reaches as far as Eglaim,
    their lamentation as far as Beer(DZ) Elim.
The waters of Dimon[c] are full of blood,
    but I will bring still more upon Dimon[d]
a lion(EA) upon the fugitives of Moab(EB)
    and upon those who remain in the land.

16 Send lambs(EC) as tribute(ED)
    to the ruler of the land,
from Sela,(EE) across the desert,
    to the mount of Daughter Zion.(EF)
Like fluttering birds
    pushed from the nest,(EG)
so are the women of Moab(EH)
    at the fords(EI) of the Arnon.(EJ)

“Make up your mind,” Moab says.
    “Render a decision.
Make your shadow like night—
    at high noon.
Hide the fugitives,(EK)
    do not betray the refugees.
Let the Moabite fugitives stay with you;
    be their shelter(EL) from the destroyer.”

The oppressor(EM) will come to an end,
    and destruction will cease;(EN)
    the aggressor will vanish from the land.
In love a throne(EO) will be established;(EP)
    in faithfulness a man will sit on it—
    one from the house[e] of David(EQ)
one who in judging seeks justice(ER)
    and speeds the cause of righteousness.

We have heard of Moab’s(ES) pride(ET)
    how great is her arrogance!—
of her conceit, her pride and her insolence;
    but her boasts are empty.
Therefore the Moabites wail,(EU)
    they wail together for Moab.
Lament and grieve
    for the raisin cakes(EV) of Kir Hareseth.(EW)
The fields of Heshbon(EX) wither,(EY)
    the vines of Sibmah(EZ) also.
The rulers of the nations
    have trampled down the choicest vines,(FA)
which once reached Jazer(FB)
    and spread toward the desert.
Their shoots spread out(FC)
    and went as far as the sea.[f](FD)
So I weep,(FE) as Jazer weeps,
    for the vines of Sibmah.
Heshbon and Elealeh,(FF)
    I drench you with tears!(FG)
The shouts of joy(FH) over your ripened fruit
    and over your harvests(FI) have been stilled.
10 Joy and gladness are taken away from the orchards;(FJ)
    no one sings or shouts(FK) in the vineyards;
no one treads(FL) out wine at the presses,(FM)
    for I have put an end to the shouting.
11 My heart laments for Moab(FN) like a harp,(FO)
    my inmost being(FP) for Kir Hareseth.
12 When Moab appears at her high place,(FQ)
    she only wears herself out;
when she goes to her shrine(FR) to pray,
    it is to no avail.(FS)

13 This is the word the Lord has already spoken concerning Moab. 14 But now the Lord says: “Within three years,(FT) as a servant bound by contract(FU) would count them,(FV) Moab’s splendor and all her many people will be despised,(FW) and her survivors will be very few and feeble.”(FX)

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 14:4 Dead Sea Scrolls, Septuagint and Syriac; the meaning of the word in the Masoretic Text is uncertain.
  2. Isaiah 14:13 Or of the north; Zaphon was the most sacred mountain of the Canaanites.
  3. Isaiah 15:9 Dimon, a wordplay on Dibon (see verse 2), sounds like the Hebrew for blood.
  4. Isaiah 15:9 Dimon, a wordplay on Dibon (see verse 2), sounds like the Hebrew for blood.
  5. Isaiah 16:5 Hebrew tent
  6. Isaiah 16:8 Probably the Dead Sea