Isaiah Chapter 14

At a Glance

  • Isaiah 14 begins with a reversal motif: the Lord will have mercy on Jacob and restore Israel to its land, with foreigners joining to become part of the community.
  • The chapter’s flow invites readers to see the destiny of Israel in relation to the fate of oppressive empires.
  • This chapter sits in a section where Isaiah’s prophecies against Babylon are interwoven with broader reflections on the fate of tyrants and the destiny of nations.
  • - Pride and nemesis: the audacity of the king of Babylon leads to a spectacular fall.
  • - Divine sovereignty over rulers: God’s authority surpasses the power of earthly kings.

Isaiah 14 begins with a reversal motif: the Lord will have mercy on Jacob and restore Israel to its land, with foreigners joining to become part of the community. The chapter soon shifts from harvests of salvation to the taunting song of the king of Babylon—an intriguing literary pivot from promise to taunt. Verses 4–23 pivot around a famous kenosis-like lament where the king of Babylon is rebuked and then mocked in language that would later be echoed in Second Temple and Christian traditions about Lucifer’s fall. The oracle suggests that those who persecute God’s people will themselves be cast down, their pomp replaced by ruin. The most famous line—the fall of “Lucifer, son of the morning”—operates as a theological reflection on pride, power, and rebellion against God. The passage uses stark paradox: exaltation leads to humiliation, and those who sought to ascend will be found to have fallen. It moves from national lament to cosmic satire, illustrating that the hubris of earthly rulers is subject to divine critique.

The chapter’s flow invites readers to see the destiny of Israel in relation to the fate of oppressive empires. It also expands the conversation about who truly holds authority: God or the pomp of kings. The prophetic satire ends with a broader statement about the afterlife and the judgment of the wicked, offering a hopeful counterpoint to the immediate peril of exile and oppression.

This chapter sits in a section where Isaiah’s prophecies against Babylon are interwoven with broader reflections on the fate of tyrants and the destiny of nations. The taunt song about the king of Babylon sits in a literary tradition of prophetic satire, using vivid, acerbic language to puncture the vanity of rulers. The reference to “Lucifer” and the dawn imagery became a reservoir for later Jewish and Christian exegesis about the origin of evil and the rebellion against God. The passage blends courtroom-style accusation with mythic imagery, turning the king’s boast into a cautionary tale about pride and downfall. It also bridges immediate political concerns—Babylon’s dominance—with enduring theological questions about sovereignty, pride, and the nature of true glory.

- Pride and nemesis: the audacity of the king of Babylon leads to a spectacular fall.

- Divine sovereignty over rulers: God’s authority surpasses the power of earthly kings.

- Humiliation of the proud: pomp is hollow when confronted by divine judgment.

- The reversal of fortunes: the once-mighty are brought down, while God’s people find rest and vindication.

- The tension between immediate historical reality and cosmic spiritual truth.

For contemporary readers, Isaiah 14 cautions against the seductive pull of power and wealth. It invites discernment about leadership—whether personal or national—and challenges us to judge rulers not by their bravado but by their alignment with justice and mercy. The passage also encourages resilience for communities facing oppression: trust in God’s ultimate sovereignty, knowing that the prideful will not have the last word. The Lucifer motif can push individuals to reflect on pride within themselves, recognizing how ambition can masquerade as destiny when it’s really a counterfeit of God’s glory. Practically, this chapter invites prayerful critique of structures that exalt leaders while neglecting the vulnerable, and it invites believers to pursue leadership shaped by humility, accountability, and service.

- Isaiah 13 (the day of the Lord and the fall of nations)

- Ezekiel 28 (a lament over a proud earthly ruler)

- Luke 10:18 (Satan’s fall parody)

- 1 Peter 5:6–11 (humility before God and resisting pride)

- Jesus (as the true King who embodies humility and justice)

- Paul (as one who reframes power through the cross)

- Moses (as a leader who confronts Pharaoh’s pride)

- David (as a king whose downfall warns about unchecked power)

Key Themes

Pride and nemesis: the audacity of the king of Babylon leads to a spectacular fall.Divine sovereignty over rulers: God’s authority surpasses the power of earthly kings.Humiliation of the proud: pomp is hollow when confronted by divine judgment.The reversal of fortunes: the once-mighty are brought down, while God’s people find rest and vindication.

Chapter Text

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,

4

That thou shalt take up this proverb 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 continual 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

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.

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, 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 opened 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.

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:

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.

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.

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?

28

In the year that king Ahaz died was this burden.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Discuss This Chapter with Biblical Personas

Explore Isaiah Chapter 14 with Biblical figures who can provide unique perspectives grounded in Scripture.

Ask Apostle PaulAsk MosesAsk King DavidAsk Jesus Christ
← Isaiah 13Isaiah 15 →