Isaiah 14:21-23

Context

14:21 Prepare to execute¹ his sons

for the sins their ancestors have committed.²

They must not rise up and take possession of the earth,

or fill the surface of the world with cities.”³

14:22 “I will rise up against them,”

says the Lord who commands armies.

“I will blot out all remembrance of Babylon and destroy all her people,⁴

including the offspring she produces,”⁵

says the Lord.

14:23 “I will turn her into a place that is overrun with wild animals⁶

and covered with pools of stagnant water.

I will get rid of her, just as one sweeps away dirt with a broom,”⁷

says the Lord who commands armies.

[14:21] ¹tn Or “the place of slaughter for.”

[14:21] ²tn Heb “for the sin of their fathers.”

[14:21] ³sn J. N. Oswalt (Isaiah [NICOT], 1:320, n. 10) suggests that the garrison cities of the mighty empire are in view here.

[14:22] ⁴tn Heb “I will cut off from Babylon name and remnant” (ASV, NAB, and NRSV all similar).

[14:22] ⁵tn Heb “descendant and child.”

[14:23] ⁷tn Heb “I will make her into a possession of wild animals.” It is uncertain what type of animal קִפֹּד (qippod) refers to. Some suggest a rodent (cf. NASB, NRSV “hedgehog”), others an owl (cf, NAB, NIV, TEV).

[14:23] ⁸tn Heb “I will sweep her away with the broom of destruction.”