Isaiah 14:7 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The whole earth is at rest and quiet; they break forth into singing.

NIV: All the lands are at rest and at peace; they break into singing.

NASB: The whole earth is at rest and is quiet; They break forth into shouts of joy.

CSB: The whole earth is calm and at rest; people shout with a ringing cry.

NLT: But finally the earth is at rest and quiet. Now it can sing again!

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

NKJV: The whole earth is at rest and quiet; They break forth into singing.

This poem, written by Isaiah under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, has been described as one of the best examples of Hebrew poetry in the Bible. It is called a "taunt-song." It is written in the form of a funeral dirge, though it is a celebration of the death of the cruel tyrant king of Babylon (Isaiah 14:4–21).

It takes a truly terrible person whose death makes the world breathe more freely. Only a heinous legacy would cause masses of people to break into song celebrating the end of your life. That is the case with the king of Babylon. Instead of official mourning or genuine sadness, the world breaks into song to celebrate that the evil man has died.

Isaiah regularly shows God's people singing in joy after being delivered from their enemies (Isaiah 26:1; 44:23; 49:13). Music was an integral part of Israelite culture.

Chapter 14:3–23 contains a mocking, sarcastic dirge for the fallen king of Babylon. The song imitates the respects otherwise paid to honor a fallen king. Instead, this song describes celebration of both people and trees at his death. The fallen kings in Sheol rise to mock the man for his weakness. The king is sarcastically referred to as the "Day Star"—leading to speculation that this is also a description of Satan's fall from heaven. The fallen one had ambition to become like the Most High among the gods, but instead was cut down to nothing in his death.

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 5/1/2024 3:13:01 PM