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Isaiah 26:14

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Isaiah 26:14 in Multiple Translations

Berean Standard Bible BSB

The dead will not live; the departed spirits will not rise. Therefore You have punished and destroyed them; You have wiped out all memory of them.

King James Version KJV

They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise: therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish.

American Standard Version ASV

They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise: therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them, and made all remembrance of them to perish.

Bible in Basic English BBE

The dead will not come back to life: their spirits will not come back to earth; for this cause you have sent destruction on them, so that the memory of them is dead.

Free Bible Version FBV

They are dead, they will not live again; they will not rise from the grave. Lord, you punished them and destroyed them—even wiping out every memory about them.

Geneva Bible 1599 GNV

The dead shall not liue, neither shall the dead arise, because thou hast visited and scattered them, and destroyed all their memorie.

Young's Literal Translation YLT

Dead — they live not, Rephaim, they rise not, Therefore Thou hast inspected and dost destroy them, Yea, thou destroyest all their memory.

World English Bible WEB

The dead shall not live. The departed spirits shall not rise. Therefore you have visited and destroyed them, and caused all memory of them to perish.

Noah Webster Bible WBS

They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise: therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish.

Douay-Rheims 1899 DRV

Let not the dead live, let not the giants rise again: therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them, and best destroyed all their memory.

Translation for Translators T4T

Those who ruled us are now gone; they are dead; their spirits have left this earth, and they will not become alive again. You punished those rulers and got rid of them, and people do not even remember them any more.

Study Highlights

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Berean Amplified Bible — Isaiah 26:14

BAB
Word Study

Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.

Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.

Isaiah 26:14 Interlinear (Deep Study)

BIB
HEB מֵתִים֙ בַּל יִחְי֔וּ רְפָאִ֖ים בַּל יָקֻ֑מוּ לָ/כֵ֤ן פָּקַ֨דְתָּ֙ וַ/תַּשְׁמִידֵ֔/ם וַ/תְּאַבֵּ֥ד כָּל זֵ֖כֶר לָֽ/מוֹ
מֵתִים֙ mûwth H4191 to die V-Qal
בַּל bal H1077 not Part
יִחְי֔וּ châyâh H2421 to live V-Qal-Imperf-3mp
רְפָאִ֖ים râphâʼ H7496 shade N-mp
בַּל bal H1077 not Part
יָקֻ֑מוּ qûwm H6965 -kamai V-Qal-Imperf-3mp
לָ/כֵ֤ן kên H3651 right Prep | Adv
פָּקַ֨דְתָּ֙ pâqad H6485 to reckon V-Qal-Perf-2ms
וַ/תַּשְׁמִידֵ֔/ם shâmad H8045 to destroy Conj | V-Hiphil-ConsecImperf-2ms | Suff
וַ/תְּאַבֵּ֥ד ʼâbad H6 to perish Conj | V-Piel-ConsecImperf-2ms
כָּל kôl H3605 all N-ms
זֵ֖כֶר zêker H2143 memorial N-ms
לָֽ/מוֹ Prep | Suff
Hebrew Word Study

Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.

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Hebrew Word Reference — Isaiah 26:14

