Isaías 14

1 En verdad, el SEÑOR tendrá compasión de Jacob y elegirá de nuevo a Israel. Los asentará en su propia tierra. Los extranjeros se juntarán con ellos, y se unirán a los descendientes de Jacob.

2 Los pueblos los acogerán y los llevarán hasta su patria. Los israelitas los tomarán como siervos y siervas en el suelo del SEÑOR; apresarán a sus captores y dominarán a sus opresores.

3 Cuando el SEÑOR los haga descansar de su sufrimiento, de su tormento y de la cruel esclavitud a la que fueron sometidos,

4 pronunciarán esta sátira contra el rey de Babilonia:¡Hay que ver cómo terminó el opresor,y cómo acabó su furia insolente!^[a]

5 Quebró el SEÑOR la vara de los malvados;rompió el bastón de los tiranos

6 que con furia y continuos golpescastigaba a los pueblos,que con implacable enojodominaba y perseguía a las naciones.

7 Toda la tierra descansa tranquilay prorrumpe en gritos de alegría.

8 Hasta los pinos y cedros del Líbanose burlan de ti y te dicen:«Desde que yaces tendido,nadie viene a derribarnos».

9 Allá en lo profundo, por tu causa,el sepulcro se estremeceal salir a tu encuentro;por causa tuya despierta a los muertos,a los que fueron jefes de la tierra.Hace que los reyes de todas las nacionesse levanten de sus tronos.

10 Todos ellos responden y te dicen:«¡También tú te has debilitado!¡Ya eres uno más de los nuestros!»

11 Tu majestad ha sido arrojada al sepulcro,junto con el sonido de tus arpas.¡Duermes entre gusanos,y te cubren las lombrices!

12 ¡Cómo has caído del cielo,lucero de la mañana!Tú, que sometías a las naciones,has caído por tierra.

13 Decías en tu corazón:«Subiré hasta los cielos.¡Levantaré mi tronopor encima de las estrellas de Dios!Gobernaré desde el extremo norte,en el monte de los dioses.^[b]

14 Subiré a la cresta de las más altas nubes,seré semejante al Altísimo».

15 ¡Pero has sido arrojado al sepulcro,a lo más profundo de la fosa!

16 Los que te ven, te clavan la miraday reflexionan en cuanto a tu destino:«¿Y este es el que sacudía a la tierray hacía temblar a los reinos,

17 el que dejaba el mundo hecho un desierto,el que arrasaba sus ciudadesy nunca dejaba libres a los presos?»

18 Todos los reyes de las nacionesreposan con honor,cada uno en su tumba.

19 Pero a ti, el sepulcro te ha vomitadocomo a un vástago repugnante.Los que murieron a filo de espada,los que bajaron al fondo de la fosa,te han cubierto por completo.¡Pareces un cadáver pisoteado!

20 No tendrás sepultura con los reyes,porque destruiste a tu tierray asesinaste a tu pueblo.¡Jamás volverá a mencionarsela descendencia de los malhechores!

21 Por causa de la maldad de los padres,preparen un matadero para los hijos.¡Que no se levanten para heredar la tierrani cubran con ciudades la faz del mundo!

22 «Yo me levantaré contra ellos—afirma el SEÑOR—.Yo extirparé de Babilonianombre y descendencia,vástago y posteridad—afirma el SEÑOR Todopoderoso—.

23 La convertiré en lugar de erizos,en charco de agua estancada;la barreré con la escoba de la destrucción»,afirma el SEÑOR Todopoderoso.

Profecía contra Asiria

24 El SEÑOR Todopoderoso ha jurado:«Tal como lo he planeado, se cumplirá;tal como lo he decidido, se realizará.

25 Destrozaré a Asiria en mi tierra;la pisotearé sobre mis montes.Mi pueblo dejará de llevar su yugo;ya no pesará esa carga sobre sus hombros».

26 Esto es lo que he determinado para toda la tierra;esta es la mano que he extendido sobre todas las naciones.

27 Si lo ha determinado el SEÑORTodopoderoso,¿quién podrá impedirlo?Si él ha extendido su mano,¿quién podrá detenerla?

Profecía contra los filisteos

28 Esta profecía vino a Isaías el año en que murió el rey Acaz:

29 Todos ustedes filisteos,no se alegren de que se haya rotoel bastón que los golpeaba;porque una víbora saldráde la raíz de la serpiente;su fruto será una serpiente voladora.

30 Los más desvalidos pacerán como ovejas,los necesitados descansarán seguros.Pero mataré de hambre a su raíz;destruiré a sus sobrevivientes.

31 ¡Gime y grita, puerta de la ciudad!¡Ponte a temblar de miedo, Filistea entera!Porque viene del norte una nube de humo,y nadie rompe la formación.

32 ¿Qué respuesta se dará a los mensajeros de esa nación?Pues que el SEÑOR ha afirmado a Sión,y que allí se refugiaránlos afligidos de su pueblo.

