New International Version
Isaiah 14:21
21Prepare 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 in other versions
- King James Version (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.
- English Standard Version (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."
- New King James Version (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.”
- New Living Translation (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.”
Context of Isaiah 14:21
19But you are cast out of your tomb like a rejected branch; you are covered with the slain, with those pierced by the sword, those who descend to the stones of the pit. Like a corpse trampled underfoot, 20you will not join them in burial, for you have destroyed your land and killed your people. Let the offspring of the wicked never be mentioned again. 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. 22“I will rise up against them,” declares the Lord Almighty. “I will wipe out Babylon’s name and survivors, her offspring and descendants,” declares the Lord. 23“I will turn her into a place for owls and into swampland; I will sweep her with the broom of destruction,” declares the Lord Almighty.
Read all of Isaiah 14Isaiah 14:21 word by word
הָכִ֧ינוּ לְבָנָ֛יו מַטְבֵּ֖חַ בַּעֲוֹ֣ן אֲבוֹתָ֑ם בַּל־יָקֻ֙מוּ֙ וְיָ֣רְשׁוּ אָ֔רֶץ וּמָלְא֥וּ פְנֵֽי־תֵבֵ֖ל עָרִֽים׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Prepareכּוּןkûn · to establish: prepareH3559
- slaughterמַטְבֵּחַmaţbêach · slaughterH4293
- for his childrenבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- for the iniquityעָוֺן‛âvôn ‛âvôn · iniquity: guiltH5771
- of their fathersאָב'âb · fatherH1
- that they do notבַּלbal · notH1077
- riseקוּםqûm · to arise: riseH6965
- nor possessיָרַשׁyârash yârêsh · to possess: takeH3423
- the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- nor fillמָלֵאmâlê' mâlâ' · to fillH4390
- the faceפָּנֶהpânîym · face: surfaceH6440
- of the worldתֵּבֵלtêbêl · worldH8398
- with citiesעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
- with citiesעָר‛âr · enemyH6145
Cross-references for Isaiah 14:21
- Exodus 20:5You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,
- Leviticus 26:39Those of you who are left will waste away in the lands of their enemies because of their sins; also because of their ancestors’ sins they will waste away.
- Matthew 23:35And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.
- Isaiah 27:6In days to come Jacob will take root, Israel will bud and blossom and fill all the world with fruit.
- Habakkuk 2:8Because you have plundered many nations, the peoples who are left will plunder you. For you have shed human blood; you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them.
Commentaries on Isaiah 14:21
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21Prepare slaughter for his children - That is, cut them off not only from inheriting the honor of their father, but from life. This command seems to be directed to the Medes and Persians, and denotes that they would thus cut off his children. For the iniquity of their fathers - On account of the crimes of their ancestors - the pride, haughtiness, and oppression of the kings of Babylon. This is the statement of a general principle of the divine…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21As another sign of disgrace, the king of Babylon would have no children to continue his legacy. Because of their father's sins, God considers individuals in relation to their families and people. Here, the Babylonian king's children shared responsibility for their father's actions (see also Deuteronomy 5:9–10).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 21-2321. Prepare, &c.--charge to the Medes and Persians, as if they were God's conscious instruments. his children--Belshazzar's (Ex 20:5). rise--to occupy the places of their fathers. fill ... with cities--Maurer translates, "enemies," as the Hebrew means in 1Sa 28:16; Psa 139:20; namely, lest they inundate the world with their armies. Vitringa translates, "disturbers." In English Version the meaning is, "lest they fill the land with such cities" of pride as…Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 14:21
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 14
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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