IsaiahChapter 14

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¹For the LORD will show mercy to Jacob. He will choose Israel again. He will settle them in their own land. Foreigners will join them. They will unite with the house of Jacob. ²The nations will take Israel and bring them to their homeland. Then the house of Israel will own those nations as male and female servants in the LORD's land. They will make prisoners of those who held them prisoner. They will rule over those who crushed them. ³The LORD will give you rest from your pain and suffering. He will give you rest from the hard work you were forced to do. On that day, ⁴you will sing this song to mock the king of Babylon:
The cruel ruler has come to an end!
His fury is over! ⁵The LORD has broken the rod of the wicked,
the scepter of the rulers. ⁶In anger it struck the peoples
with blows that never stopped.
In rage it ruled the nations
and chased them down without end. ⁷Now the whole earth is calm and at rest.
They burst out singing. ⁸Even the cypress trees and the cedars of Lebanon
are glad about what happened to you.
They say, "Since you were brought down,
no woodcutter comes to cut us down." ⁹The grave below is eager
to meet you when you arrive.
It wakes up the spirits of the dead to greet you,
all who were rulers of the earth.
It makes all the kings of the nations
get up from their thrones.a ¹⁰They will all answer you.
They will say, "You have become weak too, just like us!
You have become like us!" ¹¹All your pride and glory have been brought down to the grave,
along with the music of your harps.
Maggots are your bed.
Worms are your blanket. ¹²How you have fallen from heaven,
morning star, son of the dawn!
You have been cut down to the ground,
you who destroyed nations! ¹³You said in your heart,
"I will go up to heaven.
I will raise my throne above the stars of God.
I will sit on the mountain of meeting,
far away in the north. ¹⁴I will go up above the tops of the clouds.
I will make myself like the Most High." ¹⁵But you will be brought down to the grave,
to the deepest part of the Pit. ¹⁶Those who see you will stare at you.
They will think about what happened to you.
They will say, "Is this the man who shook the earth?
Is this the one who made kingdoms tremble? ¹⁷Is this the one who turned the world into a desert
and tore down its cities?
Is this the one who would not let his prisoners go home?" ¹⁸All the kings of the nations
lie in honor,
each one in his own tomb. ¹⁹But you are thrown out of your grave
like a branch no one wants.
You are covered by those killed with the sword.
You are thrown into a rocky pit
like a dead body that has been stomped on. ²⁰You will not be buried with them,
because you ruined your land
and killed your own people.
The children of the wicked
will never be spoken of again. ²¹Get a place ready to kill his sons
for the sins of their fathers.
They will never rise up to take over a land
or fill the earth with their cities. ²²"I will rise up against them,"
says the LORD of Hosts.
"I will cut off from Babylon her name and those who are left.
I will cut off her children and her descendants,"
says the LORD. ²³"I will make her a place for owls
and a land of swamps.
I will sweep her away with the broom of destruction,"
says the LORD of Hosts. ²⁴The LORD of Hosts has made a promise.
He said, "For sure, it will happen as I have planned.
What I have decided will stand. ²⁵I will break Assyria in my land.
I will stomp on him on my mountains.
His yoke will be taken off my people.
His heavy load will be lifted from their shoulders." ²⁶This is the plan made for the whole earth.
This is the hand reached out over all the nations. ²⁷The LORD of Hosts has made his plan.
Who can stop him?
His hand is reached out.
Who can turn it back? ²⁸This heavy message came in the year King Ahaz died: ²⁹Don't be glad, all you Philistines,
that the rod that struck you is broken.
For a viper will come out of the root of that snake.
A flying serpent will come from its egg. ³⁰Then the oldest children of the poor will find food.
The needy will lie down in safety.
But I will kill your root with hunger.
Those of you who are left will be killed. ³¹Cry out, you gate!
Weep, you city!
Melt away with fear, all you Philistines!
For a cloud of smoke is coming from the north.
No soldier falls behind in its ranks. ³²What answer will be given
to the messengers of that nation?
"The LORD has built Zion.
His suffering people will find safety there."