Book of Isaiah Chapter 14 Vs. 4

 Israel's Remnant Taunts Babylon

Isa 14:4 That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased!

take up this proverb... Hebrew: mashal, a taunt or triumph song (see Prov. 1:1). The Septuagint reads lamentation over the king of Babylon the Antichrist, Isa. 14:4. Since a future generation of Israel would not be taking up a triumph song against a king of the past who had not oppressed them, it seems clear that the whole passage pictures something in the future to be fulfilled in the Millennium.

That thou shall take up...

נָשָׂא

nāśā’

A verb meaning to lift, to carry, to take away. This verb is used almost six hundred times in the Hebrew Bible and covers three distinct semantic ranges. The first range is to lift, which occurs in both literal (Gen. 7:17; 29:1; Eze. 10:16) and figurative statements: to lift the hand in taking an oath (Deut. 32:40); in combat (2Sam. 18:28); as a sign (Isa. 49:22); in retribution (Psm. 10:12). Other figurative statements include the lifting of: the head (Gen. 40:13); the face (2Sam. 2:22); the eyes (Gen. 13:10); the voice (1Sam. 30:4). It is also important to note that a person can take up or induce iniquity by a number of actions (Exo. 28:43; Lev. 19:17; 22:9; Num. 18:32). The second semantic category is to bear or to carry and is used especially in reference to the bearing of guilt or punishment of sin (Gen. 4:13; Lev. 5:1). This flows easily then into the concept of the representative or substitutionary bearing of one person's guilt by another (Lev. 10:17; 16:22). The final category is to take away. It can be used in the simple sense of taking something (Gen. 27:3); to take a wife or to get married (Ruth 1:4); to take away guilt or to forgive (Gen. 50:17); to take away or to destroy (Job 32:22).

this...

זֶה

zeh

A masculine demonstrative pronoun meaning this, these; this is, are; this (person), they. Used alone, the word may mean this one (man) (Gen. 5:29; Exo. 10:7; 1Sam. 10:27); an event, concept, action (Exo. 13:8; Job 15:17; Prov. 24:12; Ecc. 1:17). When repeated zeh . . . zeh, it means this . . . that or the one . . . the other, etc. (Exo. 14:20; 1Kgs. 3:23; 22:20; Isa. 6:3). It points out a noun that it precedes or follows (Exo. 32:1, 32:23; Deut. 21:20; Jos. 2:14, 2:20; 9:12; Jdg. 5:5). Used as a semiverb, it means this is, these are (Gen. 5:1; 20:13; 2Kgs. 3:23). It is coupled with certain words to make idioms, etc.: ’ēy-zeh mîy zeh meaning why, who is this, respectively (1Sam. 17:55-56; Job 28:12; Jer. 49:19); further one finds mah-zeh, how, what is this? (Gen. 27:20). With hennēh it means, behold, right here! (1Kgs. 19:5; Song 2:8-9; Isa. 21:9). It functions as the relative pronoun ’ašer, who, which, what, etc. in poetry: which (Psm. 74:2,3; 78:54; 104:8). It is used often with prefixes added to it: bāzeh, in this place (Gen. 38:21-22; 1Sam. 1:26); mizzeh, from here (Gen. 42:15); mizzeh . . . mizzeh means one side . . . on the other side (Exo. 17:12; 25:19). After the preposition ‛al, it means for this reason, on this account (Est. 6:3; Lam. 5:17).

proverb...

מָשָׁל

māšāl

A masculine noun meaning a proverb, an oracle, a parable. It is a literary genre, device, and style in the form of short, pithy sayings, prophetic utterances, or compositions of comparison (1Sam. 10:12; 24:13,14; Eze. 12:22-23; 17:2; 20:49; 21:5). It has the sense of a byword or object spoken of in contempt or derision (Deut. 28:37; 1Kgs. 9:7; Psm. 44:14,15; 69:11,12). It describes a prophetic utterance (Num. 23:7, 23:18; 24:3, 24:15, 24:20-21, 24:23; Isa. 14:4; Mic. 2:4). Its meaning is extended to poetry, that often features comparisons, figurative language, etc. (1Kgs. 4:32; 5:12; Psm. 49:4,5; 78:2). This word describes short sayings or sentences of wisdom (Job 13:12; 27:1; 29:1; Prov. 10:1; 25:1, etc. in Proverbs).

against...

