Isa 13-14 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Isa 13:1: 13:1–23:18 This section contains prophecies of judgment against the nations. By including a prophecy against Judah and Jerusalem (22:1-25 ) in the midst of prophecies against the pagan nations, Isaiah emphasized that Israel’s identity as God’s people would not protect them from God’s punishment when they sinned as the other nations do. 13:1 At the time of this prophecy, Assyria was the major power. Isaiah anticipated the rise of Babylon as an even crueler kingdom that would destroy Judah and Jerusalem (39:6-7 ; chs 46–47 ). The universal language of 13:1–14:23 suggests that in this context, Babylon represents all wicked and arrogant nations in the same way that “Babylon the Great” does in the book of Revelation (Rev 18 ). Therefore, while this description of Babylon’s fall applies to the fall of historic Babylon in 539 BC , it also applies until the final judgment against the ultimate kingdom of evil (Rev 19 ).

Summary for Isa 13:1: 13:1–23:18 ^a This section contains prophecies of judgment against the nations. By including a prophecy against Judah and Jerusalem (22:1-25 ^b) in the midst of prophecies against the pagan nations, Isaiah emphasized that Israel’s identity as God’s people would not protect them from God’s punishment when they sinned as the other nations do. 13:1 ^c At the time of this prophecy, Assyria was the major power. Isaiah anticipated the rise of Babylon as an even crueler kingdom that would destroy Judah and Jerusalem (39:6-7 ^d; chs 46–47 ^e). The universal language of 13:1–14:23 ^f suggests that in this context, Babylon represents all wicked and arrogant nations in the same way that “Babylon the Great” does in the book of Revelation (Rev 18 ^g). Therefore, while this description of Babylon’s fall applies to the fall of historic Babylon in 539 BC, it also applies until the final judgment against the ultimate kingdom of evil (Rev 19 ^h).
13:2 ⁱ A signal flag or banner that could be seen clearly from a great distance was often placed on a bare hilltop as a call to battle.

• God stands against Babylon as the symbolic representative of all evil kingdoms.
13:5 ^j Just as Assyria was the rod of his anger (9:4 ^k; 10:5 ^l, 15 ^m), other nations serve as the Lord’s weapons and carry out his will. The Medes and Persians conquered Babylon in 539 BC.

• God’s wrath is an expression of his justice as well as his intent to restore order to the world by obliterating evildoers (10:25-26 ⁿ; see Lam 2:22 ^o; Ezek 7:19 ^p).
13:6 ^q When pronouncing judgment that is still in the future, the prophets sometimes spoke as though it had already arrived. This emphasized the urgency of turning back to God (Ezek 30:3 ^r; Joel 1:15 ^s; 3:14 ^t; Obad 1:15 ^u; Zeph 1:7 ^v).
13:8 ^w Pangs ... like those of a woman in labor: The day of the Lord brings sudden and overpowering pain and fear for the wicked (see also Jer 30:6 ^x; Hos 13:13 ^y; Mic 4:9 ^z, 10 ^aa; 5:3 ^ab).
13:10 ^ac Cosmic upheaval and darkness are common images for the day of the Lord, a time of God’s judgment (see also Ezek 32:7-8 ^ad; Joel 2:10 ^ae, 31 ^af; 3:15 ^ag; Matt 24:29 ^ah; Mark 13:24 ^ai; Rev 6:12-13 ^aj; 8:12 ^ak; cp. Isa 30:26 ^al).
13:11 ^am punish the world: See Rev 20:11 ^an.
13:12 ^ao Solomon’s imported gold came from Ophir (1 Kgs 9:28 ^ap).
13:13 ^aq God will shake the heavens. The earth will move: Cosmic upheaval will accompany God’s coming in judgment (see study note on 5:25; see also Hag 2:7 ^ar, 21 ^as; Heb 12:26-27 ^at; Rev 16:17-18 ^au; 18:21-22 ^av).
13:16 ^aw These terrible acts of war would be perpetrated against Babylon, itself a cruel conquering power (see also Ps 137:8-9 ^ax; Jer 6:11-12 ^ay; Nah 3:10 ^az).
13:17 ^ba The Lord is sovereign and controls history. He can stir up kingdoms to execute his will.

• The Medes from northwestern Iran joined Persian King Cyrus in fighting against Babylon in 539 BC.
Summary for Isa 13:19-22: 13:19-22 ^bb This picture of Babylon as a perpetually haunted ruin contrasts with its magnificence at its peak (see Dan 4:29-30 ^bc).
13:20 ^bd Babylon will never be inhabited again: Babylon, often a symbol of idolatry, immorality, imperialism, and oppression in Scripture, will one day come completely to an end (see Rev 18:2 ^be; 19:2 ^bf).

‏ Isaiah 14

Summary for Isa 14:1-2: 14:1-2 ^bg This message for Israel separates two prophecies of judgment against Babylon (ch 13 ^bh; 14:3-23 ^bi). 14:1 ^bj The Hebrew word here translated mercy draws from the imagery of a woman’s maternal care for her child to illustrate God’s merciful love for his people (see also 49:15 ^bk; 66:13 ^bl).

• God had initially chosen Israel as his special people when he called Abraham (see 41:8 ^bm; Gen 12:1-3 ^bn). Although their status did not change during the Exile, they faced God’s wrath like any other wicked nation because they had rejected him.

