Isaiah 14 21

Isaiah 14:21 kjv

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.

Isaiah 14:21 nkjv

Prepare slaughter for his children Because of the iniquity of their fathers, Lest they rise up and possess the land, And fill the face of the world with cities."

Isaiah 14:21 niv

Prepare a place to slaughter his children for the sins of their ancestors; they are not to rise to inherit the land and cover the earth with their cities.

Isaiah 14:21 esv

Prepare slaughter for his sons because of the guilt of their fathers, lest they rise and possess the earth, and fill the face of the world with cities."

Isaiah 14:21 nlt

Kill this man's children!
Let them die because of their father's sins!
They must not rise and conquer the earth,
filling the world with their cities."

Isaiah 14 verses

Isaiah 14 21 meaning

The verse announces a decree of devastating judgment against the children of the king of Babylon, signifying the complete obliteration of his dynasty and legacy. This punitive measure is directly linked to the accumulated iniquity of their forefathers. The divine intent is to prevent the offspring from ever establishing a ruling presence, from possessing the land, or from propagating their influence and power by building up cities across the known world, thereby ensuring the total extinction of their line and the memory of their oppressive reign.

Isaiah 14 21 Context

Isaiah chapter 14 begins with a prophecy of Israel's restoration and a "taunt song" against the king of Babylon, depicting his dramatic downfall from the height of arrogant power to the depths of Sheol. This chapter celebrates God's ultimate victory over the oppressive empire that afflicted His people. The preceding verses (14:4-20) describe the exultation of creation and the underworld at the king's demise, contrasting his former glory with his current humiliation, rejected and unburied. Verse 21 concludes this particular oracle of judgment against Babylon's dynasty, emphasizing that the judgment will not stop at the king himself but extend to his progeny, ensuring the total cessation of his imperial legacy and the preventing of any future resurgence. Historically, this prophecy would have resonated deeply with the original audience—Judahites facing Babylonian conquest and exile—offering a powerful promise of divine justice and future hope.

Isaiah 14 21 Word analysis

• Prepare (הָכִ֥ינוּ, hakhinu): A Piel imperative, plural, meaning "prepare ye" or "appoint." It indicates a decisive, intentional command for action, whether by divine decree using agents or by direct divine intervention. Here, it signifies the certainty and deliberateness of the judgment. The imagery suggests a determined setting in place of the conditions for destruction.
• Slaughter (מַטְבֵּ֖חַ, matbe'akh): A noun referring to the act of slaughter, a place of slaughter, or something that is slaughtered. In this context, it emphasizes violent death and systematic destruction, transforming the future prospects of the royal line into a place of execution. It is a grim, active term describing lethal intention.
• for his children (לְבָנָ֣יו, lebanav): Directly specifies the targets of the slaughter—the king of Babylon's offspring. This highlights the generational scope of the judgment, which goes beyond the individual king to erase his legacy and future. It emphasizes that the dynasty will be extinguished.
• for the iniquity (בַּעֲוֹ֘ן, ba'avon): The preposition ba ('because of' or 'on account of') precedes avon, which signifies "iniquity," "guilt," or "punishment for iniquity." This phrase precisely identifies the justification for such a severe, multi-generational judgment: the accumulated moral and spiritual failing of their ancestors, particularly the oppressive acts of the Babylonian king.
• of their fathers (אֲבוֹתָיו֙, avotav): Clearly links the children's fate to the actions of the preceding generations. It undersigns the concept of corporate responsibility in ancient Near Eastern thought, where the fate of a nation or dynasty was often tied to its past leadership. This is not necessarily about individual children bearing guilt for sins they didn't commit, but about the dynasty being culpable.
• that they do not rise up (לֹא־יָקֻ֣מוּ, lo'-yaqumu): The negation lo' with the verb yaqumu ("they rise up"). The verb qum means to stand, rise, or establish. In this context, it implies preventing them from rising to power, establishing a new rule, or re-establishing their family's dominance. It indicates the permanency of the dynastic termination.
• and possess (וְהוֹרִ֖ישׁוּ, v'horishu): From yarash, meaning to inherit, take possession, or dispossess. Here, it is meant in the negative—to prevent them from taking control or inheriting. It underscores the denial of the very future and legacy they would otherwise have claimed.
• the earth (אָ֑רֶץ, aretz): Can mean the land (specific territory) or the whole earth. In the context of a powerful empire like Babylon seeking dominion, it implies possessing global influence and rule. Their claim to universal empire would be annulled.
• and fill (וּמָלְא֥וּ, u'mal'u): To make full, to populate. Signifies proliferation, expansion, and establishing widespread control. This future possibility is deliberately curtailed.
• the face of the world (פְּנֵֽי־תֵבֵֽל, p'ney-tevel): A comprehensive term for the inhabited earth or world. It conveys the vastness of the dominion and population that Babylon sought to establish, which is now denied. Tevel particularly suggests human settlement and civilization.
• with cities (עָרִֽים, arim): Plural for "cities." Cities represented centers of power, culture, population, and empire. By not filling the world with cities, their ability to establish enduring civilization and extended dominion is utterly crushed.

Words-group analysis:

• "Prepare slaughter for his children for the iniquity of their fathers": This phrase starkly juxtaposes future generations with past transgressions. It presents a divinely mandated "preparation" not for prosperity but for utter destruction, specifically aimed at the lineage (children) because of the inherited wickedness and corporate guilt of their ancestors (fathers). This emphasizes divine justice spanning across time.
• "that they do not rise up and possess the earth, and fill the face of the world with cities": This clause elaborates on the purpose of the judgment: to prevent any future resurgence of Babylonian power and influence. It denies the fundamental aims of any empire—to expand its territory ("possess the earth"), its population, and its infrastructure ("fill... with cities"). This ensures the complete and permanent cessation of their dynastic and imperial ambition.

Isaiah 14 21 Bonus section

The concept of generational consequences, while present in biblical texts like Exodus 20:5, is often debated concerning individual vs. corporate responsibility. In Isaiah 14:21, the judgment upon "his children for the iniquity of their fathers" must be understood primarily in the context of dynastic judgment and national consequences, not as a general theological principle implying that innocent children are individually condemned for the unrelated sins of distant ancestors. Here, the "children" are a metonym for the king's royal line, representing the corporate entity of the Babylonian empire. God's decree against them ensures the utter extinction of this oppressive force, serving as a testimony to His justice against those who defiantly oppose His purposes and mercilessly abuse His people. It is a corporate cutting off, severing the root to prevent the branch. This ultimate annihilation signifies God's complete and final triumph over arrogant human power, ensuring His plans for the redemption of Israel remain unhindered by the hubris of gentile empires. This verse contributes to the overarching biblical narrative of God dismantling empires and exalting His own kingdom.

Isaiah 14 21 Commentary

Isaiah 14:21 delivers a powerful, stark decree of total eradication against the Babylonian king's dynasty. It's not merely the king's demise, but a comprehensive, multi-generational judgment rooted in the accumulated wickedness of his forebears and his own oppressive reign. This judgment ensures no progeny will rise to continue the dynasty, inherit power, or rebuild the empire. God's purpose is to permanently eliminate the threat of such a tyrannical force, asserting His absolute sovereignty over human kingdoms and demonstrating His unwavering justice. The verse underscores that God remembers injustice and holds oppressive powers accountable, often severing the source of their strength and future continuity. This judgment offers solace and hope to the oppressed, promising an end to their suffering through divine intervention.Example: Think of a grand, ambitious construction project halted abruptly, with its foundations razed and all future building prevented, ensuring that no trace of the planned edifice or its inheritors ever comes to be.