Isaiah 14 - Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

Israel Will Return Home

14 The Lord will again show his love to Jacob. He will again choose the people of Israel. He will give them their land. Then the non-Israelites[a] will join the Israelites, and both will become one family—Jacob’s family. 2 Those nations will bring the Israelites back to their land. The men and women from the other nations will become slaves to Israel. In the past, those people forced the Israelites to become their slaves. But in the future the Israelites will defeat those nations, and Israel will then rule over them in the Lord’s land. 3 In the past, you were slaves. People forced you to work hard. But the Lord will take away the hard work you were forced to do.

A Song About the King of Babylon

4 At that time you will begin to sing this song about the king of Babylon:

The king was cruel when he ruled us,
but now his rule is finished.
5 The Lord breaks the scepter of evil rulers;
he takes away their power.
6 In anger, the king of Babylon beat the people.
He never stopped beating them.
He was an evil ruler who ruled in anger.
He never stopped hurting people.
7 But now, the whole country rests and is quiet.
Now the people begin to celebrate.
8 You were an evil king,
and now you are finished.
Even the pine trees are happy.
The cedar trees of Lebanon rejoice.
They say, “The king chopped us down,
but now the king has fallen,
and he will never stand again.”
9 The place of death is excited
that you are coming.
Sheol is waking the spirits
of all the leaders of the earth for you.
Sheol is making the kings stand up
from their thrones to meet you.
10 They will make fun of you, saying,
“Now you are as dead as we are.
Now you are just like us.”
11 Your pride has been sent down to Sheol.
The music from your harps announces the coming of your proud spirit.
Maggots will be the bed you lie on,
and other worms will cover your body like a blanket.
12 You were like the morning star,
but you have fallen from the sky.
In the past, all the nations on earth bowed down before you,
but now you have been cut down.
13 You always told yourself,
“I will go to the skies above.
I will put my throne above God’s stars.
I will sit on Zaphon,[b] the holy mountain where the gods meet.
14 I will go up to the altar above the tops of the clouds.
I will be like God Most High.”

15 But that did not happen.
You were brought down to the deep pit—Sheol, the place of death.
16 People will come to look at your dead body.
They will think about you and say,
“Is this the same man
who caused great fear in all the kingdoms on earth,
17 who destroyed cities
and turned the land into a desert,
who captured people in war
and would not let them go home?”
18 The kings of other nations lie buried with honor,
each king with his own grave.
19 But you were thrown out of your grave
like a branch cut from a tree and thrown away.
You are like a dead man who fell in battle,
trampled under the feet of other soldiers.
Now you look like any other dead man
wrapped in burial clothes.
20 Other kings have their own graves,
but you will not join them,
because you ruined your own country
and killed your own people.
So your wicked descendants will be stopped.

21 Prepare to kill his children,
because their father is guilty.
His children will never take control of the land.
They will never fill the world with their cities.

22 The Lord All-Powerful said, “I will stand and fight against those people. I will destroy the famous city, Babylon. I will destroy all the people there. I will destroy their children, their grandchildren, and their great-grandchildren.” The Lord himself said this.

23 “I will change Babylon. It will be a place for animals,[c] not people. It will be a swamp. I will use the ‘broom of destruction’ to sweep Babylon away.” The Lord All-Powerful said this.

God Will Also Punish Assyria

24 The Lord All-Powerful made this promise: “This will happen exactly as I meant for it to happen. It will happen just the way I planned. 25 I will destroy the king of Assyria in my country. I will walk on him on my mountains. He forced my people to be his slaves; he put a yoke on their necks. But that pole will be taken off Judah’s neck, and that burden will be removed. 26 This is what I plan to do for this land. I will use my power to punish all those nations.”

27 When the Lord All-Powerful makes a plan, no one can change it. When he raises his arm to punish, no one can stop him.

God’s Message to Philistia

28 This message[d] was given to me the year King Ahaz died[e]:

29 Country of Philistia, don’t be happy that the king who beat you is now dead. It is true that his rule has ended, but his son will come and rule. It will be like one snake giving birth to a more dangerous one. The new king will be like a quick and dangerous snake to you. 30 But even the poorest of my people will be able to eat safely. And their children will be able to lie down and feel safe. But I will make your family die from hunger, and your enemy will kill anyone who survives.

31 People near the city gates, cry!
People in the city, cry out!
Everyone in Philistia,
your courage will melt like hot wax.

Look to the north!
There is a cloud of dust.
An army is coming,
and everyone in that army is strong.[f]
32 But what will the messengers from that nation report about us?
They will say, “The Lord made Zion strong,
and his poor people went there for safety.”

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 14:1 non-Israelites This usually means those who live in a country but are not yet citizens of that country. Here, it is the non-Israelites who decided to follow God.
  2. Isaiah 14:13 Zaphon This Hebrew word literally means “north” or “hidden.”
  3. Isaiah 14:23 animals Literally, “porcupines.”
  4. Isaiah 14:28 message Or “burden.” Also in 15:1.
  5. Isaiah 14:28 year King Ahaz died About 727 B.C.
  6. Isaiah 14:31 everyone … strong Or “there are no stragglers in that group.”