• settle once again in their own land: This promise began to be fulfilled in 538 BC (see Ezra 1:1-11 ^bo).

• People from many different nations would join Israel as the people of God (see also Isa 2:3-4 ^bp; 11:11-12 ^bq; 19:18-25 ^br; 60:1-14 ^bs).
14:2 ^bt Just as Israel was subject to the Lord, so the nations of the world would submit themselves to the Lord through Israel (45:14 ^bu; 49:7 ^bv, 23 ^bw; 60:12 ^bx, 14 ^by; 66:23 ^bz).

• The oppressed nation of Israel will rule over its enemies, assuming a position of power and favor with God.
Summary for Isa 14:3-23: 14:3-23 ^ca This taunting song for the king of Babylon is in the form of a funeral dirge (cp. Rev 18 ^cb). 14:3 ^cc God gives ... rest (i.e., relief; 28:12 ^cd; see Deut 25:19 ^ce; 2 Sam 7:11 ^cf) from the sorrow and fear, ... slavery and chains Israel experienced under foreign oppressors (see Isa 9:4 ^cg).
14:4 ^ch A taunt is a mocking comparison in song form. In this instance, the king of Babylon is compared to a dead man entering the world of the dead.
Summary for Isa 14:7-8: 14:7-8 ^ci The land and people will be at rest and quiet because the oppression has ended and the king of Babylon has died.

• The whole creation will join in praise, able to sing again (see also 42:11 ^cj; 44:23 ^ck; cp. Rom 8:22 ^cl).
14:9 ^cm The Babylonians saw the place of the dead (Hebrew Sheol) as a place of no return.

• stand up (literally get up from their thrones): The thrones reflect the Babylonian concept of the life hereafter as a continuation of the same mode of existence as the present life. It appears that the other kings are honoring the great king of Babylon, but the next verses tell a different story.
14:10 ^cn weak as we are: The Babylonian king had no power over anyone after death and was unable to leave Sheol. The Israelites will mock this great king who on earth appeared to have no weaknesses.
14:11 ^co Babylon’s might and power and the sound of the harp were ended, and its magnificence was destroyed (see also Rev 18:22 ^cp).

• Maggots and worms symbolized death and decomposition (Isa 66:24 ^cq).
14:12 ^cr fallen from heaven, O shining star: These words allude to the Canaanite story of the god Helel’s rebellion against the god El (chief deity of the Canaanite pantheon) and his fall from heaven. Some see the fall of the king of Babylon here as symbolizing the fall of Satan (see Ezek 28 ^cs; Luke 10:18 ^ct; Rev 12:9 ^cu). However, there is little to suggest that Isaiah understood it in that way. He was thinking of the historical king of Babylon.

• son of the morning: The battle took place under the early morning sun. The Latin Vulgate translates the term as Lucifer (morning star), a name for Satan in Christian tradition, but the Hebrew text makes no apparent reference here to Satan.
14:13 ^cv This verse alludes to the Canaanite belief that the chief god El and the other gods were enthroned on Mount Zaphon, a northern mountain (see Ps 48:2 ^cw; for a New Testament application, see Matt 11:23 ^cx; Luke 10:15 ^cy).
14:14 ^cz Most High: See Gen 14:19-22 ^da.
Summary for Isa 14:15-17: 14:15-17 ^db This is a restatement of 14:9-11 ^dc. The dead spirits inhabiting the place of the dead will be startled and amazed that the Babylonian king, who ruled the world with his merciless might, has absolutely no power in death.
Summary for Isa 14:18-20: 14:18-20 ^dd The absence of a proper burial was a sign of great shame and dishonor. Unlike other kings, the king of Babylon would be disgraced in judgment.
14:21 ^de As another sign of disgrace, the king of Babylon would have no children to provide a future legacy.

• because of their father’s sins: God looks at individuals in relationship to their families and their people. Here, the Babylonian king’s children had joint responsibility for their father’s actions (see also Deut 5:9-10 ^df).
Summary for Isa 14:22-23: 14:22-23 ^dg Isaiah summarized the previous taunt (14:3-21 ^dh) with this prophecy, spoken in the first person. God decrees the destruction and desolation of Babylon.
Summary for Isa 14:24-27: 14:24-27 ^di This prophecy resumes declaring judgment on Assyria (see ch 10 ^dj). The placement of this prophecy after the judgment against Babylon suggests close connections between Assyria and Babylon. 14:24 ^dk I have planned ... I have decided: No nation can either diminish or resist God’s plans to bring judgment against Assyria or his plans in general. The prophets understood and communicated God’s plan so that his people could respond appropriately.
14:25 ^dl This prophecy told what would happen when Sennacherib attacked Hezekiah some years later in 701 BC (see chs 36–37 ^dm).
14:26 ^dn The Lord’s power over Assyria is just one example of his sovereignty over the whole earth.
14:29 ^do The king who attacked Philistia was probably Ahaz (14:28 ^dp).

• a more poisonous snake: This probably refers to one of the later Assyrian kings, either Sennacherib (701 BC), Esarhaddon (680 BC), or Ashurbanipal (668 BC).
14:31 ^dq The advancing army, probably Assyria, would stir up clouds of dust like smoke that were ominously visible in the north.
14:32 ^dr The Lord has built Jerusalem: God was fully willing and capable of defending Judah, and he did not want the kingdom to make alliances with nations such as the Philistines to protect themselves from the invading Assyrians.