Isaías 14 Commentary

Chapter 14

The destruction of Babylon, and the death of its proud monarch. (1-23) Assurance of the destruction of Assyria. (24-27) The destruction of the Philistines. (28-32)

Verses 1-23 The whole plan of Divine Providence is arranged with a view to the good of the people of God. A settlement in the land of promise is of God's mercy. Let the church receive those whom God receives. God's people, wherever their lot is cast, should endeavour to recommend religion by a right and winning conversation. Those that would not be reconciled to them, should be humbled by them. This may be applied to the success of the gospel, when those were brought to obey it who had opposed it. God himself undertakes to work a blessed change. They shall have rest from their sorrow and fear, the sense of their present burdens, and the dread of worse. Babylon abounded in riches. The king of Babylon having the absolute command of so much wealth, by the help of it ruled the nations. This refers especially to the people of the Jews; and it filled up the measure of the king of Babylon's sins. Tyrants sacrifice their true interest to their lusts and passions. It is gracious ambition to covet to be like the Most Holy, for he has said, Be ye holy, for I am holy; but it is sinful ambition to aim to be like the Most High, for he has said, He who exalts himself shall be abased. The devil thus drew our first parents to sin. Utter ruin should be brought upon him. Those that will not cease to sin, God will make to cease. He should be slain, and go down to the grave; this is the common fate of tyrants. True glory, that is, true grace, will go up with the soul to heaven, but vain pomp will go down with the body to the grave; there is an end of it. To be denied burial, if for righteousness' sake, may be rejoiced in, ( Matthew 5:12 ) . But if the just punishment of sin, it denotes that impenitent sinners shall rise to everlasting shame and contempt. Many triumphs should be in his fall. God will reckon with those that disturb the peace of mankind. The receiving the king of Babylon into the regions of the dead, shows there is a world of spirits, to which the souls of men remove at death. And that souls have converse with each other, though we have none with them; and that death and hell will be death and hell indeed, to all who fall unholy, from the height of this world's pomps, and the fulness of its pleasures. Learn from all this, that the seed of evil-doers shall never be renowned. The royal city is to be ruined and forsaken. Thus the utter destruction of the New Testament Babylon is illustrated, ( Revelation 18:2 ) . When a people will not be made clean with the besom of reformation, what can they expect but to be swept off the face of the earth with the besom of destruction?

Verses 24-27 Let those that make themselves a yoke and a burden to God's people, see what they are to expect. Let those that are the called according to God's purpose, comfort themselves, that whatever God has purposed, it shall stand. The Lord of hosts has purposed to break the Assyrian's yoke; his hand is stretched out to execute this purpose; who has power to turn it back? By such dispensations of providence, the Almighty shows in the most convincing manner, that sin is hateful in his sight.

Verses 28-32 Assurance is given of the destruction of the Philistines and their power, by famine and war. Hezekiah would be more terrible to them than Uzziah had been. Instead of rejoicing, there would be lamentation, for the whole land would be ruined. Such destruction will come upon the proud and rebellious, but the Lord founded Zion for a refuge to poor sinners, who flee from the wrath to come, and trust in his mercy through Christ Jesus. Let us tell all around of our comforts and security, and exhort them to seek the same refuge and salvation.

Footnotes

• [a]. "insolente " (LXX, Qumrán y Siríaca); en TM, palabra de difícil traducción.
• [b]. "monte de los dioses" . Lit. "monte de la asamblea" .

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 14

This chapter contains prophecies of the restoration of the Jews, of the fall of the king of Babylon, and the destruction of the Assyrian empire, and of the ruin of Palestine. The moving cause of the restoration of the Jews, and their settlement in their own land, is the distinguishing mercy of God towards them; the accomplishment of it, proselytes joined unto them; the means, people of other nations, who should bring them into it, and whom they should possess and rule over; and the consequence of it, rest from sorrow, fear, and hard bondage, Isa 14:1-3 upon which they are introduced as taking up a proverb, or a triumphant song, concerning the king of Babylon, wondering at his fall, and ascribing it to the Lord, Isa 14:4,5 representing the inhabitants of the earth, and great men of it, as at peace, and rest, and rejoicing, who before were continually disturbed, and smitten by him, Isa 14:6-8 introducing the dead, and those in hell, meeting him, and welcoming him into their regions, with taunts and jeers; upbraiding him with his weakness, shame, and disgrace he was come into; putting him in mind of his former pomp and splendour, pride, arrogance, and haughtiness, Isa 14:9-15 spectators are brought in, as amazed at the low, mean, and despicable condition he was brought into, considering what he had done in the world, in kingdoms and cities, but was now denied a burial, when other kings lay in their pompous sepulchres, Isa 14:16-20 and then it is foretold that that whole royal family should be cut off, and Babylon, the metropolis of his kingdom, should be utterly destroyed, Isa 14:21-23 all which was settled and fixed by the purpose of God, which could not be made void, Isa 14:24-27 and next follows a prophecy of the destruction of Palestine; the date of the prophecy is given Isa 14:28 the inhabitants of Palestine are bid not to rejoice at the death of one of the kings of Judah, since another should arise, who would be fatal to them, Isa 14:29 and while the Jews would be in safety, they would be destroyed by famine and war, Isa 14:30,31 from all which it would appear, and it might be told the messengers of the nations, or any inquiring persons, that Zion is of the Lord's founding, and under his care and protection, and that his people have great reason and encouragement to trust in him, Isa 14:32.