מֵתִים֙ mûwth H4191 "to die" V-Qal
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to die, either literally or as a punishment, and is used in books like Genesis and Exodus. It can also mean to perish or be killed. This concept is seen in the story of Adam and Eve, where death enters the world as a result of sin.
Definition: 1) to die, kill, have one executed 1a)(Qal) 1a1) to die 1a2) to die (as penalty), be put to death 1a3) to die, perish (of a nation) 1a4) to die prematurely (by neglect of wise moral conduct) 1b) (Polel) to kill, put to death, dispatch 1c) (Hiphil) to kill, put to death 1d) (Hophal) 1d1) to be killed, be put to death 1d1a) to die prematurely
Usage: Occurs in 695 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] at all, [idiom] crying, (be) dead (body, man, one), (put to, worthy of) death, destroy(-er), (cause to, be like to, must) die, kill, necro(-mancer), [idiom] must needs, slay, [idiom] surely, [idiom] very suddenly, [idiom] in (no) wise. See also: Genesis 2:17; Exodus 21:18; Numbers 35:21.
בַּל bal H1077 "not" Part
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means not or nothing, often used to show something is absent or non-existent. It appears in various forms, like lest or neither. The KJV Bible translates it in different ways, including not or none.
Definition: not, hardly, else
Usage: Occurs in 58 OT verses. KJV: lest, neither, no, none (that...), not (any), nothing. See also: 1 Chronicles 16:30; Psalms 140:12; Psalms 10:4.
יִחְי֔וּ châyâh H2421 "to live" V-Qal-Imperf-3mp
To live or have life is the meaning of this Hebrew word, which can also mean to revive or be quickened. It is used in the Bible to describe God's power to sustain life and restore people to health, as seen in the stories of the prophets and Jesus' miracles.
Definition: 1) to live, have life, remain alive, sustain life, live prosperously, live for ever, be quickened, be alive, be restored to life or health 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to live 1a1a) to have life 1a1b) to continue in life, remain alive 1a1c) to sustain life, to live on or upon 1a1d) to live (prosperously) 1a2) to revive, be quickened 1a2a) from sickness 1a2b) from discouragement 1a2c) from faintness 1a2d) from death 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to preserve alive, let live 1b2) to give life 1b3) to quicken, revive, refresh 1b3a) to restore to life 1b3b) to cause to grow 1b3c) to restore 1b3d) to revive 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to preserve alive, let live 1c2) to quicken, revive 1c2a) to restore (to health) 1c2b) to revive 1c2c) to restore to life
Usage: Occurs in 239 OT verses. KJV: keep (leave, make) alive, [idiom] certainly, give (promise) life, (let, suffer to) live, nourish up, preserve (alive), quicken, recover, repair, restore (to life), revive, ([idiom] God) save (alive, life, lives), [idiom] surely, be whole. See also: Genesis 5:3; 2 Samuel 16:16; Psalms 22:27.
רְפָאִ֖ים râphâʼ H7496 "shade" N-mp
This word refers to the spirits of the dead, or ghosts, and is only used in the plural form, as seen in Isaiah 14:9.
Definition: ghosts of the dead, shades, spirits
Usage: Occurs in 8 OT verses. KJV: dead, deceased. See also: Job 26:5; Proverbs 21:16; Psalms 88:11.
בַּל bal H1077 "not" Part
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means not or nothing, often used to show something is absent or non-existent. It appears in various forms, like lest or neither. The KJV Bible translates it in different ways, including not or none.
Definition: not, hardly, else
Usage: Occurs in 58 OT verses. KJV: lest, neither, no, none (that...), not (any), nothing. See also: 1 Chronicles 16:30; Psalms 140:12; Psalms 10:4.
יָקֻ֑מוּ qûwm H6965 "-kamai" V-Qal-Imperf-3mp
Qum means to rise or stand up, used in various contexts like rising to power or standing firm, as seen in Jeremiah and Ezra.
Definition: Combined with lev (לֵב "Leb" H3820B) § -Kamai = "my adversary" Leb-kamai, i.e., people of Gambulai
Usage: Occurs in 596 OT verses. KJV: abide, accomplish, [idiom] be clearer, confirm, continue, decree, [idiom] be dim, endure, [idiom] enemy, enjoin, get up, make good, help, hold, (help to) lift up (again), make, [idiom] but newly, ordain, perform, pitch, raise (up), rear (up), remain, (a-) rise (up) (again, against), rouse up, set (up), (e-) stablish, (make to) stand (up), stir up, strengthen, succeed, (as-, make) sure(-ly), (be) up(-hold, -rising). See also: Genesis 4:8; Numbers 30:13; Ruth 4:10.
לָ/כֵ֤ן kên H3651 "right" Prep | Adv
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means 'so' or 'thus', often used to show agreement or confirmation, like in the book of Genesis. It can also mean 'rightly' or 'justly', as in doing something the correct way. It appears in various forms throughout the Old Testament.
