Focused Passage

Isaiah 14:28-32

The Fall of Babylon’s King, the LORD’s Unbreakable Purpose, and the Oracle Against Philistia

The chapter moves from the LORD’s compassion and restoration of Jacob, to Israel’s rest from bondage, to a taunt against the king of Babylon, to the descent of the proud oppressor into Sheol, to the exposure of his failed ambition to ascend above God, to his dishonored end, to the LORD’s decree against Babylon’s descendants, to the LORD’s purpose against Assyria, and finally to the warning against Philistia and the security of Zion.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

28 In the year that King Ahaz died, this burden was received:

29 Do not rejoice, all you Philistines, that the rod that struck you is broken. For a viper will spring from the root of the snake, and a flying serpent from its egg.

30 Then the firstborn of the poor will find pasture, and the needy will lie down in safety, but I will kill your root by famine, and your remnant will be slain.

31 Wail, O gate! Cry out, O city! Melt away, all you Philistines! For a cloud of smoke comes from the north, and there are no stragglers in its ranks.

32 What answer will be given to the envoys of that nation? “The LORD has founded Zion, where His afflicted people will find refuge.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 28

Original words

In the year בִּשְׁנַת־ H8141 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct that King הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ H4428 Article | Noun - masculine singular Ahaz אָחָ֑ז H271 Noun - proper - masculine singular died מ֖וֹת H4194 Noun - masculine singular construct this הַזֶּֽה׃ H2088 Article | Pronoun - masculine singular burden הַמַּשָּׂ֥א H4853 Article | Noun - masculine singular was received הָיָ֖ה H1961 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 29

Original words

Do not אַֽל־ H408 Adverb rejoice תִּשְׂמְחִ֤י H8055 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person feminine singular all כֻּלֵּ֔ךְ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person feminine singular you Philistines פְלֶ֙שֶׁת֙ H6429 Noun - proper - feminine singular that כִּ֥י H3588 Conjunction the rod שֵׁ֣בֶט H7626 Noun - masculine singular construct that struck you מַכֵּ֑ךְ H5221 Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular construct | second person feminine singular is broken נִשְׁבַּ֖ר H7665 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular For כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction a viper צֶ֔פַע H6848 Noun - masculine singular will spring יֵ֣צֵא H3318 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular from the root מִשֹּׁ֤רֶשׁ H8328 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct of the snake נָחָשׁ֙ H5175 Noun - masculine singular and a flying מְעוֹפֵֽף׃ H5774 Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular serpent שָׂרָ֥ף H8314 Noun - masculine singular from its egg וּפִרְי֖וֹ H6529 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 30

Original words

Then the firstborn בְּכוֹרֵ֣י H1060 Noun - masculine plural construct of the poor דַלִּ֔ים H1800 Adjective - masculine plural will find pasture וְרָעוּ֙ H7462 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural and the needy וְאֶבְיוֹנִ֖ים H34 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural will lie down יִרְבָּ֑צוּ H7257 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural in safety לָבֶ֣טַח H983 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular but I will kill וְהֵמַתִּ֤י H4191 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular your root שָׁרְשֵׁ֔ךְ H8328 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person feminine singular by famine בָֽרָעָב֙ H7458 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular and your remnant וּשְׁאֵרִיתֵ֖ךְ H7611 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person feminine singular will be slain יַהֲרֹֽג׃ H2026 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 31

Original words

Wail הֵילִ֤ילִֽי H3213 Verb - Hifil - Imperative - feminine singular O gate שַׁ֙עַר֙ H8179 Noun - masculine singular Cry out זַֽעֲקִי־ H2199 Verb - Qal - Imperative - feminine singular O city עִ֔יר H5892 Noun - feminine singular Melt away נָמ֖וֹג H4127 Verb - Nifal - Infinitive absolute all כֻּלֵּ֑ךְ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person feminine singular you Philistines פְּלֶ֣שֶׁת H6429 Noun - proper - feminine singular For כִּ֤י H3588 Conjunction a cloud of smoke עָשָׁ֣ן H6227 Noun - masculine singular comes בָּ֔א H935 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular from the north מִצָּפוֹן֙ H6828 Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular and there are no וְאֵ֥ין H369 Conjunctive waw | Adverb stragglers בּוֹדֵ֖ד H909 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular in its ranks בְּמוֹעָדָֽיו׃ H4151 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 32

Original words

What וּמַֽה־ H4100 Conjunctive waw | Interrogative answer will be given יַּעֲנֶ֖ה H6030 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular to the envoys מַלְאֲכֵי־ H4397 Noun - masculine plural construct of that nation ג֑וֹי H1471 Noun - masculine singular . . . כִּ֤י H3588 Conjunction The LORD יְהוָה֙ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular has founded יִסַּ֣ד H3245 Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular Zion צִיּ֔וֹן H6726 Noun - proper - feminine singular where His afflicted עֲנִיֵּ֥י H6041 Adjective - masculine plural construct people עַמּֽוֹ׃ס H5971 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular will find refuge יֶחֱס֖וּ H2620 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.