עַל

‛al

A preposition meaning upon, over, against, by, to, for. The various nuances of this preposition are wide-ranging, and the context determines its exact meaning and usage. Here are some basics: on, upon (Gen. 1:11, 1:26; Exo. 20:12; 2Sam. 4:7); in front of (Gen. 18:8; Exo. 27:21); to, unto plus mî, to whom (Jer. 6:10); with zô’ṯ or kēn following, it means because of, therefore with respect to, concerning (Gen. 20:3; Ruth 4:7); as or according to (Psm. 110:4); besides or over against (Exo. 20:3); to come on (one's) heart, means to come to mind, to think of (Jer. 3:16); to add to, in addition to yāsap̱ ‛al (Gen. 28:9; 31:50; Deut. 19:9); it has the sense of with, met with (Exo. 3:18). Other phrases include: k^e‛al-ḵōl , according to all (Isa. 63:7); from upon, upon, e.g., a camel (Gen. 2:5; 19:24; 24:64); ‛al-b^elî, that . . . not (Gen. 31:20); ‛al-’^ašer, because (Exo. 32:35). It is used to indicate God's provincial care, His hand on ‛al someone (Neh. 2:8); and to indicate a burden on someone (Exo. 5:8; 21:22; Job 7:20; Psm. 42:6; Isa. 1:14). It indicates the thing one speaks about or is concerned with when used with verbs of speaking, hearing (Jdg. 9:3; Jer. 16:3). It has the sense of eminence or exaltation, above (Deut. 26:19; Psm. 57:5,6, 57:11,12). It indicates what one exercises authority over (Isa. 22:15). It is used in the idiom, to fall asleep, sleep falls on someone (Gen. 2:21; 15:12); and of the activity of the mind setting on ‛al something (2Sam. 14:1; Jer. 22:17; Mal. 3:13). It is used of an army attacking against ‛al a foe (Gen. 34:25; Deut. 19:11; Amos 7:9).

the king...

מֶלֶךּ

meleḵ

A masculine noun meaning king. The feminine form is malkāh, meaning queen, though the concept is more of a king's consort than a monarchical ruler. The word meleḵ appears over 2,500 times in the Old Testament. In many biblical contexts, this term is simply a general term, denoting an individual with power and authority. It is parallel with and conceptually related to a number of other Hebrew words that are usually translated as lord, captain, prince, chief, or ruler. It is used in reference to men and often with a genitive of people or place (Gen. 14:1; Exo. 1:15; 2Sam. 2:4); the Lord who demonstrates His power and authority over Israel (Isa. 41:21; 44:6); and over each individual (Psm. 5:2,3; 44:4,5). In pagan worship, the worshipers of idols attribute this term with its connotations to their idols (Isa. 8:21; Amos 5:26).

of Babylon...

בָּבֶל

bāḇel

A proper noun designating Babel or Babylon, a name meaning confession and the name of the foreign power most often mentioned in the Old Testament, Babylon. Its beginnings go back to Nimrod, a mighty warrior and hunter but also a founder of cities and city-states (Gen. 10:8-12). At Babel the languages of the world became mixed and separated (Gen. 11:9), and there great towers ziggurats were built to approach the gods as humankind deemed necessary. God stopped the building of these towers of hubris (Gen. 11:5-8), where humankind tried to gather together as one (Gen. 11:1-2). It was a part of the Assyrian Empire for a while (2Kgs. 17:24, 17:30). The neo-Babylonian Empire, founded by Nabopolassar (626 B.C.) is often mentioned in the prophets (Isa. Jer., Eze., Dan., Mic., Zech.). Its greatest king, Nebuchadnezzar, ruled nearly 43 years and is the topic of much of the Book of Daniel (Dan. 1:1; 2, 3, 4). The Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem and took Judah into exile in 587/6 B.C. (2Kgs. 25:1-28; Jer. 52:3-34). Isaiah the prophet especially denounced the idolatry of Babylon (Isa 40-66). Israel was exiled in 587/6 to Babylon for seventy years in fulfillment of both the prophet Moses' and Jeremiah's prophecies (Deut. 28; Jer. 25:1-14). They returned in 538 B.C. under Cyrus, king of Persia (2Chr. 36:20-23; Ezra 1:1-3; Zec. 2:7,11).

and say...

