Isaiah 14

Isaiah 14:1

WIll have mercy] this prophecy was partly fulfilled at such time as the people returned from the captivity of Babylon, but was fully accomplished, by the Churches spirituall deliverance by the Messias Chuse] that is to say, after he hath reproved this people for their sinnes, he will againe take them into favour, and restore them to their right and title of being the Church, namely, to be his elect, which generall election may suffer such changes and alterations as are here mentioned, which cannot be in the immutable election of particular persons to eternall life The strangers] namely, the Gentiles, made partakers of Gods grace by the Gospell.

Isaiah 14:2

The people] that is to say, the Kings and Nations of the earth, shall labour and worke means to establish Christs Kingdome in the World, and gather up Gods elect into his Church, and they shall submit themselves unto him, and to his word preached unto them in the Church.

Isaiah 14:8

The Fir-trees] this according to the letter may be understood thus, that the very woods might rejoyce at the destruction of the Babylonian Monarchy, because they should not now be cut downe so fast, to be employed upon so many buildings, and to make so many warlike engines. Or it may be taken figuratively for those States, and Dominions which Babylon did subdue, and oppresse, Ezekiel 31:16. Habakkuk 2:17.

Isaiah 14:9

Hell] an ironicall and poeticall representation of the King of Babylons comming into hell, and his entertainment there, as Isaiah 30:33. Ezekiel 32:18; Ezekiel 32:21. The dead] the Italian, the Gyants; namely, the ghosts of the Gyants of the primitive World, Genesis 6:4. set downe in Scripture for examples of the damned, Job 26:5. or for them which were after the flood, which were after the Founders of Empires, and violent dominations of the World, Genesis 10:8.

Isaiah 14:11

The noise] this hath a relation to the sound of those instruments which were anciently used at funerals, Matth. 9 23. and because Babylon was taken upon a day of feasting, and publique mirth; as if he should say, the sounds of thy musicke shall serve to grace thy funerals.

Isaiah 14:12

O Lucifer] the Italian, O Day-starre; O thou Babilonian Empire, which wert as bright as the Day-starre, called Lucifer. Which didst weaken] that is to say, which didst enfold many Nations in thy ruine, casting them to the ground with thy fall, even like a great Tree when it fals, crusheth downe the little ones.

Isaiah 14:13

I will ascend] a description of the King of Babylons bold enterprise against Gods people and Temple, whereby he had (as it were) wagedwarre against God himselfe, and attempted to put him out of his throne, Daniel 8:10-11. The Stars] that is to say, above the elect, who shine in the Frmament of the Church, as Starres doe in the heavenly Firmament Daniel 8:10. or the Kings and Princes of the holy Nation The mount] upon which the Temple is built, where the people doe assemble themselves for to serve God, see Psal. 75. 2. In the sides] namely, in Mount Moriah, which was on the North side of Jerusalem, right over against the hill of Sion, which was on the South side, see Psalms 48:2.

Isaiah 14:16

They that] a continuation of the infernall prosopopeia; namely, a representation of the dead, at the comming of the King of Babylon into hell.

Isaiah 14:17

That opened not, &c.] the Italian, that did not let his prisoners loose; he seems to mean the transporting of subdued Nations into farre Countries, without any hope of returne, which was used by Conquerours to the end to make their conquest sure, as 2 Kings 16:9. Isaiah 36:17.

Isaiah 14:18

All the Kings] that is to say, Kings for the most part when they die, are buried in their royall Cities, with great pompe, and solemne preparation.

Isaiah 14:19

But thou art] he meanes the last King of Babylon, which was as some thinke Belshazzar: or according to ancient Histories his successor, who had his Kingdome taken away from him, and died a great way from Babylon, see Daniel 5:31. Abominable branch] as who should say, a bastard plant, unworthy the participation of these honours which are due to other Kings. And peradventure this is spoken, because that Darius the last King of Babylon, Daniel 5:31. was not of the Royall line As the raiment] thy person hath not any way beene spared in the ruine of thine Empire: even as in warres the raiment and armour of such as were slaine, being all bloudy and soyled, are cast into the pit together with the dead carkasses, over which they did according to the ancient custome, raise great heapes of stones, see Joshua 8:29. 2 Samuel 18:17.

Isaiah 14:21

For his children] namely, for the people of Babylon, or great ones, and Princes, Nor fill] that they may not re-establish, and strengthen their Kingdome, by building of new Cities, and making new plantations, as their Ancestors did, Gen. 10. 10. 11.

Isaiah 14:23

The Bittern] the Italian, the Owle; which bird useth to shelter it selfe in old and ruinous houses, see Zephaniah 2:14. Others translate it Hedge hogs, others Bitterns, which is a kind of Water-fowle, that maketh a great noise.

Isaiah 14:24

Surely as I have] now the Prophet returnes to the foretelling of the Assyrians next discomfiture by the Angell, which he had spoken of, Chap. 10.

Isaiah 14:26

Upon the whole earth] namely, upon this great Empire, which cals it selfe universall, as Isaiah 13:5.

Isaiah 14:28

This burden] namely, this prophecy of threatnings and calamities, see Isaiah 13:1.

Isaiah 14:29

The rod] namely, because King Uzziah is dead, who made cruell warre against thee, and conquered thee, see 2 Chronicles 26:6. The Serpents root] namely, Uzziah who was the lesser enemy A cockatrice] namely, Hezekiah, who warred more cruelly against the Philistins, and did destroy them, 2 King. 18. 8. A fiery] a figurative terme taken from the Serpent in the desert, Numb. 21. 6. to signifie a mortall, and unavoydable destruction.

Isaiah 14:30

The first-borne] namely, the most wretched and afflicted people of the Jewes shall flourish again in a most happy estate under Hezekiah. I will kill] I will take away from thee all meanes of subsisting, and will cause thee to perish altogether even like a tree whose root dieth for want of nourishment And he shall] namely Hezekiah:

Isaiah 14:31

Art dissolved] namely, in teares, or thou art dismayed, and affrighted From the North] namely, from Judea, which was partly Northward from the Land of the Philistins A smoake]a beginning of combustion, of warre, which shall consume thee None shall be] all the Jewish Nation shall be most willing to follow Ezekiah at the appointed time, in this enterprise.

Isaiah 14:32

Of the Nation] the Italian, Of the Nations; which shall send to be informed of the wondrous workes of the Lord towards his people, as 〈◊〉King. 20. 12.