Isaiah 14:27 - Printer Friendly

ESV: For the LORD of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, and who will turn it back?

NIV: For the LORD Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?

NASB: For the Lord of armies has planned, and who can frustrate it? And as for His stretched-out hand, who can turn it back?'

CSB: The Lord of Armies himself has planned it; therefore, who can stand in its way? It is his hand that is outstretched, so who can turn it back?

NLT: The Lord of Heaven’s Armies has spoken — who can change his plans? When his hand is raised, who can stop him?'

KJV: For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?

NKJV: For the Lord of hosts has purposed, And who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, And who will turn it back?”

With rhetorical questions, Isaiah adds to his statement that the Lord God of Israel will accomplish His purposes over all the earth (Isaiah 14:26). He asks if anyone can veto the Lord's decisions. The implied answer is that no one could do such a thing. The title the "Lord of hosts" Isaiah uses here is referring to God being in command of vast angel armies (Psalm 24:10; 148:2).

Next Isaiah asks if anyone could resist God's power once He has chosen to act. Again, the answer is that nobody can do such a thing. The Lord is too strong to be turned back from anything, let alone His purposes for the earth (Job 42:2). Isaiah means for Israel to be both comforted and challenged by this truth. Their Lord cannot be swayed or turned around (Ezekiel 24:14). He succeeds in all He does (Isaiah 14:24).

Chapter 14:24–27 presents a brief prophecy against the Assyrians living in Isaiah's own time. The Lord openly declares His purpose to break the Assyrians in His land. He will break their oppression of His people. This likely happened in 701 BC when Assyrian King Sennacherib held Jerusalem in a siege. The angel of the Lord struck down massive numbers of Assyrians in a single night (2 Kings 19:35–36). Nobody can alter what the Lord has purposed or annul His plans. The Lord will do as He said He will do.

After the oracle against Babylon in the previous chapter, Isaiah briefly describes what will follow for Judah. In compassion, the Lord will choose His people once more. He will return them to their homeland. They will sing a mocking taunt-song against the fallen king of Babylon. Isaiah pronounces oracles from the Lord against Assyria and Philistia. The Lord will break the Assyrians in His land. With heavy symbolism, Isaiah seems to prophecy that the Assyrians will defeat the Philistines with a siege four years before it happens. God's people will find refuge in Zion.

Chapter 14 follows the oracle about the destruction of Babylon with a brief encouragement to the people of Judah. The Lord will restore them to the land. They will taunt the fallen Babylonian king, using phrases many also associate with the fall of Satan. Isaiah pronounces oracles from the Lord against Assyria and Philistia. He declares that He will break the Assyrians in His land, freeing His people from their oppression. Philistia will fall at the Lord's hand to a famine inflicted on them by a power from the north. Next, Isaiah's prophecy will turn to Moab.

Isaiah is among the most important prophetic books in the entire Bible. The first segment details God's impending judgment against ancient peoples for sin and idolatry (Isaiah 1—35). The second part of Isaiah briefly explains a failed assault on Jerusalem during the rule of Hezekiah (Isaiah 36—39). The final chapters predict Israel's rescue from Babylonian captivity (Isaiah 40—48), the promised Messiah (Isaiah 49—57), and the final glory of Jerusalem and God's people (Isaiah 58—66).

Accessed 5/5/2024 4:03:45 AM