Isaiah 14:21

Prepare slaughter for his children for the iniquity of their fathers; that they do not rise, nor possess the land, nor fill the face of the world with cities. PREPARE SLAUGHTER - charge to the Medes and Persians, as if they were God's conscious instruments. FOR HIS CHILDREN - Belshazzar's. FOR THE INIQUITY OF THEIR FATHERS - (Exodus 20:5.) THAT THEY DO NOT RISE - to occupy the places of their fathers, nor fill the face of the world with cities. Maurer translates, 'enemies;' as the Hebrew [ `aariym (H5892)] means in 1 Samuel 28:16;...

21._Prepare slaughter for his children. _Here Isaiah prophesies more plainly than before against the king of Babylon. He speaks of the whole of his descendants, to whom he intimates that this destruction extends. We must keep in mind what we formerly said, that hitherto the Prophet has spoken not of a single man, but of a whole dynasty; and now he removes all doubt as to the metaphorical language. The rendering given by the old translation, _Prepare his children for the slaughter, _does not agree well; for the preposition ל, (_lamed_,) which is prefixed, evidently shows that it ought to be translated _to _or _for the children. _ We must see to whom this discourse relates. It must be understood that reference is made, though not directly expressed, to some servants as officers or executioners, whom the Lord orders to be in a state of _preparation _for executing his judgments. And

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. Tyr...

PREPARE SLAUGHTER FOR HIS CHILDREN - That is, cut them off not only from inheriting the honor of their father, but from life. This command seems to be directed to the Medes and Persians, and denotes that they would thus cut off his children. FOR THE INIQUITY OF THEIR FATHERS - On account of the crimes of their ancestors - the pride, haughtiness, and oppression of the kings of Babylon. This is the statement of a general principle of the divine administration, that the consequences of crime often pass over from the perpetrator, and impinge on his descendants (see Exodus 20:5). THAT THEY DO NOT RISE - That they do not rise to occupy the places of their fathers; that they be degraded and reduced from their elevation and honored. Nor fill the fa

EXPOSITION ISAIAH 14:1 THE RESTORATION OF ISRAEL, AND HER SONG OF TRIUMPH OVER BABYLON. The destruction of Babylon is to be followed by the restoration of Israel, with the good will of the nations, and by their exercising rule over their late oppressors (Isaiah 14:1, Isaiah 14:2). In this time of rest and refreshment they will sing a song of triumph over Babylon. The song extends from Isaiah 14:4 to...

PREPARE SLAUGHTER FOR HIS CHILDREN,.... These words are directed to the Medes and Persians, to prepare instruments of slaughter, and make use of them; and prepare themselves for the slaughter of the whole royal family, Belshazzar and all his children. So it is threatened to Jezebel, or the Romish antichrist, that all her children should be killed with death, Revelation 2:23: FOR THE INIQUITY OF THEIR FATHERS; they imitating and following them in their sins, partaking of them, and filling up the measure of their iniquities: THAT THEY DO NOT RISE, NOR POSSESS THE LAND; stand up and succeed him in the government of the land, as their inheritance: NOR FILL THE FACE OF THE WORLD WITH CITIES; as their ancestors had done, which were built by them to perpetuate their name and glory, and to keep the nations in awe subdued by them. The T

Isaiah 14:1. _For the LORD will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land: and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob._ This promise had a measure of fulfillment when Israel was brought back from Babylon; and still is it true that, when God's people come to their worst, there is always something better before them. On the other hand, it is equally sure that, when sinners come to their best, there is always something terrible awaiting them. The apostle Paul wrote to the Romans, «God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew;» and his declaration agrees with this prophecy, «The Lord will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land.» I believe that there will be a far grander fulfillment of this prophecy in that day when God shall bring back his chosen people to

CHAPTER 14 Israel's Restoration and Blessing After Babylon is Fallen and the Burden of Philistia 1. _Israel's restoration and exaltation (Isaiah 14:1)_ 2. _The proverb against the king of Babylon (Isaiah 14:3)_ 3. _The triumph over Lucifer (Satan) (Isaiah 14:12)_ 4. _Babylon's destruction (Isaiah 14:21)_ 5. _The Assyrian broken (Isaiah 14:24)_ 6. _The burden of Philistia (Isaiah 14:28)_ When the last great Babylon is

ISAIAH 13:1 TO ISAIAH 14:23. THE UTTER RUIN OF BABYLON AND TRIUMPHAL ODE OVER HER MONARCH'S DEATH. Historical conditions are here presupposed entirely different from those of Isaiah's time. The subject of Isaiah 13 is the overthrow of Babylon by the Medes a century and a half after his age. Since the downfall is said to lie in the near future, the prophecy must have been written very near the close of the Exile. The description of Babylon is also not true to the situation of Isaiah's day. The great oppressing empire, whose downfall he predicted, was Assyria. Babylon was subject to it, though it revolted from time to time, and it was united in friendly relations with Judah by hate for the common oppressor. In our prophecy Babylon is no longer a subject state, but the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldea

SLAUGHTER. a slaughter-house, or, instruments of slaughter. Hebrew. _matbeah._ Occurs only here. CHILDREN. sons. FOR THE INIQUITY OF THEIR FATHERS. Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 20:5). App-92. FACE. surface. CITIES. The triumph-song which began in Isaiah 14:4 ends here....