Definition: adv adj 1) right, just, honest, true, veritable 1a) right, just, honest 1b) correct 1c) true, veritable
Usage: Occurs in 737 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] after that (this, -ward, -wards), as... as, [phrase] (for-) asmuch as yet, [phrase] be (for which) cause, [phrase] following, howbeit, in (the) like (manner, -wise), [idiom] the more, right, (even) so, state, straightway, such (thing), surely, [phrase] there (where) -fore, this, thus, true, well, [idiom] you. See also: Genesis 1:7; Exodus 37:19; Judges 7:17.
פָּקַ֨דְתָּ֙ pâqad H6485 "to reckon" V-Qal-Perf-2ms
This word means to visit or oversee, and can imply a range of actions, from friendly to hostile. It is used in various contexts, including appointing, avenging, or delivering something into someone's care. The KJV translates it in many ways, including appoint, avenge, or commit.
Definition: : list/count 1) to attend to, muster, number, reckon, visit, punish, appoint, look after, care for 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to pay attention to, observe 1a2) to attend to 1a3) to seek, look about for 1a4) to seek in vain, need, miss, lack 1a5) to visit 1a6) to visit upon, punish 1a7) to pass in review, muster, number 1a8) to appoint, assign, lay upon as a charge, deposit 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be sought, be needed, be missed, be lacking 1b2) to be visited 1b3) to be visited upon 1b4) to be appointed 1b5) to be watched over 1c) (Piel) to muster, call up 1d) (Pual) to be passed in review, be caused to miss, be called, be called to account 1e) (Hiphil) 1e1) to set over, make overseer, appoint an overseer 1e2) to commit, entrust, commit for care, deposit 1f) (Hophal) 1f1) to be visited 1f2) to be deposited 1f3) to be made overseer, be entrusted 1g) (Hithpael) numbered 1h) (Hothpael) numbered
Usage: Occurs in 269 OT verses. KJV: appoint, [idiom] at all, avenge, bestow, (appoint to have the, give a) charge, commit, count, deliver to keep, be empty, enjoin, go see, hurt, do judgment, lack, lay up, look, make, [idiom] by any means, miss, number, officer, (make) overseer, have (the) oversight, punish, reckon, (call to) remember(-brance), set (over), sum, [idiom] surely, visit, want. See also: Genesis 21:1; Numbers 26:47; Psalms 8:5.
וַ/תַּשְׁמִידֵ֔/ם shâmad H8045 "to destroy" Conj | V-Hiphil-ConsecImperf-2ms | Suff
The Hebrew word shâmad means to destroy or desolate something, used to describe annihilation or devastation. It is used in the Bible to describe the destruction of cities or nations, such as in the book of Isaiah.
Definition: 1) to destroy, exterminate, be destroyed, be exterminated 1a) (Niphal) 1a1) to be annihilated, be exterminated 1a2) to be destroyed, be devastated 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to annihilate, exterminate 1b2) to destroy Aramaic equivalent: she.mad (שְׁמַד "to destroy" H8046)
Usage: Occurs in 86 OT verses. KJV: destory(-uction), bring to nought, overthrow, perish, pluck down, [idiom] utterly. See also: Genesis 34:30; 2 Samuel 22:38; Psalms 37:38.
וַ/תְּאַבֵּ֥ד ʼâbad H6 "to perish" Conj | V-Piel-ConsecImperf-2ms
To perish means to be destroyed or lost, whether it's a person, animal, or thing, like the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19.
Definition: 1) perish, vanish, go astray, be destroyed 1a) (Qal) 1a1) perish, die, be exterminated 1a2) perish, vanish (fig.) 1a3) be lost, strayed 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to destroy, kill, cause to perish, to give up (as lost), exterminate 1b2) to blot out, do away with, cause to vanish, (fig.) 1b3) cause to stray, lose 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to destroy, put to death 1c1a) of divine judgment 1c2) object name of kings (fig.) Aramaic equivalent: a.vad (אֲבַד "to destroy" H0007)
Usage: Occurs in 174 OT verses. KJV: break, destroy(-uction), [phrase] not escape, fail, lose, (cause to, make) perish, spend, [idiom] and surely, take, be undone, [idiom] utterly, be void of, have no way to flee. See also: Exodus 10:7; Psalms 112:10; Psalms 1:6.
כָּל kôl H3605 "all" N-ms
The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.
Definition: 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)
Usage: Occurs in 4242 OT verses. KJV: (in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever). See also: Genesis 1:21; Genesis 17:10; Genesis 41:40.
זֵ֖כֶר zêker H2143 "memorial" N-ms
This Hebrew word means a memorial or remembrance, often referring to a reminder of something important, like a scent or a memory. It appears in the Bible to describe memorials to God. The word is used to recall significant events or people.
Definition: 1) memorial, remembrance 1a) remembrance, memory 1b) memorial
Usage: Occurs in 23 OT verses. KJV: memorial, memory, remembrance, scent. See also: Exodus 3:15; Psalms 102:13; Psalms 6:6.
לָֽ/מוֹ "" Prep | Suff