אָמַר

’āmar

A verb meaning to say. It is translated in various ways depending on the context. It is almost always followed by a quotation. In addition to vocal speech, the word refers to thought as internal speech (2Sam. 13:32; Est. 6:6). Further, it also refers to what is being communicated by a person's actions along with his words (Exo. 2:14; 2Chr. 28:13).

how...

אֵיךּ

’ēyḵ, אֵיכָה

’ēyḵāh, אֵיכָכָה

’ēyḵāḵāh

I. An interrogative adverb meaning How? How! It is translated this way uniformly, but its connotation can be slightly different according to context. It can hint or connote doubt (Gen. 44:8); reproach (Jdg. 16:15); mourning (2Sam. 1:19); assertiveness (Jer. 3:19).

II. An interrogative adverb asking How? How! It is translated uniformly but connotes different shades of meaning. It connotes what? (2Kgs. 6:15). It functions rhetorically (Deut. 1:12). It further expresses mourning, reproach, where (Isa. 1:21; Jer. 8:8). It functions in some cases as a technical literary word introducing a dirge (Isa. 1:21).

3. This interrogative adverb means, "How?" It is found twice in the Old Testament. It indicates a psychological impossibility (Est. 8:6; Song 5:3).

   hath the oppressor...

נָגַשׂ

nāg̱aś

A verb meaning to oppress, to require payment. It refers to forcing someone or something to do something. It is used of forcing persons to labor (Isa. 58:3); of forcing or exacting payment of money (2Kgs. 23:35). It refers in its participial forms to taskmasters or workers of animals (Exo. 3:7; 5:6, 5:10, 5:13-14; Job 3:18). It is used figuratively of righteousness being a good foreman or overseer (Isa. 60:17) in a restored Jerusalem. In its passive uses, it refers to those who are oppressed by others (1Sam. 13:6). The Suffering Servant of Isaiah is a person oppressed, ill-treated by his enemies (Isa. 53:7; cf. Isa. 3:5).

ceased...

שָׁבַת

šaḇaṯ

A verb meaning to repose, to rest, to rid of, to still, to put away, to leave. Most often, the word expresses the idea of resting (i.e., abstaining from labor), especially on the seventh day (see Exo. 20:8-11). It is from this root that the noun for Sabbath originates, a word designating the time to be set aside for rest. The verb is used of God to describe His resting after the completion of creation (Gen. 2:2). This example of rest by God at creation set the requirement of rest that He desires for His people in order that they may live lives pleasing to Him, full of worship and adoration (Exo. 31:17). In Joshua, the verb expresses a cessation of the provision of manna by God to the Israelites (Jos. 5:12). The land was also depicted as enjoying a rest from the Israelite farmers while they were in exile (Lev. 26:34-35).

Daniel uses this verb to indicate a ceasing of ritual sacrifice and offerings (Dan. 9:27). In that passage, Daniel was speaking of the Messiah's coming and the establishment of the New Covenant, when there would be no more need for ritual sacrifices. In another context, the verb can mean to exterminate or destroy a certain object, such as in Amos 8:4 in which Amos addresses those who trampled the needy and did away with the poor. The verb means to cause, to desist from, as in God's declaration of action against the shepherds (Eze. 34:10). The word suggests a removing of people or other objects (Exo. 12:15; Eze. 23:27, 23:48; Isa. 30:11). In still other contexts, the causative stem means to fail or to leave lacking. In Ruth 4:14, God was praised because He did not leave Naomi without a kinsman-redeemer.

the golden city...

מַדְהֵבָה

maḏhēḇāh

I. A feminine noun meaning fury. It refers to the violent speed and fierceness of a nation's military activities, such as Babylon's (Isa. 14:4).

II. A feminine noun meaning golden city. Traditionally, it referred to Babylon as the golden city (KJV, Isa. 14:4). Various ancient manuscripts or translations suggest that the better translation is fury (see I), but this is not certain.

ceased... same as ceased above.

The one whose fury (Isa. 14:4; cf. Isa. 14:6) would end is the oppressor who had struck down peoples and aggressively subdued nations.