You Might Also Like:

Isaiah 14 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

14 Because Jehovah loveth Jacob, And hath fixed again on Israel, And given them rest on their own land, And joined hath been the sojourner to them, And they have been admitted to the house of Jacob. 2 And peoples have taken them, And have brought them in unto their place, And the house of Israel hav...
Read More

Isaiah 14 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

14 for why the Lord shall have mercy of Jacob, and he shall choose yet of Israel, and shall make them for to rest on their land; a comeling shall be joined to them, and shall cleave to the house of Jacob. (for the Lord shall have mercy on Jacob, and he shall yet choose Israel, and shall give them re...
Read More

Isaiah 14 - World English Bible (WEB)

14 For Yahweh will have compassion on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land. The foreigner will join himself with them, and they will unite with the house of Jacob. 2 The peoples will take them, and bring them to their place. The house of Israel will possess them in Yahw...
Read More

Isaiah 14 - The Voice (VOICE)

14 For the Eternal will extend mercy to Jacob, this family of God’s people. God will choose Israel all over again, and He will settle them in comfort and rest back on their land. Others who are unrelated will want to join them and stick close to the house of Jacob, God’s promise people, 2 who will ...
Read More

Isaiah 14 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

God’s People Restored14 For Adonai will have compassion on Jacoband will again choose Israeland settle them in their own land.The outsider will join himself with themand will cling to the house of Jacob.2 The peoples will take themand escort them to their place.The house of Israel will possess them ...
Read More

Isaiah 14 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Restoration of Judah14 The Lord will have compassion on Jacob and will again choose Israel, and will set them in their own land, and aliens will join them and will cleave to the house of Jacob. 2 And the peoples will take them and bring them to their place, and the house of Israel will possess them...
Read More

Isaiah 14 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Restoration of Judah14 The Lord will have compassion on Jacob and will again choose Israel, and will set them in their own land, and aliens will join them and will cleave to the house of Jacob. 2 And the peoples will take them and bring them to their place, and the house of Israel will possess them...
Read More

Isaiah 14 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Restoration of Judah14 But the Lord will have compassion on Jacob and will again choose Israel, and will set them in their own land; and aliens will join them and attach themselves to the house of Jacob. 2 And the nations will take them and bring them to their place, and the house of Israel will po...
Read More

Isaiah 14 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Restoration of Judah14 But the Lord will have compassion on Jacob and will again choose Israel and will settle them in their own land, and aliens will join them and attach themselves to the house of Jacob.(A)2 And the nations will take them and bring them to their place, and the house of Israel will...
Read More

Isaiah 14 - New Living Translation (NLT)

A Taunt for Babylon’s King14 But the Lord will have mercy on the descendants of Jacob. He will choose Israel as his special people once again. He will bring them back to settle once again in their own land. And people from many different nations will come and join them there and unite with the peopl...
Read More

Isaiah 14 - New Life Version (NLV)

Loving-Pity on Jacob14 The Lord will have loving-pity on Jacob and will again choose Israel. He will have them return to live in their own land. Then people from other countries will come and be with them, and will join themselves to the family of Jacob. 2 Nations will take them and bring them to t...
Read More

Isaiah 14 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Mercy on Jacob14 For the Lord (A)will have mercy on Jacob, and (B)will still choose Israel, and settle them in their own land. (C)The strangers will be joined with them, and they will cling to the house of Jacob. 2 Then people will take them (D)and bring them to their place, and the house of Israel...
Read More

Isaiah 14 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

14 The Lord will have compassion on Jacob; once again he will choose Israel and will settle them in their own land.Foreigners will join them and unite with the descendants of Jacob.2 Nations will take them and bring them to their own place.And Israel will take possession of the nations and make them...
Read More

Isaiah 14 - New International Version (NIV)

14 The Lord will have compassion(A) on Jacob; once again he will choose(B) Israel and will settle them in their own land.(C)Foreigners(D) will join them and unite with the descendants of Jacob.2 Nations will take them and bring(E) them to their own place.And Israel will take possession of the nation...
Read More

Isaiah 14 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

14 The Lord will show tender love toward Jacob’s people. Once again he will choose Israel. He’ll give them homes in their own land.Outsiders will join them. They and the people of Jacob will become one people.2 Nations will help Israel return to their own land.Israel will possess other nations. They...
Read More

Isaiah 14 - New English Translation (NET)

14 The Lord will certainly have compassion on Jacob;[a] he will again choose Israel as his special people[b] and restore[c] them to their land. Resident foreigners will join them and unite with the family[d] of Jacob. 2 Nations will take them and bring them back to their own place. Then the family ...
Read More