14
1 For
the LORD 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
the LORD’s land
for servants and
for handmaids.
They will take
as captives those
whose captives
they were; and
they shall rule
over their
oppressors.
3 It
will happen in
the day that
the LORD will
give you rest
from your sorrow,
from your trouble,
and from the
hard service in
which you were
made to serve,
4 that
you will take
up this parable
against the king
of Babylon, and say, “How
the oppressor has
ceased! The golden
city has ceased!”
5 The
LORD has broken
the staff of
the wicked, the
scepter of the
rulers,
6 who
struck the peoples
in wrath with
a continual stroke,
who ruled the
nations in anger,
with a persecution
that no one
restrained.
7 The
whole earth is at
rest, and is
quiet. They break
out in song.
8 Yes,
the cypress trees
rejoice with you,
with the cedars of
Lebanon, saying, “Since
you are humbled,
no lumberjack has
come up against
us.”
9 Sheol
from beneath has
moved for you
to meet you
at your coming.
It stirs up
the departed
spirits for you,
even all the rulers
of the earth. It
has raised up
from their thrones
all the kings
of the nations.
10 They
all will answer
and ask you, “Have
you also become
as weak as
we are? Have
you become like
us?”
11 Your
pomp is brought
down to Sheol,
with the sound of
your stringed instruments. Maggots
are spread out
under you, and
worms cover you.
12 How you
have fallen from
heaven, shining one,
son of the
dawn! How you are
cut down to
the ground, who laid
the nations low!
13 You said
in your heart, “I
will ascend into
heaven! I will
exalt my throne
above the stars
of God! I
will sit on
the mountain of
assembly, in the
far north!
14 I will
ascend above the
heights of the
clouds! I will
make myself like
the Most High!”
15 Yet
you shall be brought
down to Sheol,
to the depths of
the pit.
16 Those
who see you
will stare at
you. They
will ponder you, saying, “Is
this the man
who made the earth
to tremble, who
shook kingdoms,
17 who
made the world
like a wilderness,
and overthrew its
cities, who didn’t
release his prisoners
to their home?”
18 All
the kings of
the nations sleep
in glory, everyone
in his own house.
19 But you
are cast away
from your tomb
like an abominable
branch, clothed
with the slain who
are thrust through
with the sword, who
go down to
the stones of
the pit; like a
dead body trodden under foot.
20 You
will not join them
in burial, because
you have destroyed
your land. You
have killed your
people. The
offspring of
evildoers will not
be named forever.
21 Prepare
for slaughter of
his children
because of the
iniquity of
their fathers, that
they not rise
up and possess
the earth, and
fill the surface
of the world
with cities.
22 “I
will rise up
against them,”
says the LORD
of Armies, “and
cut off
from Babylon name
and remnant, and
son and son’s
son,” says the
LORD.
23 “I
will also make
it a possession
for the porcupine,
and pools of water.
I will sweep
it with the
broom of
destruction,” says
the LORD of
Armies.
24 The
LORD of Armies
has sworn, saying, “Surely, as I have
thought, so shall
it happen; and
as I have
purposed, so shall
it stand:
25 that
I will break
the Assyrian in
my land, and tread
him under foot on
my mountains. Then
his yoke will
leave them, and
his burden leave
their shoulders.
26 This
is the plan
that is determined
for the
whole earth. This
is the hand
that is stretched
out over all
the nations.
27 For
the LORD of
Armies has planned,
and who can stop
it? His hand
is stretched out,
and who can
turn it back?”
28 This
burden was in
the year that
King Ahaz died.
29 Don’t
rejoice, O
Philistia, all of
you, because the
rod that struck
you is broken;
for out of
the serpent’s root
an adder will
emerge, and his
fruit will be
a fiery flying
serpent.
30 The
firstborn of the
poor will eat,
and the needy
will lie down
in safety; and I
will kill your
root with famine,
and your remnant
will be killed.
31 Howl,
gate! Cry, city!
You are melted
away, Philistia,
all of you;
for smoke comes
out of the
north, and there
is no straggler in
his ranks.
32 What
will they answer
the messengers of
the nation? That
the LORD has
founded Zion, and
in her the
afflicted of his
people will take
refuge.