Study Notes — Isaiah 26:14

Show Verse Quote Highlights

Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1 Revelation 18:2–3 And he cried out in a mighty voice: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a lair for demons and a haunt for every unclean spirit, every unclean bird, and every detestable beast. All the nations have drunk the wine of the passion of her immorality. The kings of the earth were immoral with her, and the merchants of the earth have grown wealthy from the extravagance of her luxury.”
2 Proverbs 10:7 The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.
3 Isaiah 51:12–13 “I, even I, am He who comforts you. Why should you be afraid of mortal man, of a son of man who withers like grass? But you have forgotten the LORD, your Maker, who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth. You live in terror all day long because of the fury of the oppressor who is bent on destruction. But where is the fury of the oppressor?
4 Isaiah 8:19 When men tell you to consult the spirits of the dead and the spiritists who whisper and mutter, shouldn’t a people consult their God instead? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living?
5 Habakkuk 2:18–20 What use is an idol, that a craftsman should carve it— or an image, a teacher of lies? For its maker trusts in his own creation; he makes idols that cannot speak. Woe to him who says to wood, ‘Awake!’ or to silent stone, ‘Arise!’ Can it give guidance? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, yet there is no breath in it at all.” But the LORD is in His holy temple; let all the earth be silent before Him.
6 Psalms 106:28 They yoked themselves to Baal of Peor and ate sacrifices offered to lifeless gods.
7 Isaiah 14:19–22 But you are cast out of your grave like a rejected branch, covered by those slain with the sword, and dumped into a rocky pit like a carcass trampled underfoot. You will not join them in burial, since you have destroyed your land and slaughtered your own people. The offspring of the wicked will never again be mentioned. Prepare a place to slaughter his sons for the iniquities of their forefathers. They will never rise up to possess a land or cover the earth with their cities. “I will rise up against them,” declares the LORD of Hosts. “I will cut off from Babylon her name and her remnant, her offspring and her posterity,” declares the LORD.
8 Deuteronomy 4:28 And there you will serve man-made gods of wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or eat or smell.
9 Isaiah 10:3 What will you do on the day of reckoning when devastation comes from afar? To whom will you flee for help? Where will you leave your wealth?
10 Revelation 20:5 The rest of the dead did not come back to life until the thousand years were complete. This is the first resurrection.

Isaiah 26:14 Summary

[This verse is saying that people who have died without knowing God will not come back to life, and will not be remembered. This is because God is a holy and just God, who must punish sin, as we see in Romans 6:23. However, for those who know and love God, there is hope for eternal life, as seen in John 3:16, where Jesus says that whoever believes in Him will have eternal life. This verse reminds us to live our lives in a way that honors God, so that we will be remembered and blessed, not forgotten.]

Frequently Asked Questions

What does it mean when it says 'the dead will not live' in Isaiah 26:14?

This phrase is referring to those who have died in their sins, and will not experience spiritual life or resurrection, as seen in John 5:28-29, where Jesus teaches about the resurrection of the just and the unjust.

Are 'departed spirits' the same as ghosts or spirits of the dead?

In the context of Isaiah 26:14, 'departed spirits' refers to the spirits of those who have died, but it's not referring to ghostly apparitions or spirits that haunt the living, but rather to the fact that these individuals are gone and will not return, as supported by Ecclesiastes 9:5-6, which states that the dead know nothing.

Why does God punish and destroy them, as mentioned in Isaiah 26:14?

God's punishment and destruction of the wicked is a result of His holy and just nature, as seen in Psalm 119:75, where it says 'I know, O LORD, that Your judgments are just, and that in faithfulness You have afflicted me.'

What does it mean that God has 'wiped out all memory of them'?

This phrase means that those who have died in their sins will be forgotten, and their memory will not be preserved, as opposed to the righteous, whose memory will be blessed, as seen in Psalm 112:6, which says 'Surely he will never be shaken; the righteous will be remembered forever.'

Reflection Questions

  1. What does this verse teach me about the consequences of living a life apart from God?
  2. How does the concept of God's judgment and punishment impact my daily life and decisions?
  3. In what ways can I trust in God's sovereignty and justice, even when I don't understand His ways?
  4. What does this verse reveal about the importance of living a life that honors God, so that my memory will be blessed and not forgotten?

Gill's Exposition on Isaiah 26:14

[They are] dead, they shall not live; [they are] deceased, they shall not rise,.... The above tyrannical lords, the kings of the earth and their mighty men, associates of the Romish antichrist, who

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Isaiah 26:14

They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise: therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish. (They are) dead - the "other lords," or tyrants (Isaiah 26:13).

