Isaiah 14:1-27

The first oracle against Babylon 13:1-14:27

The reader would expect that Isaiah would inveigh against Assyria, since it was the most threatening enemy in his day, and since he referred to it many times in earlier chapters. However, he did not mention Assyria in this section but Babylon, an empire that came into its own about a century after Isaiah’s time. Babylon was a symbol of self-exalting pride, and its glory, dating back to the tower of Babel (cf. Isaiah 13:5; Isaiah 13:10-11). Thus what he said about Babylon was applicable to Assyria and other similar self-exalting powers in the eastern part of Israel’s world. Similarly, what marked the Medes (Isaiah 13:17-18) was their fierce destruction of their enemies, which was already in view but would become more obvious in the years that followed. When the prophet lived and wrote, Babylon was a real entity within Assyria, but Isaiah used it to represent all the nations in that area that shared its traits (cf. Genesis 9:20-25; Revelation 17-18). Behind Assyria Isaiah saw the spirit of Babel, which he condemned here. Yet this is also a prophecy against real Babylon. "Babylon" is the Greek name for "Babel."

The literary structure of this oracle, omitting the introduction (Isaiah 13:1), is chiastic.

"A The day of the Lord: the beckoning hand, a universal purpose declared (Isaiah 13:2-16)

B The overthrow of Babylon: the end of the kingdom, the fact of divine overthrow (Isaiah 13:17-22)

C The security and future of the Lord’s people: a contrasting universal purpose (Isaiah 14:1-2)

B’ The overthrow of Babylon: the end of the king, the explanation of divine overthrow (Isaiah 14:3-23)

A’ The end of Assyrian power: the outstretched hand, a universal purpose exemplified and validated (Isaiah 14:24-27)" [Note: Motyer, p. 135.]