Isaiah 14

Chap. XIV. Ver. 1—32. God’s mercy to Israel. A song of triumphant exultation over fallen Babylon.—The deliverance of Judah from captivity, the immediate consequence of this great revolution, is here gratefully mentioned, without being enlarged upon, and this introduces, with the utmost propriety, the triumphant song which follows; “the beauties of which, the various images, scenes, persons introduced, and the elegant transitions from one to another, (says Lowth) I shall here endeavour to point out.” A chorus of Jews is introduced, expressing their surprise and astonishment at the sudden downfall of Babylon, and the ea reverse of fortune that had befallen the tyrant, who, like his predecessors, had oppressed his own, and harassed the neighbouring kingdoms.

These oppressed kingdoms, or their rulers, are represented under the image of the fir trees, and the cedars of Libanus, frequently used to express any thing in the political or religious world, that is super-eminently great and majestic: the whole earth shouteth for joy: the cedars of Libanus utter a severe taunt against the fallen tyrant, and boast their security, now he is no more. “The scene is immediately changed; and a new set of persons is introduced; the regions of the dead are laid open, and Hades is represented as rousing up the shades of the departed monarchs: they rise from their thrones to meet the king of Babylon at his coming: and insult him on his being reduced to the same low estate of impotence and dissolution with themselves.

This is one of the boldest prosopopeias, (or personifications) that ever was attempted in poetry; and is executed with astonishing brevity and perspicuity, and with that peculiar force which, in a great subject, naturally results from oth. The image of the state of the dead, or the infernum poeticum (the poetical hell) of the Hebrews, is taken from their custom of burying those at least of the higher ranks in large sepulchral vaults, hewn in the rock. Of this kind of sepulchres there are remains at Jerusalem now extant; and some that are said to be the sepulchres of the kings of Judah. (See Maundrell, p. 76.) You are to form to yourself an idea of an immense subterraneous vault, a vast gloomy cavern, all round the sides of which there are cells to receive the dead bodies; here the deceased monarchs lie in a distinguished sort of state, suitable to their former rank, each on his own couch, with his arms beside him, his sword at his head, and the bodies of his chiefs and companions round about him. (See (Ezekiel 33:27).) These illustrious shades rise at once from their couches, as from their thrones, and advance to the entrance of the cavern to meet the king of Babylon, and to receive him with insults on his fall. “The Jews now resume the speech: they address the king of Babylon as the morning star, fallen from heaven; as the first in splendour and dignity in the political world, fallen from his high state, they introduce him as uttering the most extravagant vaunts of his power, and ambitious designs, in his former glory: these are strongly contrasted in the close, with his present low and abject condition. “Immediately follows a different scene, and a most happy image, to diversify the same subject, and to give it anew turn, and an additional force.

Certain persons are introduced, who light upon the corpse of the king of Babylon, cast out and lying naked on the bare ground among the common slain, just after the taking of the city; covered with wounds, and so disfigured that it is some time before they know him. They accost him with the severest taunts all bitterly reproach him with his destructive ambition, and his cruel usage of the conquered, which have deservedly brought upon him this ignominious treatment, so different from that which those of his rank only meet with, and which shall cover his posterity with [shame]. “To complete the whole, God is introduced, declaring the fate of Babylon, the utter extirpation of the royal family, and the total desolation of the city; the deliverance of his people, and the destruction of them enemies; confirming the irreversible decree by the awful sanction of his oath.”

For the fulfilment of this prophecy, see (Daniel 5:30). The five last verses of this chapter contain severe threatenings against the Philistines. During the distress of Ahaz, they invaded Judea, and possessed themselves of some of its cities. On the death of Ahaz, Isaiah here threatens them with the destruction that Hezekiah his son, and the grandson of Uzziah, should bring upon them: Uzziah, therefore, was the rod, and Hezekiah the serpent. (See (2 Kings 18:8).)

Notes on the verses

Chap. XIV. Ver. 3. In the day.—Lowth, “In that day.” Ver. 9. Hell.—See margin. Lowth, “Hades;” i. e. the invisible world. Ver. 12. Son of the morning.—Or, “Morning star.” Ver. 17. That opened not the house of his prisoners.—See margin. Lowth, “That never dismissed his captives to their home.” Ver. 19. As the raiment… of the slain.—Lowth, “With the slain.” Ver. 22. The nephew.—Lowth, “Son’s son.” Ver. 23. I will sweep it with the besom of destruction.—Lowth reads, “I will plunge it in the miry gulf of destruction,” following the LXX. and others: but Aristophanes is quoted as using the same figure; “O Jove… lay down thy besom: sweep not Greece.” Ver. 23. 7 the year, &c.—This evidently begins a new subject, and gives the date of it.

Ver. 31. Thou, whole Palestina, art dissolved.—Lowth, “O Philistia, thou art altogether sunk in consternation.” ——From the north cometh a smore— That is, says Bishop Lowth, a cloud of dust, raised by Hezekiah’s army from Jerusalem.—And one shall be alone, &c.—See margin. Lowth, “There shall not be a straggler among his levies.”