Matthew Poole's Commentary on Isaiah 26:14

They shall not rise; those tyrants and enemies are utterly and irrecoverably destroyed, so as they shall never live or rise again to molest us. Possibly he speaks of the miraculous destruction of Sennacherib’ s army before Jerusalem. Therefore, that they might be so effectually destroyed, thou didst undertake the work. Or rather, because thou hast, & c., as it follows. Destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish; thou hast destroyed both them and theirs, and all the monuments or memorials of their greatness and glory.

Trapp's Commentary on Isaiah 26:14

Isaiah 26:14 [They are] dead, they shall not live; [they are] deceased, they shall not rise: therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish.Ver. 14. They are dead.] Those "other lords" of ours are. But seldom lieth the devil dead in a dike, saith our proverb: yet he and his agents have their deadly wound, and shall be trodden under our feet shortly. Oh groan in spirit after that sweet day of full redemption, &c. Therefore thou hast visited.] Or, Because thou hast visited. Woe be to a person or people when God taketh them to do.

Ellicott's Commentary on Isaiah 26:14

(14) They are dead . . .—We get a more vivid rendering by omitting the words in italics, Dead, they live not; shadows (Rephaim, as in Psalms 88:10), they rise not. Those of whom the prophet speaks are the rulers of the great world-empires, who, as in Isaiah 14:9; Ezekiel 32:21, have passed into the gloomy world of Hades, out of which there was, for them at least, no escape. Their very names should perish from the memories of men. The LXX., adopting another etymology of the word Rephaim, gives the singular rendering, “Physicians shall not raise them up to life.”

Cambridge Bible on Isaiah 26:14

14. Render: The dead shall not live, the Shades (Rìphâ’ îm, as in Isaiah 14:9) shall not rise, &c. In the form of a general proposition the writer expresses Israel’s sense of security with regard to those “other lords” who have now vanished from the earth. The idea is probably suggested by ch. Isaiah 14:9 ff. There is no contradiction between this verse and Isaiah 26:19, nor is there any evidence of a merely nascent belief in the possibility of a resurrection; because the subjects in the two verses are different. The resurrection of Isa 26:19 is distinctly represented as miraculous, and is limited to members of the covenant people; over those who are unvisited by the life-giving “dew” of Jehovah, the sway of death is absolute. therefore …] i.e. in token that they shall never reappear, all traces of their supremacy have been obliterated. all their memory] every memorial of them.

Barnes' Notes on Isaiah 26:14

They are dead - That is, the kings and tyrants to whom reference is made in Isaiah 26:13. The principal enemies of the Jews, who had oppressed them, were slain when Babylon was taken by Cyrus (see the notes at Isa.

Whedon's Commentary on Isaiah 26:14

14. They are dead — That is, kings and tyrants just referred to. They shall not rise — That civil state, that God-defying power, shall have no resurrection. Therefore — Equivalent to so then.

Sermons on Isaiah 26:14

SermonDescription
John F. Walvoord The Glorious Restoration of Israel by John F. Walvoord John F. Walvoord preaches about the remarkable event of the partial restoration of the nation Israel to their ancient land in the twentieth century, signaling the fulfillment of Go
J.C. Philpot Books Which Will Never Die by J.C. Philpot J.C. Philpot discusses the enduring impact of certain books that contain the seeds of self-renewing life, contrasting them with the vast majority that fade into obscurity. He highl
Chuck Smith (The Word for Today) Isaiah 20:1 - Part 3 by Chuck Smith In this sermon, Pastor Chuck Smith discusses the importance of standing up for righteousness in a fallen world. He introduces his new book, "Standing Up in a Fallen World," which i
Zac Poonen The Word in a Recession by Zac Poonen In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of placing our confidence solely in God, rather than in worldly possessions or external factors. He warns against being foole
David Guzik (Isaiah) Judgment of the Nations by David Guzik In this sermon, the preacher discusses the fall of Babylon as described in the book of Isaiah. He emphasizes the vividness and power of God's word, which conveys the panic and terr
Paris Reidhead Are You One of the Chosen Ones? by Paris Reidhead In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of understanding the influence of ideas and philosophy in shaping our society. He points out that in today's generation, ther
David Ravenhill Church of Vidor Saturday by David Ravenhill David Ravenhill emphasizes the urgent need for the church to undergo a cleansing process, drawing parallels between the spiritual state of the church today and the historical clean
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