12 "How you have fallen from heaven , O star of the morning , son of the dawn ! You have been cut down to the earth , You who have weakened the nations ! 13 "But you said in your heart , 'I will ascend to heaven ; I will raise my throne above the stars of God , And I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north . 14 'I will ascend above the heights of the clouds ; I will make myself like the Most High .' 15 "Nevertheless you will be thrust down to Sheol , To the recesses of the pit . 16 "Those who see you will gaze at you, They will ponder over you, saying, 'Is this the man who made the earth tremble , Who shook kingdoms , 17 Who made the world like a wilderness And overthrew its cities , Who did not allow his prisoners to go home ?' 18 "All the kings of the nations lie in glory , Each in his own tomb . 19 "But you have been cast out of your tomb Like a rejected branch , Clothed with the slain who are pierced with a sword , Who go down to the stones of the pit Like a trampled corpse . 20 "You will not be united with them in burial , Because you have ruined your country , You have slain your people . May the offspring of evildoers not be mentioned forever . 21 "Prepare for his sons a place of slaughter Because of the iniquity of their fathers . They must not arise and take possession of the earth And fill the face of the world with cities ."
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Isaiah 14:12-21
Commentary on Isaiah 14:1-23
(Read Isaiah 14:1-23)
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, 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?